How Can You Recover Lost or Damaged QuickBooks Data Files?
QuickBooks Desktop stores important business information such as income, expenses, invoices, customers, vendors, payments, and other accounting records. If a company file is accidentally deleted, damaged, moved, or becomes inaccessible after a computer problem, recovering the data can become an important priority.
Fortunately, there are several ways to recover QuickBooks data. The appropriate method depends on whether the original company file is still available, whether you have a recent backup, whether you use Intuit Data Protect, or whether the company file has become damaged.
QuickBooks Desktop provides backup and recovery options, including backup company files and Auto Data Recovery. Intuit recommends working with copies of files whenever possible so the original data is not accidentally overwritten.
What Are QuickBooks Data Files?
A QuickBooks Desktop working company file normally uses the .QBW file extension. A QuickBooks backup file generally uses the .QBB extension.
The .QBW file contains your working company data, while a .QBB backup can be used to create a new company file if the original becomes unavailable or you need to restore an earlier version.
QuickBooks can also create other supporting files during normal operation, including transaction log files. Knowing the file extensions can make it easier to locate the correct data.
Why Might QuickBooks Data Need to Be Recovered?
QuickBooks data may need recovery for several reasons, including:
Accidental deletion of a company file
Computer failure
Hard-drive problems
Damaged or corrupted company data
Incorrect file changes
Moving the company file to another location
Problems after a system or software issue
Loss of access to the original company file
Restoring accounting information from an earlier date
Before attempting advanced recovery, check whether the original file still exists. Sometimes the data has not actually been deleted and the company file has simply been moved to another folder.
How Can You Find a Missing QuickBooks Company File?
The first step is to search the computer for the original company file.
QuickBooks provides a Find a company file option from the No Company Open window. You can also search manually using Windows File Explorer.
Search for QuickBooks Files
Open File Explorer in Windows.
Select This PC.
Use the search box.
Search for *.qbw.
You can also search for *.qbb to find backup files.
Review the file names, dates, and sizes.
Identify the most recent appropriate file.
Intuit lists a common QuickBooks Desktop company-file location under:
C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
However, the actual location can vary depending on how QuickBooks was configured.
How Can You Recover QuickBooks Data From a Backup?
If you have a recent .QBB backup file, you can restore it to create a new QuickBooks company file.
To restore a local backup:
Open QuickBooks Desktop.
Select File.
Select Open or Restore Company.
Choose Restore a backup copy.
Select Local Backup.
Select Next.
Browse to your .QBB backup file.
Select the backup.
Choose where you want to save the restored company file.
Select Save.
QuickBooks uses the .QBB backup to create a new .QBW company file.
Why Should You Restore the Backup to a Separate Folder?
It is safer to restore a backup to a separate location rather than immediately replacing your existing company file.
If you restore over an existing file, you could overwrite information that you still need. Intuit recommends choosing a different location or using unique file names when necessary to avoid accidental data loss.
After restoring the backup, open the new company file and review your accounting information before making it your primary working file.
Can Intuit Data Protect Recover QuickBooks Data?
If you use Intuit Data Protect, you may be able to restore a previous copy of your QuickBooks company file or other backed-up data.
To use Intuit Data Protect:
Open Intuit Data Protect.
Select the restore option.
Choose the backup you want to recover.
Select the files or folders to restore.
Restore the data to a temporary local folder when appropriate.
Check the recovered files.
Open the company file in QuickBooks Desktop.
Intuit recommends having an internet connection, appropriate administrative permissions, and a suitable temporary local restore location when restoring data through Intuit Data Protect.
How Can QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery Help?
If your QuickBooks company file is damaged and you do not have a usable backup, Auto Data Recovery (ADR) may provide another recovery option.
Intuit says Auto Data Recovery can potentially recover all or nearly all of the data depending on the situation. It can use a copy of the company file and transaction log information to recover recent transactions.
ADR is available for QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise Solutions for Windows and is not available in Accountant Editions. Intuit also notes a 1.5 GB file-size limitation for generating an ADR file.
How Does Auto Data Recovery Work?
If you need to use Auto Data Recovery, it is important to work with copies rather than modifying the original damaged company file.
A typical recovery process involves:
Create a new folder on the desktop, such as QBTest.
Locate the folder containing the original company file.
Find the QuickBooksAutoDataRecovery folder.
Copy the appropriate .QBW.adr and/or .TLG.adr files.
