How to batch rename a large number of folders? A method to delete all characters to the right of a delimiter

When a large number of folders follow the format of "main name + separator marker + note suffix", you can use position rules to clean up their names uniformly. This article uses END as the separator text and explains in detail how to add multiple folders in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , choose to delete "all content to the right of a certain text", set whether to keep the separator text, and verify the final results. This method does not require identifying suffixes such as Final, Paid, and Report one by one, and is suitable for batch standardization of project directories, client files, backup folders, and asset libraries.

Many teams record the project subject, internal markers, and current status in folder names at the same time. For example, "Invoice_START_batch001_END_Paid" contains the business type, batch information, end marker, and payment status. Such names are convenient for identification while the project is in progress, but when entering the archiving stage, the trailing status may no longer have any value to retain and needs to be removed uniformly.

The problem is that the trailing note of each folder is usually different. One is Paid, and another may be Public, Report, or Done. Opening each one to rename the status and delete the trailing characters is not only inefficient, but also likely to damage the valid fields in front. This article provides a method more suitable for a large number of directories: use the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , set "END" as the delimiter text, batch delete all characters to its right, and retain the delimiter text itself.

1. Requirement analysis: Why ordinary fixed-text deletion alone is not enough

Ordinary fixed-text deletion is suitable when all names contain the same word to be deleted. For example, if every directory ends with "_Copy", simply deleting that fixed text is enough. However, in this example the trailing content includes Final, Release, Archive, Clean, Approved, Paid, Public, Edited, Report, and Done, so the fixed text is not consistent.

The truly consistent part of these names is that "END" appears before the content to be deleted. Therefore, the correct rule is not "delete Final" or "replace Report", but "find END, and delete everything to its right until the end of the name". This rule can cover multiple suffixes of different lengths and meanings at the same time.

Batch cleanup of this type of directory name is usually suitable for the following scenarios:

• After completing a project, delete the process status from folder names and keep only the project subject and end marker;
• Before delivering materials, remove internal notes, review conclusions, or release scope from directories;
• Organize photography, design, and video asset libraries and remove the trailing editing status;
• Standardize backup directories and delete temporary notes added during migration;
• Batch clean up directory names generated during testing to prepare for the next step of archiving or importing.

2. Effect preview: Content to the right of the delimiter text is removed uniformly

Before batch renaming

The folder list before processing is as follows. Each name contains structural fields such as "START" and "END". The content marked in red is located after END and is exactly the part to be deleted this time.

From these samples, it can be seen that the number of characters on the right is not fixed. For example, "_Paid" is short, while "_Approved" is long. If deleting manually, you need to repeatedly determine the starting position; using delimiter text for positioning allows tail characters of different lengths to be handled by the same batch processing rule.

After batch renaming

After processing, all folders end with "END". The content on the left side of the names is fully retained, and the underscore and notes after END are no longer displayed.

Comparing the before and after results clearly shows three characteristics of this rule: first, the folders themselves are not deleted; second, the characters to the left of END are unchanged; third, only all content to the right of END is removed. For directory standards that expect to retain the delimiter marker, this is the expected result.

3. Detailed operation steps

Step 1: Select the delete text function under the folder name category

Open HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . This software is positioned for batch processing of office files and can complete repetitive operations through different tool categories. The current processing target is folder names, so select "Folder Names" on the left.

After entering the category page, click "Delete text in folder names". Do not select "Add prefix and suffix to folder names", because the current task is to clean up existing content; there is also no need to enter the case conversion function, because we are not changing the letter form.

After completing this step, the software opens the task flow for deleting text from folder names. At the top you can see stages such as "Select records to process", "Set processing options", "Set save location", and "Start processing", which are used to guide users to determine the processing target and rules in turn.

Step 2: Batch add target folders and check paths

In the "Select records to process" stage, click "Add Folders" in the upper right corner. After adding the directories whose names need to be modified uniformly to the task, the page table will display the name and path of each record.

The sample task has imported 10 folders, and the summary area shows "Record count: 10". Before clicking Next, it is recommended to treat the table as a pre-processing preview and check it item by item:

1. Check names: Make sure each folder contains the END delimiter text and that there is indeed a note to be deleted to the right of END.
2. Check paths: When names are identical or similar, paths can help determine whether the correct directories have been selected.
3. Exclude irrelevant records: If any item was selected by mistake, use the delete icon to the right of that record to remove it from the list.
4. Check the total count: Confirm that the summary number matches the number of folders to be processed.

After checking, click "Next". The purpose of this step is not to immediately modify names, but to accurately establish the scope of the batch task. Only the records in the list belong to the current task, so the accuracy of the imported list is very important.

