How to Fix Corrupted QuickBooks Data Files—a Step-By-Step Guide

The loss of an important accounting file could literally take away thousands of hard-earned dollars. More than the data, it’s also the loss of time, money, and effort that went into getting the job done. Other than that, there’s also an opportunity cost associated with redoing a certain data task.  

Above all, a corrupted QuickBooks file indicates that there’s something wrong with either the software or the system that needs your immediate attention.  

In this post, we will discuss the likely causes of QuickBooks company file corruption and what you can do to recover those files: 

Common Causes For QuickBooks Data File Damage: 

1. There was a Windows power failure, and QuickBooks had to close unexpectedly. Other power problems include black-out power loss, brown-out power dips, and sudden power surges). This is also the reason all QuickBooks servers and hardware units should ideally be connected with an adequately sized Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). 
2. The bookkeeper made an improper entry in the list of data and subsequently corrupted the company file. This could call for QuickBooks data file repair.  
3. Any items, accounts, or names in the company file have been damaged due to an error made by the bookkeeper in charge of recording the transactions. 
4. A virus or computer malware has attacked the system. This usually happens when you don’t have an antivirus installed or the antivirus isn’t compatible with the system. 
5. There was a network connection failure, and the internet connection dropped out.  
6. Your PC either crashed or froze, resulting in improper QuickBooks shutdown. However, this is not common among the latest versions of Windows. Don’t immediately send your PC to reboot mode if one of the applications breaks down.  
7. There was something wrong with either the hard drive or the memory (RAM). 
8. The database file size has gone beyond its healthy limit. The limit is usually 1 GB for QuickBooks Pro and 1.5 GB for QuickBooks Enterprise.

How Do You Know If Your Data File Has Been Corrupted? 

You can easily spot a corrupted data company file if any of the following happens: 

1. The QuickBooks contractor file doesn’t open. 
2. Strange error messages start showing up on your computer screen when you’ve got the QuickBooks application open.  
3. You can’t access any of the data inside QuickBooks Contractor.  
4. Every time you try and save a transaction or an entry, the QuickBooks contractor shuts down unexpectedly.  
5. Some of the bookkeeping transactions have gone missing due to no apparent reason.  
6. The balance sheet report seems out to be out of balance, even when you’ve made accurate entries. 

How to Repair a Corrupted QuickBooks Data File  

The process of retrieving a damaged file and saving it from QuickBooks is known as ‘data rebuilding.’ Fortunately, you don’t always have to pay an expert to recover a damaged QuickBooks data file. The method is usually found within the software itself. Here’s how you can rebuild data utility to repair such QuickBooks files on your own: 

1. Go to the File menu in your QuickBooks Desktop and select the option of Utilities. After this, click ‘Verify Data.’ 
2. At this point, you’ll find out whether you need to run the rebuild tool. If there’s no error message, it means the company file is free of errors. On the other hand, if it says, “Your data has lost integrity,” the file is probably damaged and needs to be repaired.  
3. After you’ve clicked ‘rebuild data,’ wait for the pop-up window. Click ‘OK’ when it shows up.   
4. You’ll then be asked to choose a location on your computer where you can save the file backup. Hit OK after you’ve done so. 
5. After this, the data rebuild process will start automatically. Hit ‘OK’ when it’s over.  

At goytomyerp, we offer QuickBooks hosting services along with the right consultancy to give you a seamless cloud-hosting experience. As far as corrupted files are concerned, we offer a fully managed hosting option where we take care of all this, and the client doesn’t have to worry about any of this. 

Other than QuickBooks, we also specialize in delivering Sage hosting services. To learn more about how we can help you streamline your accounting processes, get in touch.