When a large number of Excel files are scattered across folders, manually creating a directory listing can easily miss key information such as paths, timestamps, sizes, and worksheet counts. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to explain how to batch import xlsx and xls files using the "File Information Statistics" function, select detailed Excel file information, and export file properties, Office metadata, and worksheet counts into a unified Excel summary table, helping to quickly complete data inventory and file handover.
When a folder contains only a few Excel files, creating a directory listing manually is not difficult; however, if there are dozens or even hundreds of xlsx and xls files, the problem becomes complex. You may need to record the name, full path, extension, file size, creation time, and modification time for each file, and also know how many worksheets each Excel workbook contains. For project materials, teaching resources, financial statements, operational ledgers, R&D records, and similar files, this information is often mandatory for archiving, handover, and review.
Many people start by opening File Explorer, copying the file names into Excel, and then adding the path and time one by one. This method seems feasible, but as the number of files increases, issues like low efficiency, inconsistent fields, and omission of items are likely to occur. Specifically, information like the "Excel worksheet count" and "Office metadata" usually cannot be batch-copied directly from the Explorer. You need to open the file or check its document properties, which is significantly more time-consuming.
Use the "File Information Statistics" feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to automate this type of repetitive organization work. This office software is positioned for batch file processing, reducing repetitive labor, and improving office efficiency. The following sections, combined with screenshots, will provide a complete explanation of how to organize a batch of Excel files into a filterable, reviewable directory listing.
Applicable Scenario: Needing a Deliverable Excel File Directory Table
Batch exporting an Excel file directory listing is common in the following types of office tasks.
First is project closure archiving. After project completion, the team needs to organize all process files into a list for easy future retrieval and auditing. Listing only file names is often insufficient; full paths, modification times, and file sizes better indicate the file's location and status.
Second is material handover. When a new colleague takes over an old project, if they only receive a folder, it's difficult to quickly judge which Excel sheets are inside, which files are newer, and which files contain multiple worksheets. Generating a list through batch statistics can significantly reduce communication costs.
Third is file cleanup. Departmental shared drives often accumulate a large number of Excel files, some of which may not have been updated for years. After exporting the creation time, modification time, and access time, you can sort by time to help decide which files need to be retained, backed up, or cleaned up.
Fourth is data management. For data report workbooks, the number of worksheets can reflect the complexity of the file structure. After batch counting the number of Excel worksheets, you can quickly identify workbooks containing multiple sheets and prioritize them for checking, splitting, or standardization.
Result Preview: Files Before Processing Are Just Regular Lists
Before processing, the folder displays a batch of Excel files. The screenshot shows file names, modification dates, file types, and sizes, but this information remains at the system list level. It cannot directly become a standardized Excel file directory listing and cannot simultaneously display Office metadata and worksheet counts.
For example, while files like ClassNoteIndex.xlsx, CourseReviewMatrix.xlsx, and ExamScoreAnalysis.xlsx are visible in the folder, if you need to know their full paths, creation times, containing folders, author information, last saved by, and worksheet counts, further statistics are needed. Manual methods usually require repeated right-clicking, copying, pasting, and opening files, which is unsuitable for large-scale processing.
Result Preview: After Processing, a Structured Excel Summary Result is Generated
After processing, all file information is compiled into a single Excel table. The results table displays one file per row, including basic file fields and Office metadata fields. The screenshot shows that the header covers Name, Path, Extension, Size, Folder Name, Folder Path, Creation Time, Modification Time, Access Time, as well as Office metadata fields like Title, Subject, Tags, Comments, Author, Last Saved By, Creation Date, Last Print Time, and Edit Time; it also includes the Excel-related Worksheet Count.
The advantage after processing is clear compared to before: all file information is consolidated into one Excel table. Users can directly filter for xlsx files, sort by size, screen for outdated files by modification time, and judge file complexity by worksheet count. This table can also be submitted as an attachment to the project manager or archivist.
Operating Steps: From Importing Files to Generating the Statistics Table
Step One: Open File Organization and Classification, Enter File Information Statistics
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "File Organization" in the left navigation bar. The right side will display multiple batch tools related to file organization, among which "File Information Statistics" is used for batch counting information like names, paths, sizes, times, and metadata for various files. Since we want to create an Excel file directory listing, click this tool to enter.
The expected outcome of this step is entering the wizard page for "File Information Statistics". This function does not modify Excel content but reads information from the files themselves and their document properties, then organizes it into a summary table. It is therefore highly suitable for file inventory taking, directory listing generation, and metadata verification.