Place the copies in the new QBTest folder.
Remove the .adr extension from the copied files as instructed by Intuit.
Open QuickBooks Desktop.
Open the recovered company file from the QBTest folder.
Review the transactions and accounting information.
Run Verify Data to check the recovered file.
Intuit provides specific ADR procedures for recovering recent transactions using .QBW.adr and transaction-log files.
How Can You Check a Recovered QuickBooks File?
After recovering a company file, it is important to check the integrity of the data before relying on it.
QuickBooks Desktop provides the Verify Data utility.
To verify your company file:
Open QuickBooks.
Select File.
Select Utilities.
Select Verify Data.
Allow QuickBooks to check the company file.
If QuickBooks detects data damage, Intuit recommends using the Rebuild Data utility to repair the company file.
What If QuickBooks Finds Data Damage?
If QuickBooks reports that your data has lost integrity, you can use the Rebuild Data utility.
The general process is:
Select File.
Choose Utilities.
Select Rebuild Data.
Follow the instructions to create a backup if prompted.
Allow the rebuild process to finish.
Run Verify Data again.
The Verify utility identifies common data problems, while Rebuild attempts to repair data integrity issues.
Do not interrupt the process simply because Windows displays a temporary "QuickBooks is not responding" message if the rebuild is still running. Intuit advises allowing the process to complete.
What If the QuickBooks Backup Will Not Restore?
Sometimes a backup file may not restore successfully.
Possible reasons include:
The backup file is damaged.
The wrong file was selected.
The backup was created using a different QuickBooks version.
The destination creates an overwrite conflict.
The backup file is not accessible from its current location.
If the backup is stored on an external device or a hosting service, Intuit recommends moving it to the local hard drive before restoring it.
If the backup was created using a newer QuickBooks Desktop version, you may need an appropriate version of QuickBooks to restore it.
What Should You Avoid During Data Recovery?
Data recovery requires caution because incorrect changes can make the situation more difficult.
Avoid:
Overwriting the original company file unnecessarily
Deleting damaged files before creating copies
Making major changes before securing the available data
Repeatedly modifying the original file
Restoring a backup directly over important existing data without checking the consequences
Whenever possible, create a copy of the original file and perform recovery work on the copy.
How Can You Protect QuickBooks Data in the Future?
Once your QuickBooks data has been recovered, establish a reliable backup routine.
You can create local QuickBooks backup files and configure backup preferences. Intuit describes a backup company file as a saved version of your accounting data that can be used as a recovery point if something goes wrong.
Consider keeping backup copies in a location separate from the primary company file. This provides additional protection if the computer or storage device containing the original file develops a problem.
You can also use a supported cloud-based backup option such as Intuit Data Protect if it meets your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a deleted QuickBooks company file?
Recovery may be possible if you have a backup, an Intuit Data Protect copy, Auto Data Recovery files, or another usable copy of the company file. The available options depend on what remains accessible.
What is the QuickBooks company file extension?
QuickBooks Desktop working company files generally use the .QBW extension, while backup files generally use .QBB.
Can I recover a damaged QuickBooks company file?
Yes, depending on the situation. You can try restoring a recent backup, using Verify and Rebuild, or using Auto Data Recovery when appropriate.
Where can I find my QuickBooks company file?
You can use QuickBooks' Find a company file option or search Windows File Explorer for .QBW files. You can also search for .QBB files if you are looking for backups.
Is Auto Data Recovery available in every QuickBooks edition?
No. Intuit states that Auto Data Recovery is available in QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise Solutions for Windows and is not available in Accountant Editions.
Should I overwrite my existing QuickBooks company file with a backup?
It is generally safer to restore the backup to a separate location first. This lets you check the recovered information before replacing or changing the original file.
Conclusion
Recovering QuickBooks data starts with determining whether the original company file is still available. Search for .QBW and .QBB files before assuming that the data has been permanently lost.
If you have a recent .QBB backup, you can restore it through QuickBooks Desktop. If you use Intuit Data Protect, you may be able to restore an earlier backed-up copy. For damaged company files without a usable backup, Auto Data Recovery may provide another recovery option.
After recovering the data, use Verify Data to check the company file and Rebuild Data when QuickBooks identifies data-integrity problems. Most importantly, work with copies whenever possible and avoid overwriting the original company file until you have confirmed that the recovered data is complete and accurate.
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