When creating a list of multiple PDF documents, relying solely on File Explorer and manual entry makes it difficult to simultaneously obtain the full path, page count, size, creation time, modification time, as well as the PDF title, author, keywords and other information. This article introduces using the file information statistics function of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch import PDFs and select detailed PDF file information, automatically generating an Excel list, suitable for archive organization, document inventory, project delivery, and PDF property verification.
"How do I create a list of multiple PDF documents?" This is a very common question in document management. Many users have a batch of PDF materials at hand and want to organize them into an Excel spreadsheet. The table needs to include not only file names but also fields such as the file path, size, creation time, modification time, page count, and even the title, author, subject, and keywords from the PDF metadata. Using a manual approach requires constantly switching between folders, PDF readers, and Excel, which is very inefficient.
More importantly, manual organization makes it difficult to ensure consistency. For instance, some people might copy relative paths, while others copy the full path; page counts might be recorded for some files but forgotten for others; some metadata fields might go unchecked, leading to missing information during subsequent archiving. To solve this problem, the most suitable method is to use office software for batch processing. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to batch extract the paths, page counts, and attribute information of multiple PDFs into an Excel spreadsheet at once.
Applicable Scenarios: Handling All Instances Where a PDF Document List is Needed
PDF document lists are commonly used in data management and delivery management. Whenever you need to extract file information from a folder and organize it into a spreadsheet, you can use the batch processing method.
- Contract and Scan Archiving: Collect the path, size, time, and page count of each PDF contract to form an archive catalog.
- Study Material Organization: Generate lists for course materials, handouts, exercise books, and reading materials, making it easier to categorize by topic or page count.
- Report Data Delivery: When closing a project, generate an Excel detail sheet of all PDF reports, serving as delivery attachments or an internal checklist.
- File Attribute Verification: Inspect PDF creation time, modification time, application, and producer information to help determine file versions and sources.
- Large-Scale File Inventory: Conduct batch inventory of PDFs on servers, shared drives, or local directories to avoid missing important data.
The common characteristics of these tasks are: a large number of files, fixed fields, and many repetitive operations. The purpose of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is precisely to help users process documents and files in batches, reducing repetitive labor and improving office efficiency.
Effect Preview: From Folder Listing to an Excel Document Ledger
Before Processing: PDF Files are Scattered, Information is Inconvenient to Summarize
In the pre-processing screenshot, the folder lists multiple PDF files, such as ClassNotesPacket.pdf, CourseSummaryReport.pdf, ExamPreparationNotes.pdf, GrammarReviewHandout.pdf, and ReadingChecklistPacket.pdf. File Explorer can display file names, dates, types, and sizes, but these fields are not sufficient to form a complete document list.
For example, the File Explorer view cannot show the number of pages in each PDF, nor the internal PDF metadata such as title, author, subject, keywords, creation date, application, or producer. For formal data inventory or project delivery, these fields are often very valuable.
After Processing: PDF Paths, Page Counts, and Metadata are Populated in Excel
The post-processing screenshot shows that all PDF file information has been summarized into an Excel spreadsheet. Each row corresponds to a PDF file, and each column corresponds to a type of field. Columns visible include Path, Name, Name (without extension), Extension, Size (Bytes), Size, Parent Folder Name, Parent Folder Path, Creation Time, Modification Time, Page Count, PDF Metadata Title, PDF Metadata Author, PDF Metadata Subject, PDF Metadata Keywords, PDF Metadata Creation Date, PDF Metadata Application, and PDF Metadata Producer.
This Excel list can be used directly as a document ledger or as a basis for subsequent data processing. For example, you could group by parent folder path to check the completeness of data in a directory; sort by page count to identify files with unusual page numbers; filter by PDF author to organize materials from different sources; or check file versions based on creation or modification time.
Operation Steps: Batch Generate a PDF Document List
Step 1: Select File Information Statistics under File Management
Open HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , and you can see the function navigation on the left, categorized by tool type, including File Management, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, and Image Tools. This article aims to collect information about the files themselves, so enter "File Management" and then select "File Info Statistics".
The function description visible in the screenshot states that this feature is used to batch collect information such as names, paths, sizes, time, and metadata for various files. The term "various files" indicates it can handle not only PDFs but also other office files; however, for creating PDF document lists, our focus is on the detailed information of PDF files.
Step 2: Add the PDFs You Need to Statistically Process to the List
Once inside "File Info Statistics," the page is at Step 1, "Select Records to Process." In the upper right, you can see the "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder" buttons. For scattered PDFs, you can click "Add Files"; if the PDFs are already concentrated in a specific directory, using "Import Files from Folder" is more efficient.
