When the QuickBooks company file not found error appears while opening the company file, accessing the financial data becomes impossible. QuickBooks company files are a collection of total financial data for the user’s business. You can learn how to resolve this issue if the error message appears on your QB screen while running a company file.

What causes QB to fail to connect to the company file?

In QuickBooks, the company file not found error can cause you trouble doing business accounting. The following conditions can cause this error to appear:

  • You have changed the location of the company file on your system, but the software still attempts to fetch the file from its old location.
  • This file name contains special characters or invalid spaces, making it unusable.
  • QuickBooks cannot access the data file on your system drive because of an anti-virus or Windows Defender Firewall.

How to quickly resolve QuickBooks Company File Not Found Error

If the software fails to set up a path to the company file, QuickBooks displays this error code. You can easily fix the error by implementing the following technique:

Condition 1: If, Somehow, the User is Accessing the QuickBooks File Over the Network

Follow the steps listed below if you encounter QuickBooks cannot copy the company file issue while accessing the QuickBooks file over the network.

Solution 1: Check the Network Connectivity

It is important to verify network connectivity if you cannot locate or open the QuickBooks company file.

  1. The first step is to identify the name of the server system.
    1. Press Windows + R together on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
    2. To open the command prompt window, type CMD and press Enter.
    3. Then type ipconfig/all and press Enter.
  2. Keep a note of the server names once you’re down.
  3. In the next window, type Ping followed by the name of your server.
  4. Press Enter once you’re done.
  5. As a user, you must see each packet’s reply.
    1. Packet loss, in this case, signifies a problem with your network connection. Thus, you must use QuickBooks File Doctor to fix can’t find QuickBooks company file error.

Solution 2: Search for the QuickBooks Company File

Below are the steps to find your stored QuickBooks company file if the company file is stored on your local computer.

  1. The first step is to use the Windows feature to take a look at your file type.
  2. In the Search Programs and the Files search box, enter the extension of the company file along with an asterisk sign:
    1. Files with the extension .QBW (Working Files)
    2. Files with the extension .QBB (backup files)
    3. QBA files (Accountants Copy Files)
    4. QBX files (Accountant Transfer Files)
    5. (Accountants Change Files) .QBY
  3. Right-click on the file and select Open File Location from the menu.
  4. Finally, to solve the QuickBooks desktop can’t open company file problem, you must open the file from the correct location.

Solution 3: In QuickBooks, choose the correct way to open the company file

Regardless of the version of QuickBooks, you are using, you must follow the steps below to open the file correctly.

Step 1: Open a Backup File
  1. Navigate to the File menu first.
  2. There, you must select the option ‘Open or Restore Company’.
  3. Click on the ‘Restore a Backup File’ option and then click Next.
  4. The next step is to search for the QuickBooks backup file and the .qbb extension.
  5. To fix QuickBooks’ unable to backup company files, select the required company file and click the Next tab.
Step 2: Open the QB Company File
  1. In the File menu, select ‘Open or Restore Company’.
  2. Next, click on the option ‘Open a Company File’.
  3. By adding the .qbw extension to your search, you can find the company file.
  4. Finally, click on Open.
Step 3: Open the Accountants Copy Transfer File
  1. Navigate to the File menu first.
  2. There, select the option ‘Open or Restore a Company file’.
  3. Click Next after selecting ‘Convert an Accountant’s Copy Transfer File‘.
  4. Afterward, you will see the ‘What the Accountant’s Copy Can and Can’t Do’ Window, where you must click Next.
  5. Look for the file with the extension qbx.
  6. Click on Open once you’ve found it.
  7. By clicking Save, you can save the file to your computer.

Condition 2: If, in case, you are accessing a QuickBooks file you have saved locally on the same computer

Solution 1: Look for All Company Files

  1. In QB, you must first go to the server system and then perform a wildcard search for all company files by typing one of the following into the search bar.
  2. For the search to work correctly, make sure to include the Asterisk before the extension type. Below are some examples:
    1. Files with extension .qbw (Working files)
    2. The .qbb file is a backup file.
    3. File extension .qba (Accountants Copy)
    4. QBX files (Accountant Transfer Files)
    5. *.qby (Accountant’s changes)
  3. As soon as you find the file you are looking for, note its location and move on to the next step.

Solution 2: Open File in QuickBooks

You need to open your company file depending on the QuickBooks version you are using.

Step 1: Open the Company File (.qbw) or an Accountant’s Copy.
  1. Select the ‘open or restore company’ option from the File menu.
  2. Click on Next after selecting “Open a company file”.
  3. Select the company file once you’re done.
  4. Last but not least, click on open.
Step 2: Restoring the .QBB File Backup
  1. From the file menu, select open or restore company.
  2. Then select the option to restore a backup file.
  3. Click on the next button once you have finished.
  4. The next step is to select a local backup.
  5. Click on Next after selecting the company file.
  6. The restored files must be saved to a specific location.
Step 3: Restoring an Accountant’s Copy Transfer File (.QBX)
  1. Choose the open or restore a company option from the file menu to begin.
  2. Then click on the option convert and accountant’s copy transfer file.
  3. Click on the next button to proceed.
  4. Whenever you see the option “what the accountant’s copy can and cannot do,” click next.
  5. Open the file you transferred.
  6. The final step of the process is to choose a location to save the Accountant’s copy file. Once you have decided, click on save.

In conclusion

We are now reaching the end of this blog sharing why the QuickBooks company file not found error message appears. A correct procedure to eliminate this problem from your QBDT is also provided, which can be used to open your company files smoothly.