Steps to fix QuickBooks company file won't open issue

QuickBooks is an accounting software used all over the world for precise bookkeeping and increasing the profits of businesses. The software can sometimes run into internal issues, which is troublesome for the users. QuickBooks company file won't open if the software is under the influence of common errors that can appear on a daily basis. On the off chance you also lose access to the company file, continue reading further to figure out the causes of the issue and the methods to eliminate it from your PC.

Get this issue quickly rectified by a QB expert available for your assistance at 1.855.738.2784.

About the issue

We all know the company file is the collection of all the financial records in the software. It holds information on transactions, tax amounts, sale records, and other data generated during accounting. The company file might sometimes refuse to open due to minor glitches in the software. You will be locked of your financial data and cannot open the file until the issue is resolved. You don’t need to worry, as your financial data is completely safe, and the issue can be resolved by configuring some settings on your PC.

Reasons

Read below the reasons for the company file failing to run on your QuickBooks-

1. The company file you attempt to open is damaged and no longer accessible for the software.
2. The QuickBooks hosting settings on your computer are incorrect, due to which you fail to open the data file.
3. Windows Firewall can also restrict you from accessing the system drives to access your company file.
4. The company file might be missing from its default location, or if you transferred the file somewhere else, the new location isn’t specified in the software.
5. Database Server Manager malfunctions while running damaged network descriptor or the transaction log file.

Read More: What is Error 163 in QuickBooks Desktop?

Solutions

The methods applicable to rectify the company file error in your QB are discussed below-

Solution 1- Arrange the hosting settings of your QuickBooks

The company file might fail to open if your system cannot connect to the file due to incorrect hosting settings. This condition develops when one or more workstations use the multi-user mode while running. Only the server computer can run in the multi-user mode to host the company file. Incorrect hosting settings lead to a breakdown of the multi-user network making the data file inaccessible to all the systems. Configure the QB hosting settings as shown in these steps to rectify the issue-

1. Open the QuickBooks File menu on a workstation and click Utilities.

2. Select the Stop Hosting multi-user access option to run it in single-user mode.

3. Repeat these steps on all the workstations to ensure they run in single-user mode.

4. Go to your server computer and click the File menu.

5. Select Utilities in the drop-down list and click Host multi-user access.

6. Reboot all the systems and try hosting the company file on your server computer in multi-user mode.

If you confront issues while hosting or opening the file, move to the next solution.

Solution 2- Prevent your QuickBooks from getting blocked by the Windows Firewall or any other security software

QuickBooks also faces problems opening the company file if the Windows Firewall or other security software restricts the software functions or blocks its background processes. You must open your antivirus settings and remove QB processes and files from the quarantine list. Windows firewall can also restrict the software from accessing the system drives to access the company file folder. You can resolve the issue by configuring the Windows Firewall setting as described in the steps below-

1. Type ‘Windows Defender’ and open its window using the search results.

2. Click the Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall option in the Windows Defender Firewall menu.

3. Single-click QuickBooks in the list of programs and mark the Public & Private checkboxes.

4. Save the Windows firewall settings and try accessing the company file in the software again.

If the issue persists and you fail to open the file, move to the next solution.

Solution 3- Repair the .tlg & .nd files to ensure Database Server Manager runs smoothly

QuickBooks depends on the transaction log and Network Descriptor file to store the transaction records and establish the multi-user network, respectively. In case these files get damaged and the network descriptor file fails to run, Database Server Manager will suffer a direct impact and stop running in the background. As a result, the multi-user network will not work, and the company file will become inaccessible to users. A way to resolve the issue is to recreate the damaged program files and scan them in Database Server Manager as shown in these steps-

1. Open the QuickBooks folder and look for files with an identical name to the data file and extensions .nd & .tlg.

2. Right-click any one of the files and click Rename.

3. Add ‘.old’ at the file name’s end and save the file.

4. Rename the other file using the same steps and launch the QuickBooks Database Server Manager.

5. Under the Scan Folders tab, select the QuickBooks in which you renamed the program files.

6. Click Start Scan to let the DBSM register the folder contents to the multi-user network.

7. Reopen the company file in QuickBooks.

If the software still fails to access the company file, try the next solution.

Solution 4- Mend the company file with QB tool hub and run QB in Admin mode

A primary reason for the company file refusing to open is the unsupported format of the file caused by damage due to viruses or data corruption. The file will not open in the software, and you might receive different error codes on the screen. You can repair the data file using the QB tool hub as shown in these steps-

1. Go to the Company file issues menu in the QB tool hub.

2. Select Run QuickBooks File Doctor tool and select your company file using Browse.

3. Enter your QB Admin password to run the tool and wait until the file is repaired.

After the tool stops running, you must launch QuickBooks in Admin mode to prevent issues due to the unavailability of system resources or limited permissions of the Windows account. Use these steps-

1. Go to the QuickBooks folder and right-click the software launch icon.

2. Select the Run as Administrator option and try accessing the company file when the software runs in Admin mode.

Conclusion

You learned why your QuickBooks company file won't open on your PC. The effective methods to get rid of the issue are also mentioned in the blog, which can be used to fix the problem and get your access to the data file back in QuickBooks.

Consult a QB professional at 1.855.738.2784 to resolve any problems that occur while applying the methods.