Step 3: Set deletion of characters to the right based on delimiter text

After entering "Set processing options", select "All content to the right of a specified text" in the "Operation type" area. This option is used to define the deletion position: first match the specified text, then delete the characters to the right of that text up to the end of the name.

Enter "END" in the "Text" input box. There is no need to enter Final, Release, or other suffixes on the right here, because this content is not consistent and is not the basis for positioning. You only need to enter the boundary text shared by all target names.

Next, check the "Include this text" switch. In the example the switch is off, so the deletion range does not include END. Taking "Project_START_alpha_END_Report" as an example, the software deletes "_Report" and retains "Project_START_alpha_END". The actual screenshot after processing also verifies this.

If the switch is set incorrectly, the final name may differ from the target. Therefore, before proceeding to the next step, you can use the following logic to confirm by yourself:

• To retain END: keep "Include this text" off;
• To make the result stop to the left of END: consider whether END should be included in the deletion range and test it first;
• To retain some characters after END: the current "delete all content to the right" rule is not suitable, and the naming requirements should be reanalyzed.

After confirming the options, click "Next", continue to complete "Set save location" according to the software page, and enter "Start processing". Before final execution, check the task scope and rules again, and then start the batch operation.

Step 4: Compare the before and after names to verify the results

After processing is complete, open the directory where the files are located and compare the names before and after processing. It is recommended to use the "first item, last item, special item" three-type spot check method: check the first and last items in the list, and then check folders with longer suffixes on the right or more complex subject structures.

For example, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive should become Client_START_2024Draft_END; Design_START_oldVersion_END_Approved should become Design_START_oldVersion_END. If the left subject is unchanged, END is retained, and all characters on the right disappear, then the batch renaming meets expectations.

4. Details that are easy to overlook during operation

1. The delimiter text must match the original name

The text in the input box is the basis for the software to locate the deletion boundary. Case, spaces, underscores, and other characters may affect matching. In the example, the original names use uppercase "END", so uppercase END is also entered during setup. Before formal processing, confirm the exact spelling from the original names.

2. Pay attention to whether the delimiter text appears repeatedly in the name

If the positioning text appears multiple times in the same folder name, the deletion position may not match the business expectation. In the screenshot example, each name shows only one END, so the structure is clear. For complex names, it is recommended to first select one copy for a trial run before deciding whether to execute it in batch.

3. The underscore is part of the text character

In "END_Final", the underscore is to the right of END, so it will be deleted together. If you want to retain a certain delimiter in the final result, you need to redesign the positioning text or deletion range and test the actual effect with samples.

4. Folder renaming may affect path references

Batch renaming does not modify the contents of Word, doc, docx, Excel, xls, xlsx, PowerPoint, PPT, PDF, image, audio, or video files inside the folders, but after the parent directory name changes, the complete path also changes. Shortcuts, automation scripts, and project configurations that depend on the original paths may need to be updated.

5. Different structures should be split into separate tasks

If some folders use END, while others use "End" or "FIN", it is recommended to create separate tasks. Batch processing pursues not only speed, but more importantly the stable application of the same rule to records with consistent structures.

5. Frequently asked questions

Will batch processing delete the files inside the folders?

Judging from the functions and before-and-after effects shown in this tutorial, the processing target is the folder name, and the result is directory renaming, not deleting folders or clearing internal files. However, for important data, it is still recommended to make backups and tests before performing large-scale batch renaming.

The suffixes on the right are different. Can they be placed in the same task?

Yes. This method determines the deletion range based on the position of END, and does not require the content to the right of END to be the same. Different suffixes such as Final, Paid, Public, and Report can be cleaned up using the same rule.

How can I ensure END is not deleted together?

Select "All content to the right of a specified text", enter END in the text box, and turn off "Include this text" as in the example. After execution, check in the file manager whether the names end with END.

Is it suitable for processing a large number of directories at once?

The value of this tool is exactly batch processing of files and folders, reducing repeated operations one by one. However, the larger the quantity, the more attention should be paid to pre-processing list checks, sample testing, and post-processing spot checks. Accuracy should not be ignored just because the operation is convenient.

6. Summary

When the trailing notes of a large number of folders are different from each other, there is no need to identify and delete them one by one. As long as a unified delimiter text exists in the names, the "all content to the right of a specified text" rule can be used to complete batch truncation. The example in this article uses END for positioning, retains END, and deletes the underscore and status characters to its right, allowing 10 directories to quickly obtain a unified format.

During actual operation, first add the target folders in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , carefully check the names and paths, and then set the deletion type and positioning text. It is recommended to start verification from a small number of copies, and process the complete directory only after confirming the results are correct. This can reduce mechanical repetitive work while also making the naming of project folders, client materials, and asset directories more standardized.