How to batch clear specified text content in multiple xlsx tables

If the same text, number, or label exists in multiple xlsx spreadsheets, manually opening and deleting them one by one can be very inefficient. This article introduces a method for batch clearing specified text content: use the Excel find and replace feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to import multiple spreadsheet files, set the cell text range, enter the keyword to find, and leave the replacement content empty, which allows you to batch delete matching content, suitable for Excel data cleaning and report organization.

Many people encounter a very specific yet time-consuming problem when organizing Excel data: multiple xlsx files contain unnecessary fixed content, such as the same status word appearing repeatedly in a column, certain area codes that need to be removed, or reports exported from a system that include identifier fields no longer in use. If there is only one file, you can open Excel and use find and replace; but if there are many files, processing them one by one becomes repetitive labor.

This article, themed around "batch clearing specified text content in multiple Excel files," demonstrates how to delete keywords from tables. In the example, the Excel table before processing contained two types of content: "Mandatory" and "40660"; after processing, these matched contents are cleared, while other cell data is retained. The entire process uses the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ," which is specifically designed for batch processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other office files, with its core value being the reduction of manual repetitive operations.

It should be noted that the batch deletion discussed in this article does not mean deleting Excel files or worksheets, but rather deleting specified keywords within Excel cells. This approach is very practical for scenarios where you need to preserve the row and column structure while only cleaning up content.

Applicable Scenarios

The following situations are all suitable for using the batch find and replace method to replace specified content with empty values:

• Multiple Excel reports contain the same status word that needs to be uniformly cleared.
• xlsx files exported from a system contain fixed numbers, area codes, or classification labels that need to be batch deleted.
• A batch of spreadsheet templates retains historical field values that need quick cleaning.
• Before data delivery, some identification information needs to be removed, but the table format and other data must be retained.
• The number of files is large, and the cost of manually opening each Excel file for find and replace is too high.
• Consistent text cleaning rules need to be applied to Excel files such as xlsx and xls.

Compared to manual operation, batch processing tools are more suitable for tasks with "clear rules, many files, and repetitive operations." As long as the content to be deleted can be compiled into a keyword list, it can be applied to multiple Excel files at once.

Result Preview: Content Before Processing Scattered Across Multiple Cells

In the screenshot before processing, the Excel table contains multiple columns of data, including Participation Type, Hospital Number, Hospital Name, CBSA Number, CBSA Name, etc. Among them, "Mandatory" appears in multiple rows of column A, and "40660" appears in multiple rows of column D. This content is highlighted with red boxes and arrows, indicating they are the targets for processing.

From the screenshot, it can be seen that these keywords are not concentrated in one location but are distributed across many rows. For similar business reports, if there are multiple Excel files and each file is processed with manual find and replace, not only are the steps repetitive, but it's also easy to get inconsistent results due to forgetting to save or missing the selection range.

Result Preview: Specified Keywords Cleared After Processing

In the screenshot after processing, the positions where "Mandatory" originally appeared have become blank, and the positions where "40660" originally appeared have also been cleared. The table's row and column structure, titles, other numbers, hospital names, and region names still exist.

This indicates that the batch find and replace operation achieved the expected effect: only deleting the specified keywords without changing unrelated content. For batch cleaning of Excel data, such results are more convenient for subsequent filtering, aggregation, or secondary processing.

Operating Steps

Step 1: Find the Find and Replace Function in Excel Tools

After starting " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ," select "Excel Tools" from the function categories on the left. The main area will display various batch processing capabilities related to Excel. According to the screenshot, the first item is "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel," with the description "Batch find and replace keywords in Excel file content."

The requirement this time is batch deletion of keywords, not replacing them with other text, but the implementation method is still find and replace: after finding the target keywords, set the replacement content to empty. Selecting this function will then lead you into the batch processing workflow.

Step 2: Add the xlsx Files to be Processed to the Task List

After entering the function page, the first step is to "select records to be processed." The top right corner of the page provides two main entry points: "Add File" and "Import Files from Folder." If files are scattered, you can click "Add File" to select them; if there are multiple Excel files in the same directory, using "Import Files from Folder" will be more efficient.

In the screenshot, 3 xlsx files have been added to the task list: product_list.xlsx, team-participant-list.xlsx, and test.xlsx. The list also shows information like file path, extension, creation time, and modification time. After verifying the file list is correct, click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page to enter the processing rule settings.

The goal of this step is to clarify the batch processing targets. Only files added to the list will have the subsequent rules applied, so before proceeding, confirm that no files are missed and no tables that do not need processing are added by mistake.

Step 3: Choose the Processing Scope, Targeting Cell Text

On the "Set Processing Options" page, the first thing you see is "Set Excel Options." In the example, "Cell Text" is checked under "Processing Scope." This means the software will search for keywords within the content of Excel cells.

