If you’ve ever researched accounting software, you’re probably familiar with Intuit’s QuickBooks, a popular tool that helps businesses manage accounting, payroll, time-tracking, invoicing, taxes and more. Many business owners and self-employed individuals rely on QuickBooks products for their bookkeeping needs. However, as with any software, you can expect issues to arise from time to time.
These issues can be frustrating to encounter, especially when you’re trying to update your books or reconcile your accounts. To help you recover quickly, we scoured QuickBooks’ Help articles to find solutions to five common QuickBooks problems.
Lost connection to data files
QuickBooks sometimes has trouble connecting with networks, often resulting in lost connection to data files. Even a minor issue in your network can cause you to lose connection entirely, which may be a major issue if you’re trying to send invoices or payments.
To troubleshoot, ensure your firewall and antivirus programs are not blocking the connection; then, use the QuickBooks Connection Diagnostic Tool to identify and help solve the issue.
Slow connection
Just like lost connections, slow connections can affect your business processes and hinder your delivery time.
If you’re experiencing a slow connection, particularly in multi-user mode, it could be for a variety of reasons, and it’s often a hardware issue. You might consider increasing the random access memory (RAM) and hard disk space so you can improve performance and include more users at once without a compromised connection.
However, if hardware is not the concern, there might be issues with the data file itself. In this case, you can use the Cleanup Company Data tool (which is found in the Utilities file). If connection speeds up, you’ve likely found the culprit. If not, try turning off the Audit Trail feature.
[For more, see: 3 Things You Need to Know About Accounting Software in 2019.]
Outdated, unreadable company data files
If you’ve recently upgraded your QuickBooks to a newer version, you may find that data from the previous version can no longer be read. Since you might have crucial information stored here, you’ll need to update your QuickBooks company file if you want to access it in your newer version.
After running a backup, you can update the data file itself. You’ll also might run a verification on the file before uninstalling the old version or installing the new version, or you might choose to run both side by side.
Lost administrator password
Although it’s not ideal to lose or forget a password, it does happen from time to time. Should you need administrative access to QuickBooks and can’t locate your password, you can use the Automated Password Reset tool to easily resolve this issue.
Locked data files when moving to another location
If you’re moving or copying a QuickBooks data file to an external hard drive or other removable device (usually for backup purposes), you may discover that the QuickBooks Server Manager and Directory Monitor has locked down the file. The common error message says that the file cannot be opened, and instructs you to ensure it is not in use by another program.
In this situation, Intuit first recommends ensuring that your QuickBooks software is up to date, then restarting your computer and selecting “Run as the Administrator” when you restart the program. If your files are still locked, there are a few other solutions the company recommends trying.
Even with these minor technical glitches, QuickBooks is still a great tool for businesses across the board. If you're looking for QuickBooks training, the SBA has a list of upcoming QuickBooks workshops that can help you take full advantage of the software.
Want to compare accounting software programs before investing in QuickBooks? Check out our buyers guide to help you choose the right one.
CO— does not review or recommend products or services. For more information on choosing the best accounting software, visit our friends at business.com.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.
