30 Jun Quickbooks Problem #3/5: Cannot Locate Data File

Try these solutions if you cannot locate a data file on Quickbooks

Quickbooks is a multi-platform tool widely used by businesses and companies for accounting purposes. It is, however, not uncommon to encounter issues when using the software. Here, we’ll continue to address another common Quickbooks issue: losing access or difficulty locating a data file.

If you’re unable to locate a company file, you may receive the following error message: “Warning: The company file you selected could not be found.”

You will be prompted to locate the file in a different directory or asked to search for the file with Windows search.

Typically, this is easy to resolve and normally indicates the file was moved or saved in a different file location. Finding the file will depend on where the file is saved, such as on a company network or a single system. Before proceeding, attempt to search for the file on your local system using the Windows search function, which can usually reveal if it was moved.

If not, continue on with the next steps.

Finding the file on a company network

We’ll attempt to troubleshoot finding a lost file if stored on a company network.

Troubleshooting #1

Verify the computer is connected to the company network. This is a simple ping test that will simply determine if the system is still connected. To do so, you’ll need to use a command in CMD.

1. You can open Command Prompt by pressing the Windows icon your keyboard + R. Conversely, you can search “CMD” and select command prompt in Windows search.
2. Once Command prompt is open, enter ipconfig /all, then press enter.
3. You will see different results based on current IP and connections. For now, find and copy the information found in “Host Name.” Typically, the Host Name is the first result of ipconfig.

This is how we’ll conduct a ping test.

4. To test the connection, type ping “server name” and then press enter. Do not include quotations around the server name.
5. Once the ping test begins, a normal connection means you’ll results for each packet sent. For example, the message should say “pinging host name with 32 packets of data,” – where host-name is the website/host.
6. A functional connection will give you results for the packets. If you see an error or packets fail to send/receive, there is a connection problem. However, if there is no connection problem and you are still unable to locate the file, this indicates a problem on the business network.

Troubleshooting #2

You should perform a file search on the relevant server to locate the file. Think of any associated names and/or extensions related to the file. If you’re searching for extensions, an asterisk should be placed before the extension name to ensure correct functionality.

Example: *.qbb
We do this because even if the file name changed, the extension will not. You should be able to locate the relevant extension file with the server search. If you’re not sure what extension the file is, contact your administrator.

What if I can’t find the file?

The file may have been deleted, corrupted, or removed. You’ll need to contact an administrator and/or IT for additional help.

Locate the File

If the file is still on the server, you should be able to locate it.

For a regular company file, find and select “Open a Company File > Open.”

To restore a company file, select “Restore a Backup File.”

As for copying/converting a file, select “Convert and Accountant’s Copy Transfer File.”

If you’re still having difficulty locating your files, you may need additional IT assistance.

Need more help? You can contact Bytagig today to learn about our IT solutions and options.

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