If your target content is located in regular table cells, you should select this option. The screenshot also shows options like "Name of Worksheet Sheet" and "Text on Shapes in Worksheet," but this example does not process worksheet names or shape text, so they do not need to be checked.

Additionally, the page has toggles for "The name of the worksheet must satisfy this condition" and "The column name of the cell must satisfy this condition." As seen in the screenshot, these conditions are not enabled. That is, the current rule will search for keywords in cell text that meets the data type settings, without limiting to a specific worksheet or column. For requirements seeking a full-table cleanup, this setup is more straightforward.

Step 4: Set Formula, Data Type, and Matching Mode

Scrolling down further, you can see settings related to cell formulas and data types. In the example, "Cell Formula Types to Process" is set to "No Restriction," meaning both regular cells and cells containing formulas that meet the rules are included in the search scope. For cells containing formulas, the interface selection is "Calculated Value of Formula."

Under "Cell Data Types to Process," the screenshot has "Text" checked. When the content to be deleted is textual, such as Mandatory, status labels, and remark notes, selecting Text is appropriate. If what you want to delete is a number-like code, such as 40660, note whether it is stored as text or a number in Excel. Many export tables save codes in text format, in which case checking Text suffices; if the code is a genuine numeric cell, you should confirm the selection based on the data type options during actual use.

Under "Search Method," the example selects "Exact Text Match." For batch clearing of fixed text content, exact matching reduces the risk of accidental deletion. For instance, if you only want to delete the complete word "Mandatory" without affecting other longer text containing similar fragments, you should prioritize choosing Exact Text Match.

Step 5: Fill in the List of Keywords to Delete

In the "Keyword List to Search For" area, enter the content to be deleted line by line. In the example, two lines are entered: the first line is Mandatory, and the second line is 40660. Each line represents a keyword to be searched for.

To the right is the "Keyword List to Replace With," and the interface text prompts "Leaving blank means deletion." This is the key setting for batch content clearing: write the content to be searched for on the left, and do not fill in the replacement value on the right. This way, when the software processes, it will replace the matched Mandatory and 40660 with blank spaces.

If you need to delete more keywords, you can continue adding them line by line in the left list. For example, if you want to simultaneously delete fixed content like "To be confirmed," "Invalid," "N/A," etc., you can enter them row by row. It is recommended to sort out the keyword list clearly before each batch processing to avoid adding content to the list that should not be deleted.

Step 6: Go to Save Location and Execute Batch Processing

After setting the keyword rules, click "Next." According to the workflow at the top of the page, the next stage is "Set Save Location," and finally "Start Processing." For safety, it is recommended to save the processed files to a new folder and not directly overwrite the original files. This way, even if the rule settings do not meet expectations, you can go back to the original files and reprocess them.

Once processing starts, the software will traverse the Excel files in the task list according to the unified rules, replacing matched keywords with empty values. After processing is complete, open the output files for spot-checking. If the original keyword positions are now empty, batch deletion was successful.

Frequently Asked Questions and Precautions

1. Why should the replacement content be left blank?

Because the goal is to delete keywords, not replace them with a new word. The interface prompts "Leaving blank means deletion," so by leaving the replacement keyword list empty, the matched content will be cleared.

2. Can I delete multiple keywords at once?

Yes. As seen from the screenshot, the "Keyword List to Search For" supports entering multiple items line by line. The example simultaneously filled in Mandatory and 40660. You can add more keywords as needed during actual use.

3. Will it affect other cells?

The software executes based on the set processing scope, data types, and search method. The example uses "Cell Text" and "Exact Text Match" to target only cell content that matches completely, reducing the impact on irrelevant data.

4. Can xls and xlsx files both be processed using the same approach?

The file extensions in the article's example are xlsx. For Excel spreadsheet files, the processing approach is the same: first import the files, then set the keyword rules. The specific supported formats depend on what the software interface and actual importable files allow.

5. How to reduce risks before processing?

It is recommended to test with one or two sample files first, confirm the deletion effect is correct, and then run the batch process on all files. Also, set the output location to a new directory and retain the original Excel files for easy comparison and rollback.

Summary

The core steps for batch clearing specified text content in multiple xlsx tables are not complex: enter Excel Tools, select "Find and Replace Keywords in Excel," import multiple files, check the cell text scope, input the keywords to be deleted and leave the replacement content empty, finally set the save location and start processing.

For office staff who frequently organize reports, clean exported data, or uniformly remove fixed identifiers, this batch processing method can significantly reduce repetitive labor. Compared to manually searching and deleting in each file one by one, using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool allows rules to be set once and executed simultaneously on multiple files, making it more suitable for the daily office processing of a large number of Excel files.