In QuickBooks, all the data is stored in the QuickBooks company (QBW) file. Sometimes, you face a situation when the company file won’t open. This usually happens if QuickBooks fails to read the company file due to corruption or any other issue. However, various other reasons can prevent you from opening the company file. In this article, we will discuss why the company file won’t open and some effective methods to fix the issue and open the file.
Reasons why QuickBooks Company File won’t Open
QuickBooks company file may fail to open due to the following reasons:
- Outdated QuickBooks Desktop version
- Incorrect QuickBooks Company file type
- Incorrect hosting settings on the workstation system
- Company file is corrupted
- Company file name contains special characters
Some Workarounds to Fix the QuickBooks Company File won’t Open Issue
Corruption in QuickBooks company file is one of the primary reasons for the company file won’t open issue. However, before proceeding to repair your company file, you can try the following workarounds to fix the issue.
- Check and Update QuickBooks Application
Outdated version of QuickBooks Desktop application may have some bugs or issues that can prevent you from opening the company file. So, make sure that your QuickBooks application is fully-updated. To check this, open the Product Information window by pressing F2 or Ctrl+1. If it is not updated, then click Update available and select Install Now to install the updates. Then, try to open the company file.
- Check the Company File Format
You may fail to open the company file if the file format is incorrect. So, make sure it is saved in the correct file format (.QBW).
- Check and Change Hosting Settings on Workstation
In a multi-user environment, QuickBooks application may fail to read the company file if the Hosting Settings are enabled on workstation. You can check and change the Hosting Settings. To do this, open the QuickBooks application on your workstation system, click on File and then choose the Utilities option. Next, select Stop Hosting Multi-user Access and then click Yes.
Methods to Repair QuickBooks Company File that won’t Open
If you fail to open the company file after performing the above workarounds, then it means the company file is corrupted. In such a case, follow the below methods.
Method 1: Restore the Backup File
If your company file is corrupted, you can restore the backup file (if you have an updated backup file). Here are the steps to restore the backup file in QuickBooks Desktop:
- In QuickBooks, click File > Open or Restore Company.
- Click the Local Backup option and then select Next.
- Browse to the location of your backup company file (.qbb).
- Select a location to save the restored file and click Open.
Method 2: Run Verify and Rebuild Utility
If you don’t have a backup file or your backup file is outdated, then you can use QuickBooks’ built-in utility – Verify and Rebuild. This utility identifies and fixes company file issues (if any).
Here’s how to use this utility:
- In QuickBooks, click File > Utilities > Rebuild Data.
- In the QuickBooks Information window, click OK.
- You will see a prompt asking you to create a company file backup. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a backup.
- Once the backup is created, the tool starts rebuilding the company file.
- Wait for the rebuilding process to complete. Then, click OK.
Now, verify if there are any additional issues. For this, run the Verify Data tool. Here’s how:
- In QuickBooks, click the File option.
- Click Utilities and then click Verify Data.
- The tool will begin verifying the company file data for any remaining issues.
- If it fails to detect any issue, then click OK.
Method 3: Use QuickBooks Tool Hub
If the Verify Data tool detects any additional company file issues or the Rebuild Data tool fails to rebuild the company file data, then you can download QuickBooks Tool Hub. It is a free tool developed by Intuit to fix network and company file issues. Download, install, and launch the tool, then follow the below steps:
- On the QuickBooks Tool hub, click Company File Issues.
- Click Quick Fix my File.
- The tool will start repairing the company file.
- As soon as the process is completed, click OK.
Now, try to open the company file. If you fail to open it, then use the QuickBooks File Doctor tool. Here are the steps:
- In QuickBooks Tool Hub, click Company File Issues and then click “Run QuickBooks File Doctor.”
- In the QuickBooks File Doctor window, select the company file.
- The QuickBooks prompts you to enter the QuickBooks Admin password. Enter the password and then click Next.
It may take some time, depending on your company file size. Once the scan is complete, try to open the company file.
If the company file still won’t open, this means it is severely corrupted. In such a case, you can take the help of a reliable QuickBooks repair tool, like Stellar Repair for QuickBooks. It can easily repair highly corrupted QuickBooks company (QBW) files and restore all the file components, such as data of vendors, customers, companies and employees. The tool supports QuickBooks company files of all QuickBooks versions.
Conclusion
QuickBooks company file won’t open due to reasons, like incorrect file format, outdated QuickBooks Desktop version, corruption in company file, etc. You can follow the above-discussed workarounds to try to fix the issue. If the company file is corrupted, then the best option is to use a professional QuickBooks repair tool, like Stellar Repair for QuickBooks to repair QBW Files. The tool can repair the damaged company file and restore every bit of information stored in it. You can download the tool’s demo version to scan the company file and preview the recoverable data.
