When a company file is created, Quickbooks generates a file with the ‘.qbw’ extension. This file contains all of the account info. There are multiple errors that have been reported by users with the company file. Some users have experienced the Quickbooks Desktop program crashing when opening the company file while others aren’t able to locate the file in the software. Are you also getting the ‘Quickbooks can’t find company file’ error? Read further to learn how to resolve the problem.
Reasons why Quickbooks can’t find your company file
The most prominent reason why Quickbooks can’t locate your company file is that it is located in the wrong directory. However, there are various other causes that hinder the company file from opening correctly such as:
- The company file has been moved to a different directory
- Connection failure when accessing company files over the network
- The company file is deleted from local/network storage
- Network connectivity issues when using Quickbooks multi-user mode
- The company file is damaged
- An incorrect option being selected by the user when opening the company file
Note: The user is advised to try opening the company file on another system to determine if the error is caused due to the Quickbooks program or the company file itself.
What to do if Quickbooks can’t find the Company File?
Quickbooks users can try the following troubleshooting methods if the program is not able to find the company file successfully.
Change the Company File location
If your company file is located in the wrong directory, Quickbooks won’t be able to find it. The solution to this is to move your company to the right location. Copying the company file to the Windows Desktop and opening it should fix the problem. To do so, follow these steps:
- Open the File Explorer application from the Start menu.
- Search for the Quickbooks folder where the company file is located. The correct company file should have the following name: [Your company name].qbw.
- Right-click on the company file and choose the copy option.
- Paste the file on your Windows Desktop.
- You can also rename the file if that would help locate it easily when opening it in the Quickbooks program.
- Open Quickbooks and click on File.
- Choose the ‘Open or Restore Company’ option.
- From here you can open the company file you have copied on the Windows Desktop.
If the file opens successfully, the file location was the reason behind Quickbooks not finding the company file.
Create a fresh version of TLG and ND files
To force Quickbooks to create a fresh version of the TLG and ND files, you must rename them both. A fresh version of both these files can help Quickbooks run properly. Follow the steps listed below to rename TLG and ND files:
- First, you will be required to open the Quickbooks company file Directory.
- Now locate both the files with TLG and ND extensions.
- Add ‘.old’ to both the TLG and ND files.
Once you have completed the file renaming process, launch Quickbooks and open the company file. If the file is still not opening, you can also try renaming only the TLG file and not the ND file.
Run a repair for Quickbooks Desktop
Quickbooks not finding the company file is a common issue faced by multiple users on a monthly basis. Errors this common can be easily resolved the running a repair for the program. A repair can fix any corrupt Quickbooks files and help the program to function properly. To run a repair for Quickbooks, follow these steps:
- Download and Install Quickbooks Tool Hub (found on the quickbookstoolhub.com).
- Run the Install Diagnostic for Quickbooks.
- Finally, run a repair and clean install the program to eradicate the previous version.
Try opening the company file in the freshly installed Quickbooks program and it should run properly.
Change Company File Properties Settings
At times the file properties can hinder Quickbooks from locating and running the company file. If that’s the case with your company file as well, follow these steps:
- From the file explorer, locate your Quickbooks company file (Your company name.qbw.).
- Right-click on the file and choose Properties.
- Now choose the ‘Advanced’ option.
- Uncheck ‘Compress’ and ‘Encrypt’.
- Apply the new settings.
Open the company file to see if the ‘Quickbooks can’t find company file’ error is resolved or not.
Make sure you are opening the Quickbooks Company File correctly
Trying to open the Quickbooks company file using the incorrect options can also result in the program failing to find the file. To open the Quickbooks company file correctly, go through the following process:
- Launch Quickbooks Desktop.
- Click on the File tab.
- Select Open or Restore Company.
- Now select Open a company file and click on Next to proceed.
- Choose the correct company file (file with .qbw extension).
- Finally, click on open.
If the problem still persists, you can also try installing the latest Quickbooks update and also the latest updates for your Windows operating system. The last resort is to get assistance from experts by contacting the Quickbooks product service team.
Useful read guides
How to fix quickbooks keeps crashing