Step Two: Import the Excel Files That Need Statistics
After entering the function, the first step is "Select records to be processed". The top of the page provides two main entry points: "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder". If the Excel files are few and scattered, you can use "Add Files" to select them individually; if all files are in one directory or project folder, it is recommended to use "Import Files from Folder", which aligns better with the batch processing approach.
After the files are imported, the list displays the name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time. In the screenshot example, the software has recognized 20 records and displays the full path, for instance, path information like D:\test\folders\ClassNoteIndex.xlsx enters the list awaiting statistics. You can check the list to confirm if the correct files were imported, and use the operation column to remove unwanted records.
If the number of files is large, you can use the pagination, filtering, and sorting functions on the page to assist in checking. After confirming the record count and file paths are correct, click "Next" at the bottom to proceed to processing option settings.
Step Three: Select Excel File Detailed Information
In the second step, "Set Processing Options", the page displays the "Additional Information" area, where users can choose additional information to extract based on the file type. Options here include Word File Detailed Info, Excel File Detailed Info, PPT File Detailed Info, PDF File Detailed Info, Text File Detailed Info, Image File Detailed Info, etc. The goal of this tutorial is to batch count Excel files, so you need to check "Excel File Detailed Info".
This step determines whether the final result includes Excel-specific fields. For a regular file directory listing, name, path, size, and time may meet some needs; but if you want to further count worksheet numbers or analyze workbook structure, you must select Excel File Detailed Info. After checking, additional Excel-related statistical fields will appear in the results table, such as Worksheet Count.
Step Four: Continue to the Next Step, Set the Save Location for the Output Table
After completing the additional information selection, click "Next". Following the interface flow, the third step is "Set Save Location". Here you need to specify where the statistics result is saved. For easier subsequent searching, it is recommended to save the exported Excel summary table in a folder like "Statistics Results" or "File List" at the same level as the original files, or save it to the desktop and move it to the archive directory later.
The choice of save location affects subsequent delivery efficiency. For example, during project handover, it is recommended to place the statistics table in the project root directory; for archive review, it is recommended to place it in the unified review material folder. This way, when others open the folder, they can immediately see the directory listing.
Step Five: Start Processing and Check the Output Results
After setting the save location, enter the "Start Processing" step. The software reads every Excel file in the imported list, extracts basic attributes, Office metadata, and Excel detailed information, and writes it into a new Excel table. Once complete, open the output table to see each file on a corresponding row, with fields arranged in columns.
It is recommended to first check three types of fields after processing: First, whether the file count matches the imported records; Second, whether the path field is complete and can locate the original file; Third, whether the Excel worksheet count has been generated. If these three items are correct, the summary table can be used for archiving, auditing, or further analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. What if other formats are mixed in the folder?
If the same directory contains Word, PPT, PDF, image, or text files besides Excel files, it is recommended to check the extension field after importing and keep only the xlsx, xls, etc., Excel files needed for this count. You can also check other file detailed info according to actual needs, but if the goal is to create an Excel file directory listing, keeping a clear scope facilitates subsequent analysis.
2. What is the use of the generated metadata?
Office metadata can help determine document source, editing history, and attribute information. Fields like Author, Last Saved By, Creation Date, Tags, and Comments are valuable in data auditing, file handover, and compliance checks. After batch export, you can quickly identify files with abnormal author information, inconsistent savers, or missing metadata.
3. Is it necessary to open each Excel file?
From the operational flow, users do not need to manually open workbooks one by one. The software batch-reads and counts information according to the imported list. This reduces manual operations and avoids issues like lag, accidental modification, or save prompts when opening a large number of Excel files.
4. Can the processing result serve as a long-term ledger?
Yes. The exported Excel table itself is a structured ledger. You can add columns like "Archive Status", "Responsible Person", "Is Backed Up", "Remarks" in the results table, expanding a one-time file statistics result into a long-term maintained file management table.
Summary: Replace Manual Creation of Excel File Lists with Batch Statistics
Creating an Excel file directory listing seems simple, but the real trouble lies in the large number of files, detailed field requirements, and the difficulty of manually unifying paths and metadata. The "File Information Statistics" function in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool strings importing files, selecting Excel detailed info, setting the save location, and generating the summary table into a clear workflow, suitable for office scenarios needing batch statistics for xlsx and xls files.
If you are preparing a list for file archiving, project handover, shared drive cleanup, or document review, it is recommended not to copy file names and paths one by one anymore. Directly use the batch statistics feature to generate a standard Excel summary table. This allows you to obtain paths, sizes, times, Office metadata, and worksheet counts more quickly, turning file management from scattered manual records into a reviewable and analyzable data table.