Below, you will find a comprehensive set of instructions that will walk you through the process of backing up and transferring your QuickBooks company file from one location to another.
The QuickBooks company file is like a virtual vault for all your financial information, helping you manage your accounting tasks efficiently. Unfortunately, corruption of the file can lead to errors such as -6150, -6000 -305, -6147, -6130,-6176 among others. These errors can result in the loss of crucial data stored in the company file, causing inconvenience and frustration for users. Regularly backing up your QuickBooks company file is crucial to safeguarding your business’s financial information. This ensures that you can easily recover any lost data in case of unexpected events such as computer crashes or data corruption.
Your company file is like the lifeblood of your account records, storing crucial details about customers, vendors, employees, and transactions. Losing this information due to technical issues could have serious consequences. By implementing a reliable backup system, you can ensure that your data is protected and secure at all times. This blog post will outline the step-by-step instructions on how to create a backup of your company files and locate them in another secure location. Having a recent backup can prevent any disruptions or loss of data, so make sure to follow along with this guide to keep your information secure.
Create a Backup of Your QuickBooks Desktop Company File
Backing up your QuickBooks desktop company file is like creating a safety net for your accounting data. If you encounter any issues, you can simply use the backup to restore your information. We have outlined two methods for creating a backup—one automatic and one manual—to ensure a smooth process without any complications. Just follow the instructions provided below for a glitch-free experience.
Method 1: Set the Automatic Backups of your Company File
Here are the steps to set up the automatic backup of your company file. Follow the below-mentioned steps carefully:
- First, open QuickBooks and navigate to the File menu.
- Now, switch to Single-User Mode and go back to the File menu.
- Click on the “Back up Company” option.
- Select the Create Local Backup tab and move back in the window.
- Choose the Local Backup.
- Hit the Next tab and navigate to the Local Backup Only
- Click Browse and select a location to save your backup company file.
- Then, set the number of backups you wish to keep. (It is an optional step.)
- Here, you will get the Online and Local Backup section; choose Complete Verification. (This step performs a test to ensure that your backup file is in good condition before saving.)
- Note: To set backup reminders, you do not need to pencil it in on your calendar; simply use these options in the Online and Local Backup section.
- Once you are ready, click on the OK
- Additionally, select Save It Now and schedule future backups.
- Click on the Next If you don’t want to save the backup now, you can select the option to only schedule future backups.
- Click on the “Save backup copy automatically when I close my computer file checkbox”.
- Now, you have to choose the number of times between backups.
- Create a schedule, then click on the New
- Once you have done the above steps, fill out the data fields to create a backup schedule. Additionally, you can also set a specific time or day of the week to automatically get the backup.
- After setting your schedule, click on the OK
- Here, QuickBooks asks you to fill out your Windows sign-in password. This will grant QB permission to run the scheduled backup.
- When you are ready to create a backup, hit the Finish
After successfully completing the steps mentioned above, QuickBooks will automatically create a backup of your data and schedule future backups for you. Upon completion of the process, you will receive a confirmation message confirming the secure backup of your data.
Method 2: Manually Create a Backup of Your Company’s Files
Here are the simple steps to follow if you prefer a manual process: Please refer to the following pointers to begin the procedure:
- First, launch QuickBooks and go to the File
- Click on “Switch to Single-User Mode.”
- Now, go back to the File menu and choose Backup Company.
- Choose the option “Create Local Backup.”
- Then, in the window, hit Local Backup and click Next.
- In the local backup only section, click Browse if you want to save your backup company file.
- Select the amount of backups you wish to keep. (This step is an option for the users.)
- Do not pencil it in on your calendar; instead, use the options in the Online and Local Backup section to set backup reminders. This will help you run the test to make sure your backup file is in good shape before you save it.
- Once the process is complete, select the OK
- Click on the “Save it now” option and hit the Next
After successfully creating a backup of your company file, the next step involves adjusting your backup settings to ensure the secure and efficient storage of your data. You can customize the frequency and storage location of backups, ensuring the protection of your crucial information.
Tips for Having a Smooth Backup Experience
Here are a few crucial recommendations for having a seamless experience while accessing a QuickBooks company file. Take a peek.
- Learn how to schedule automatic backups in QuickBooks to ensure that your company files are always securely saved. You can set specific times for backups to occur with this feature, ensuring the protection of your data. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the process of restoring backups in case of any unforeseen issues with your company files.
- To change your backup preferences in the future, navigate to the File section and select Backup Company. From there, choose Create Local Backup, then click on Options to make any desired changes. Once you have made your adjustments, click OK to save them. By following these straightforward steps, you can easily update your backup preferences for a more efficient process.
- To view the most recent backup of your company’s file, go to the File menu and select the Backup Company option. The menu will display the time and date of the backup for your reference. This feature enables you to effortlessly monitor the last time you saved your data.
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How Do I Change the QuickBooks Company File Location?
Changing the QuickBooks company file location is easy and simple. You can carry out this simple process on either the same computer or a different one. Below, we have provided step-by-step instructions for both methods. Let’s begin the procedure without delay.
How to Move a Company File to Another Computer?
Transferring your company file to a different computer will not affect your product license. You can easily move your company file by following the steps outlined below. Simply follow the instructions provided to successfully transfer your data to a new computer.
- The first thing to be considered before starting the process is installing QuickBooks Desktop on the new computer.
- Now, follow the previously mentioned method of creating a backup company file on your original computer.
- Once you save the file, give it a unique name to easily identify it.
- Now, on your Windows computer save the backup file.
- Next, move the backup company file to your new computer. You can save the backup to a flash drive or an external device. As well, you can also share it if your new computer is on the same network.
- Once you have done with the above process, you can follow the steps to restore the backup instructed below in this guide.
How to Move a Company File to Another Location on the Same Computer?
If you need to move your company file data to different locations on the same computer, you can do so by following these steps.
- First, you have to create a backup of the QuickBooks company file by implementing the above-mentioned method.
- Once you have created a backup of your company file, save the folder with a unique name so that you can easily identify it.
- Then, save the file to a location, such as a desktop or somewhere you can easily access it. Note: If the QB company file is present on the network, save the backup on the computer’s local hard drive.
- Lately, you have to restore the backup file to a newly created folder or location by following the steps mentioned below.
How to Restore the Backup Company File?
To complete the process of moving the backup file location, the final step is to restore the backup company file. Before proceeding with the following steps, you must transfer your backup company file from an external device or hosting service, like a USB drive or Box, to your local hard drive.
- Start by opening QuickBooks and navigating to the File menu.
- Now, choose the “Open or Restore Company” option.
- Click on “Restore a backup copy” and hit the Next
- Select the Local Backup and click on the Next
- Then, browse your computer for your backup company file. It must look like: [Your company name].qbb.
- Choose the location where you want to save the file, and after that, hit the Open
- Once you’ve completed the aforementioned process, select the Save option to complete it.
Important Note: We recommend renaming either your existing company file or the backup file to ensure they have unique names, to prevent accidental overwriting of your data. Another option is to save the backup in a different folder altogether. This will prevent any confusion and safeguard your data from overwriting.
Conclusion!
We believe that the steps provided by our experts will assist you in successfully backing up your QuickBooks company file, as well as locating it from a different location without any complications. If you continue to encounter issues, we recommend reaching out to QuickBooks Enterprise Support for expert guidance and solutions. Their team of QuickBooks Professionals, is committed to effectively resolving any issues and addressing all your concerns.
