QuickBooks allows you to create a backup (.QBB) file manually or to schedule automatic backups. Sometimes, when creating a backup, you may encounter the QuickBooks backup not working issue and receive an error message similar to the below:
‘QuickBooks was unable to back up your company file. QuickBooks could not copy the company file.’
There are various factors that can prevent creation of QuickBooks company file backup. This article will look into the reasons for QuickBooks backup not working issue and discuss the troubleshooting solutions to resolve the issue.
Causes of QuickBooks Backup not Working Issue
You may fail to create the backup of QuickBooks company file due to the following reasons:
- Corruption in Company (.QBW) file
- Damaged Network Data (.ND) file
- Insufficient permissions to access the backup file
- Name of QuickBooks Company file contains more than 65 characters
- The size of backup file exceeds the 3 GB size limit
- Incorrect backup path in QuickBooks settings
- The QBW file is already in use
Methods to Resolve the QuickBooks Backup not Working Issue
The QuickBooks backup not working issue can occur if you don’t have enough free space on the drive where you are trying to save the backup file. You can check and ensure your system drives have enough storage space. To check this, you can right-click on the drive and select Properties. If the drive is out of space, then you can uninstall unnecessary programs and delete the temp files. If this is not the case, then follow the below methods.
Method 1: Check the Backup File Path
You may fail to back up your QuickBooks company file if the backup path configured in QuickBooks settings is incorrect or inaccessible. Make sure the backup path you’ve added in the settings is correct. To check the backup directory, go to Preferences in QuickBooks and ensure that the specified path in the directory is correct. If it is not correct, then change the path.
Method 2: Rename the Network Data (.ND) File
QuickBooks backup errors can also occur if the Network Data (.ND) file in QuickBooks is corrupted. To resolve the issue, you can reset this file by renaming it. Here are the steps to do so:
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- First, locate the company file folder.
- Open the folder and search for the .ND file.
- Right-click the file and then select Rename.
- Now add .OLD at the end of the file name and then hit Enter to save the applied change.
Method 3: Update your QuickBooks Version
Outdated version of the QuickBooks application is also one of the reasons behind the QuickBooks backup not working issue. You can check and install the latest QuickBooks application updates. The following are the steps to do so:
- Open QuickBooks application and press the F2 key.
- In Product Information dialog box, you can check the product and version-related information.
If the version of your QuickBooks is not up-to-date, then install the latest updates by following the steps given below:
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- In QuickBooks, click the Help option.
- Click Update QuickBooks Desktop, click Update Now, and then Get Updates.
Method 4: Check and Delete Special Characters from QBW File Name
While creating the QuickBooks company file backup, you may encounter the QuickBooks backup not working error if the name of the company file contains special characters. You can check the company file name and rename if there are any special characters in it.
Method 5: Repair your Company File
Creating the backup file means you are creating a copy of the company file. If the QuickBooks company file is corrupted, it can lead to the QuickBooks backup file is not working issue. In this case, you can use the QuickBooks’ Verify and Rebuild Data tool to rebuild the company file data. It may not fix the severely corrupted company file. In such a case, you can download QuickBooks Tool Hub to repair the QBW file. Here are the steps to do so:
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- Download, install, and launch the latest version of QuickBooks Tool Hub.
- In Tool Hub, select Company Files Issues.
- Click Quick Fix my File.
It will start rebuilding the company file. If it fails to repair the QBW file, then you can use QuickBooks File Doctor. Follow the steps given below:
- In Tool Hub, under the Company Files Issues section, click Run QuickBooks File Doctor.
- In the QuickBooks File Doctor window, click on the dropdown and select the problematic company file.
- Click Check your file and then select Continue.
- You will get a dialog box asking you to enter your QuickBooks admin credentials. Fill in the correct credentials and then click Next.
If you’re unable to repair the company file using the above tools, then the file might be severely damaged. In such a case, you can use a reliable and powerful QuickBooks repair tool. Stellar Repair for QuickBooks is one such tool that can repair highly corrupted QuickBooks Company files with complete precision and integrity. The tool can recover all the data from the corrupt company file without any file size restrictions. It supports all editions of QuickBooks, including Pro, Premier, and Enterprise solutions.
Conclusion
You can experience the QuickBooks backup error – “QuickBooks was unable to back up your company file. QuickBooks could not copy the company file” due to various reasons. To resolve the error, you can check the company file name and backup path, update the version of the QuickBooks application, and follow other methods discussed in this post. If QuickBooks fails to read the company file due to corruption, you can try the QuickBooks repair tools. If none of the tools works, then opt for Stellar Repair for QuickBooks. It can help you repair the QBW file of any size or with any level of corruption. It also provides a preview of repairable data before saving it.
