QuickBooks Backup

8 posts

Automate QuickBooks Backup

QuickBooks

It’s not unusual to see small companies assume their nightly backup works correctly, until they find out the hard way. It seems to me that loss of business data frequently involves QuickBooks, so I created a short film instructing users on automating their QuickBooks backups.

This QuickBooks backup process uses the native process in QuickBooks with a bit of a twist. It keeps seven days of company files available for recovery in an online off site location, out of your building. Seven days helps to alleviate the problem of catastrophic data entry errors, allowing a business to reconcile and/or revert back to a previous day’s company files if necessary.

Test your backup at least once a month. Do a complete trial recovery from your backup file copied to one of your QuickBooks client computers. Then, close the recovered company file and delete it and the copied backup file. You will not want to confuse your trial restored company file with your production company file.

Now the film.

Restore QuickBooks Backups

Backup Business Systems Support QuickBooks

Question:

How do I check to make sure I can actually restore my backup files?

Answer:

If you are using a local backup, I have a quick video explaining the process here.

If you are using QuickBooks online backup, use Web Restore to restore your latest online backup company file to a folder on your local computer.

Web Restore allows you to restore your backup files using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.(x) and newer or Mozilla Firefox 2.(x) and newer. With Web Restore, you can access only the last successful backup performed.

To restore your Online Backup files:

1 – Create a folder on your desktop called "Test Restore"

2 – Go to the QuickBooks Online Backup Login page here

3 – Enter your Account ID and Password and click the Web Restore button.

4 – If prompted, install the ActiveX control.

5 – Follow the online instructions and locate the company file (mycompany.qbw) that you want to restore. Then, click Restore.

6 – Save the file to your "Test Restore" folder on your desktop.

You can take it one step further by testing the file in QuickBooks. Remember not to confuse the file with your current production company file. Delete the file from your "Test Restore" folder when your test is complete. It would be a good idea to test your backup every month.

If you are not using QuickBooks Online Backup, you can purchase a 1 GB or 10 GB service plan here

If you need more than 10 GB, use another online backup service such as Mozy or iBAckup.

Also, A QuickBooks company backup file {mycompany}.QBB, does not contain everything to fully restore your QuickBooks to full functionality. Features like Shipping Manager, Loan Manager and add ons are not saved in the QBB file.

Consequently, house all of your company files including add on data, in a dedicated folder then backup the entire folder to your online backup service. I have a detailed instructional video at https://lesmurphy.com/.

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

Moving QuickBooks Company Files

Business Systems Support QuickBooks

Questions:

How do I move my company file from my laptop to the server and the server only has the database version of the install?

I have the same issue. I made a backup from ,my laptop of the company file what I’d been connecting to at work. I then restored the backup file to my laptop to have a working version while out of the office. Now i’d like to take that company file that I’ve changed which is on my laptop and put it back onto the QB Data Server for all to access as before.

Answer: Close QuickBooks on every computer that accesses your company files.

Make sure the Windows computer you are using is configured to "see" the file extensions of files. Rename the company file on the server share where your production file is located by appending a date to the file;

IE [company_name].QBW.[date] mycompany.QBW.2009jan11

Close QuickBooks on your laptop.

Browse to the company file on your laptop. Copy the company file on your laptop then paste it to the server share where you previously renamed the company file. DO NOT MOVE THE FILE. COPY THEN PASTE.

You will now have two files on your server:

mycompany.QBW.2009jan11

mycompany.QBW

mycompany.QBW becomes your updated production company file

Check your production file then change the name of the company file on your laptop.

You do not want to find yourself in the position of having many company files with the same names with different data in each file, on different computers. Get in the habit of thinking about using only one production company file, mycompany.QBW per company. Rename files to take them "out of production"

You will need to totally understand general Windows folder and file structure, including what extensions are, so that you know beyond a shadow of doubt "where" your files are located and "what" their names are. If you tend to loose files and create duplicates, moving production QuickBooks files around is not for you.

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

QuickBooks Database Manager Stops Working

2 comments
Business Systems Support QuickBooks

While on the QuickBooks Online Community the other day, I took the opportunity to answer a particularly difficult question concerning QuickBooks Multi User and Microsoft Server 2003 that has plagued systems people for awhile.

QUESTION:

I have the Database Server Manager running on a Windows 2003 server. It seems that when ever I use Remote Desktop to access the server, it causes the Database Manger to stop working. I have to physically go to the server, log into QuickBooks…change it to Single User mode… close out of it… go back in and change it back to Multi-User mode and exit the program. Then I start the Database Server Manager.. have it scan for company files and it’s working again.

Is this a setting I have missed that causes this to stop working?

Has anyone else experienced this issue before?

