When organizing a large number of xlsx and xls spreadsheet files in a directory, manually organizing file directory lists, counting full paths, creation times, modification times, Office metadata, and worksheet counts can be very inefficient. This article takes HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to introduce how to use the file information statistics feature to batch import Excel files, check Excel file detailed information, and output a summary table that can be filtered and analyzed in Excel, helping users quickly complete data inventory, file handover, and file auditing.
When many office workers organize materials, their first instinct is to open File Explorer, copy the file names, and then manually add information such as paths, sizes, and times. However, when there are dozens of Excel spreadsheets in a folder, this method quickly becomes unmanageable: complete paths are hard to copy, creation and modification times require switching back and forth to check, Office metadata is even harder to read in batches, and the number of worksheets can only be confirmed by opening each workbook.
If you need to create an Excel file directory list, with each xlsx and xls file on its own row and containing fields like path, folder, extension, file size, creation time, modification time, author, title, last saved by, and number of worksheets, using a batch processing tool is a more suitable approach. This article will use screenshots to explain how to use the File Information Statistics function in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to automatically compile information for a batch of Excel files into a spreadsheet.
HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is office-oriented software focused on solving repetitive file processing problems. Instead of requiring users to manually operate on files one by one, it turns time-consuming file organization work into a standardized process through batch import, batch reading, and batch output.
Applicable Scenarios: The Uses of Batch-Generating an Excel File Directory List
Batch-generating an Excel file directory list is suitable for many seemingly ordinary but very time-consuming office tasks.
Material Handover: When project, class, department, or client materials need to be transferred, the recipient usually needs to know what files exist, where they are stored, and when they were last updated. A statistics table can directly serve as a handover directory.
Shared Drive Inventory: A large number of Excel files may accumulate over time on company shared drives, network disk sync directories, or local repositories. After batch-exporting file information, you can quickly understand file distribution, quantity, size, and update status.
Template Consistency Check: For spreadsheets generated from unified templates—such as performance analysis, course review, project plans, and sales reports—the number of worksheets often follows a pattern. Counting the worksheets can help identify files with missing template pages, copy anomalies, or structural inconsistencies.
Document Audit and Compliance Check: Office metadata may contain information like author, last saved by, title, subject, and company. Centralizing this data export makes it easier to check file origins and maintenance status.
Pre-archiving Organization: Generating a file directory list before archiving can serve as an archival index. Even if files are moved later, they can be traced using the original path and filename.
Result Preview: From an Explorer List to a Filterable Excel Summary Table
Before Processing: File Explorer Only Shows Basic Information
The pre-processing screenshot shows a folder containing multiple Excel files. The filenames include ClassNoteIndex.xlsx, CourseReviewMatrix.xlsx, ExamScoreAnalysis.xlsx, GrammarExerciseBook.xlsx, LanguageTrainingLog.xlsx, ReadingProgressData.xlsx, WeeklyStudyReport.xlsx, and others. In File Explorer, you can see the filenames, modification dates, file types, and sizes, but this information is not compiled into a unified table, and complete paths, Office metadata, and worksheet counts are missing.
If you only need to check a few files temporarily, File Explorer is sufficient. But if you need to submit a formal list or need to filter, sort, and analyze the data in Excel, the information must be structured. Manual copying is not only slow but also makes it difficult to ensure field completeness.
After Processing: Information for Each File is Compiled into an Excel Sheet
In the post-processing screenshot, the statistics results have been output as an Excel spreadsheet. Each row represents a file, and each column represents a field. You can see the table contains basic fields like path, name, name without extension, extension, size, containing folder name, containing folder path, creation time, and modification time, as well as numerous Office metadata fields. For this Excel file statistics task, an Excel - Number of Worksheets field also appears on the right side of the table.
This output result is highly practical. You can directly use Excel's filter function to view files in a specific folder, sort by modification time in descending order to find the most recently updated spreadsheets, or sort by the number of worksheets to quickly locate structurally anomalous workbooks. For materials needing handover, auditing, archiving, or review, this is more reliable than simple file screenshots.
Operation Steps: Batch Statistics for Excel File Paths, Metadata, and Worksheet Counts
Step One: Enter File Information Statistics within File Organization
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first look at the function categories on the left side. The screenshot shows entries on the left like Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Names, Folder Names, File Organization, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, etc. This requirement is to count file attributes and document information, not to modify Excel spreadsheet content, so you should select File Organization.
After entering File Organization, the page displays several batch file organization functions. The third function card is File Information Statistics, with a description mentioning that it can batch count information like names, paths, sizes, times, and metadata for various files. According to the red hint arrow in the screenshot, click this function to enter the statistics workflow.
The purpose of this step is to select the correct tool module. Many users might instinctively go into Excel Tools, but if the requirement is to count the external attributes, paths, and metadata of multiple files, File Information Statistics is the more appropriate entry point.
Step Two: Add the Excel Files Needing Statistics to the Processing List
After entering the File Information Statistics page, the top of the interface shows 4 process stages: Select records to process, Set processing options, Set save location, Start processing. You are currently on step 1, which is selecting the records to process.
On the upper right, you can see two key buttons: Add Files and Import Files from Folder. If the files are scattered and you only need to select a few, you can use Add Files; if these Excel files are all in the same directory, using Import Files from Folder is recommended. For batch statistics, importing from a folder usually saves more time.