After importing, the list will display the PDF Name, Path, Extension, Creation Time, Modification Time, and other information. The screenshot shows 20 records imported, all with a .pdf extension. This list serves as the input manifest for this collection task; the software will subsequently extract information record by record based on this list.
Before proceeding to the next step, it is recommended to carefully check three points: first, if the record count matches the number of target files; second, if the paths point to the correct folders; third, if any unnecessary files were included. If there are errors, you can delete individual records using the action column, or use "Clear" and re-import. Click "Next" once confirmed.
Step 3: Select PDF File Details as Additional Information
Step 2 is "Set Processing Options." The page features an "Additional Info" area that lists detailed information options for different file types, such as Word File Details, Excel File Details, PPT File Details, PDF File Details, Text File Details, and Image File Details. To generate a PDF document list that includes page counts and metadata, you need to check "PDF File Details."
This step determines the richness of the fields in the final Excel spreadsheet. Without checking PDF File Details, you might only get basic attributes like file name, path, size, and time; checking it enables the extraction of the page count and metadata details such as Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Creation Date, Application, and Producer from the PDF.
For users who need to perform PDF page count statistics, PDF property audits, or export PDF metadata to Excel, this option is recommended to remain checked. Once the setting is complete, click "Next" to continue.
Step 4: Set the Save Location and Prepare for Excel Output
According to the process flow at the top of the page, the subsequent steps include "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing." Upon entering the save location step, follow the software interface prompts to select a directory to save the results. For easy management, it is recommended to save the collection results in the current project folder or data archive directory, using an easily identifiable file name, such as one containing the project name, collection date, or data batch.
After the save location is set, proceed to the Start Processing step. At this point, the software will batch read file properties and generate the Excel results based on the previously imported PDF list and the selected PDF details options.
Step 5: View and Use the Generated PDF List
After the process is complete, open the Excel file to view the collected results. It is advisable to first check if the header fields are complete, especially the "Page Count" and fields starting with "PDF - Metadata." If these columns are generated, it indicates that PDF details were successfully included in the statistics.
Next, you can continue processing according to your actual business needs. For example, archivists can keep fields like Path, Name, Page Count, Creation Time, and Modification Time as an archive catalog; project staff can add custom columns like delivery status, responsible person, and remarks; educational or training personnel might calculate reading volume per category based on page counts; IT or document administrators could analyze file generation sources based on the Application and Producer fields.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Do PDF page number and page count mean the same thing?
In the collection list, it is typically represented as "Page Count," which is the total number of pages the PDF file contains. When users commonly refer to PDF page number statistics, they usually mean collecting the total page count for each PDF.
2. What is the use of the file path field?
The path is a very important field in a document list. File names may duplicate, but the full path can uniquely identify the file's location. Especially when organizing PDFs across multiple subfolders, shared drives, or project directories, the path field avoids confusion.
3. Why keep both Size (Bytes) and Size in the Excel sheet?
Size (Bytes) is more suitable for precise calculations and programmatic processing, while the standard Size display is easier for human reading. Keeping both allows for accommodating both data analysis and everyday viewing.
4. What if the Author or Keywords in the PDF metadata are empty?
If this metadata was not written when the PDF was generated, the corresponding fields in the exported Excel sheet might be empty. This is due to insufficient file information and does not affect the collection of other fields. You can later filter for empty values in Excel as a basis for metadata supplementation or normalization processes.
5. Can the same method be used to collect data for doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, or pptx files?
Based on the additional information options visible in the screenshot, the software provides detailed information options for Word, Excel, and PPT files. For office documents like doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, and pptx, you can select the corresponding detailed information according to your actual needs. However, this article's focus is PDFs, so the main operation involves checking PDF File Details.
6. If there are many PDFs in a folder, how can I improve the checking efficiency before collection?
It is recommended to first organize folders by project or category, then use "Import Files from Folder." After importing, check the record count, extensions, and paths. If the list is very long, you can use the filtering and sorting functions on the page for inspection, then proceed to the next step once confirmed.
Summary: More Efficient Management of Large Numbers of PDFs with an Excel List
The key to creating a list of multiple PDF documents is to extract both the basic file system attributes and the detailed information inside the PDFs in one go. The "File Info Statistics" feature provided by HeSoft Doc Batch Tool helps users batch collect PDF paths, names, sizes, creation time, modification time, page counts, and metadata, and output the data into an Excel spreadsheet.
Compared to manually opening each PDF and entering items one by one, this method is much more suitable for batch tasks in a real office environment. It not only saves time but also makes the field structure more uniform and the collected results easier to review. It is recommended that users with needs for PDF archiving, data inventory, page count statistics, or project delivery try batch-generating PDF document lists by following the steps in this article, and leave the repetitive work to the office software.