MY ANSWER:

“Is this a setting I have missed that causes this to stop working?”

You’ve probably not missed anything.

“Has anyone else experienced this issue before?”

I’ve repeatedly had this problem on Server 2003, to the point that I’ve developed a standard workaround.

You will need to configure this from a console session using either a keyboard/mouse/monitor, remote desktop using “%windir%\system32\mstsc.exe /console” or VNC to the console. Then, remember to always manage this server from a console session.

Use the “administrator” user to login to the desktop.

Remove or turn off any firewall software on the server.

Configure the server to automatically logon as the “administrator” user to the desktop using TweakUI or regedit.

Configure the desktop to go to a screensaver and be password protected on resume. This will lock the desktop after the wait time passes, securing your server.

Install a completely updated full version of QuickBooks to the server.

Open the company file then logon as Admin. Set QuickBooks to Host Multi-user access, and then close QuickBooks.

Restart the server, remove the keyboard/mouse, watch the monitor to test the auto logon to the desktop, and then remove the monitor.

Open QuickBooks on a client computer. Confirm that Host Multi-user access is turned off. Confirm that any firewall software is turned off. Then, open the company file to test network access to QuickBooks.

Your QuickBooks environment will stabilize.

If you are concerned about security, locking the desktop will secure the server’s administrator desktop. Remember to disconnect a console RDP session, not log off. Also, firewalls belong on your gateway to the Internet device. Your real-time anti-virus/anti-malware software on your client computers will deal with any security issues that might get past the hardware firewall on your network without having the local client computer’s firewall software turned on.

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

Get More From What You Already Own

Business Systems Support QuickBooks

It’s no secret that business continues to be difficult on a good day and maintaining profitability is challenging. Business people are interested in IT services that help them get more value out of what they have.

Your critical business systems are the cornerstone of your success. Are you getting the most from systems you already own?

Do you use QuickBooks in your business?

I get more from QuickBooks by using the automated backup functionality to keep a running week of company backup filesin my QuickBooks company files folder. Then I backup my company file folder using my online backup. 

Get more out of your desktop computers. Do you have four year warranty on the computer systems you own. Every major player offers some form of same day four hour service for desktop computer systems. When you have a hardware problem, one call to an 800 number gets you immediate service.

Or better yet, opt for a longer response time at a reduced rate. Use the saved money to keep a spare computer around. Design your systems to use the same type of computer configuration on every desktop. Then, an emergency swap will take only a few minutes, resulting in very little lost productivity.

If you need help designing an easily swap-able environment, contact me. I can use the work. I specialize in helping you get the most from the business systems you already own!

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

Temporary QuickBooks Restore

2 comments
Backup Business Systems Support QuickBooks

Frequently, folks need to go back a few days to look at the information in QuickBooks prior to making a catastrophic mistake or confirming major changes will not be a catastrophic mistake. Imagine a scenario where you have just completed a total remake of your expense account numbers or made journal entries correcting out of balance accounts.

In these cases, a temporary restore of a several days old backup will fill the bill. And, you certainly don’t want to accidentally over-write you current company file.

Now the film

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

QuickBooks Loan Manager

Business Systems Support QuickBooks

 In case you don’t know, QuickBooks Loan Manager provides a great tool to manage loans. I found out about it quite by accident.

One of my clients required a better way to organize and backup QuickBooks. They work with several QuickBooks company files. So, I restructured the folder hierarchy, configured a seven day QuickBooks staggered backup then integrated it with their tape backup on another server.

During the last step involving checking my work, I discovered that the QuickBooks Loan Manager screen in each company file was blank. After poking around some, I figured out that the QuickBooks Loan Manager files are not included in the QuickBooks Backup (.QBB) file.

Typically, I backup the entire folder that contains the company files. So, I returned to the backup and then I copied the old .lmr file into the new location for company files, returning the loan manager to full functionality.

The lesson here, backup your entire company files folder. Several components will not restore properly if you use only the .QBB file. I learned about QuickBooks Loan Manager today. I learned about QuickBooks Shipping Manager some time ago.

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.

QuickBooks Backup Fully Automated

4 comments
Backup Business Systems Support QuickBooks

I’ve seen a lot of pain lately. The latest, a small company assuming their nightly backup was working correctly, until they found out the hard way. It seems to me that loss of business data always involves QuickBooks, so I created a short film instructing users on automating their backups.

This process keeps seven days of company files available for recovery in an online location, out of your building. Seven days helps to alleviate the problem of catastrophic data entry errors, allowing a business to revert back to a previous day’s company files.  

As I’ve repeatedly said, test your backup at least once a month. Do a complete trial recovery. If you don’t know how to do that, contact me. I can use the work.

Now the film.

Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?

Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.