After importing, the files will appear in the list. In the screenshot, the list fields include sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. The summary record count at the bottom is shown as 20, indicating that 20 files have been added to the pending processing list. You can check here whether they are all the target Excel files, paying close attention to verifying the filename, path, and extension for correctness.
If you find files that do not need to be counted, you can remove them using the delete icon on the right side of each row; if the entire list is wrong, you can use the Clear button at the top to re-import. This check step is important because the subsequently generated summary table will be output based on this list; the more accurate the list, the more reliable the results.
Step Three: Select Excel File Details to Ensure Worksheet Count is Output
After confirming the list is correct, click the Next Step button at the bottom of the page to enter step 2, Set Processing Options. In the additional information area on this page, you can see various file detail options, including Word file details, Excel file details, PPT file details, PDF file details, text file details, and image file details.
We are counting Excel files this time, so we need to select Excel File Details. In the screenshot, this option is in the selected state. This setting affects the range of fields in the final export: if you only do basic statistics, the results tend towards file system information like filename, path, size, and time; after selecting Excel File Details, the software will further read Excel workbook-level information, such as the number of worksheets.
If your folder contains Word doc/docx, PPT ppt/pptx, PDF, or image files simultaneously, you can also select the corresponding details as needed. However, to keep the result table clearer, if you are only creating an Excel file directory list this time, it is recommended to only select Excel File Details to avoid outputting too many irrelevant fields.
Step Four: Set the Output Location and Execute the Statistics
After completing the processing options, continue by clicking Next Step. Following the interface workflow, you will then enter Set Save Location. It is recommended here to save the results to a dedicated directory, such as folders for material lists, file inventories, or project archives, for easy later retrieval and delivery.
After setting the save location, enter the Start Processing stage. The software will automatically traverse the Excel files in the pending list and write the read information into the result table. After processing is complete, open the output Excel file to see the batch statistics results. The result table can continue to be used for filtering, sorting, copying to reports, or saving as an archival attachment.
Summary Table Field Interpretation: Which Information is Most Worthy of Attention
From the post-processing screenshot, it can be seen that the exported fields are relatively complete. For Excel file management, the following types of fields are particularly noteworthy.
Path: This is the most important field for locating a file. The complete path tells you exactly which disk and folder the file is stored in, making it convenient for later opening, migrating, or checking.
Name and Name Without Extension: The name field is used to identify the file, while the name without extension is suitable for conducting naming standardization checks. For example, you can filter for files with non-uniform naming, inconsistent date formats, or duplicate numbers.
Extension: Used to distinguish spreadsheet formats like xlsx, xls, xlsm, etc. If other file types are mixed in the directory, you can also quickly filter by extension.
Size: File size can help locate anomalous files. Some Excel files are excessively large, potentially containing many images, hidden data, historical formatting, or external links.
Creation Time and Modification Time: These two fields are commonly used to determine the age of a file. Modification time is particularly suitable for finding recently maintained files or discovering files that have not been updated for a long time.
Office Metadata: Fields like title, subject, tags, categories, author, last saved by, company, and manager can help trace document origins and maintenance personnel. Not every file will have this information filled out, but after batch export, it becomes clear at a glance.
Excel Worksheet Count: This is a very practical field within Excel File Details. It can help you judge the structural complexity of a workbook and can also be used for template consistency checks.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Can both xlsx and xls be counted?
Logically speaking, File Information Statistics reads basic file information based on the imported files; for Excel File Details, it is typically used to process Excel-type files. In actual use, you can add common Excel spreadsheet files like xlsx, xls to the list, and differentiate between formats in the results using the extension field.
2. Why are some metadata fields empty?
Office metadata comes from the file's own properties. If an Excel file doesn't have the title, subject, company, manager, or other information filled in, the corresponding exported cell might be empty. This is normal. You can use these null values as a basis for subsequent document standardization maintenance.
3. Do I need to open each Excel file individually to see the worksheet count?
No. After selecting Excel File Details, the software will read the relevant information during batch processing and output the worksheet count in the result table. This eliminates the need to open each workbook individually to view the bottom worksheet tabs.
4. Can I check the list after importing the files?
Yes. The pending list in Step 1 displays fields like name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time, allowing you to confirm the files are correct before proceeding to the next step. The record count at the bottom of the list also helps you verify the quantity.
5. Are the statistical results suitable for long-term storage?
Yes. The statistical results are themselves a structured file ledger and can be archived along with project materials. It is recommended to generate a list before and after file migration, material handover, or version organization to facilitate comparison of file changes.
Summary: Quickly Complete Excel File Ledger Organization with File Information Statistics
Batch counting the paths, metadata, and worksheet counts of multiple Excel files essentially creates a queryable, filterable, and deliverable directory list for the files. Compared to manual recording, HeSoft Doc Batch Tool 's File Information Statistics function can import a large number of files at once, automatically read basic attributes and Excel details, and output them into an Excel spreadsheet.
If you are currently faced with a folder containing many xlsx and xls spreadsheets and don't want to open each one to check paths, times, and worksheet counts, you can follow the process in this article: go to File Organization, select File Information Statistics, import files from the folder, check Excel File Details, set the save location, and start processing. This allows you to quickly obtain a complete Excel file directory list, delegate the repetitive registration work to the office software, and make material organization, project archiving, and file auditing more efficient.