Intuit developed the QuickBooks Software for entrepreneurs and freelance professionals to manage financial aspects regarding their small or mid-sized businesses. All the tasks, from keeping a track of expenses, setting up payrolls, creating invoices and filing annual taxes, can be done with the QuickBooks Software alone.

Unfortunately, with complicated processes often comes one or the other error that brings the procedure to a hold. To assist the users of QuickBooks, and help them to resolve small problems by themselves without the need to call a professional advisor for every little issue, Intuit developed certain tools to run tests and find solutions for most of the occurring errors.

Prior to the File Doctor the Connection Diagnostic Tool and Company File Diagnostic Tool were used to analyze most of the problems with network connectivity or damaged company data files. In 2012 Intuit launched the File Doctor as a new and more advanced diagnostic tool, that also has more features for troubleshooting issues with your QuickBooks application.

QuickBooks File Doctor Fixes

• All the error codes from the 6000-series, such as 6150, 6147, 6130, 6000 -82, 6000 -305 and 6000 -301, which indicate non-accessible or damaged company data files.

• All the error codes from the H-series, like H101, H202, H303 and H505. These errors are related to network issues or wrong set ups for the multi-user mode.
• In cases where the lists for your employees, customers or vendors are missing or shown empty.
• Network connectivity issues due to wrong settings or firewall interference.
• You are able to open sample company or other files, but your main data file seems to be damaged and is not opening.

Check the following before using the File doctor in QuickBooks

• Before downloading the newest version of the QBFD, make sure that you uninstall old File Doctor versions from your computer

• Even though all the QuickBooks versions post 2015 have the File Doctor already included, it is still advised to install the external, stand-alone QBFD – especially if you already experienced, that your in-built File Doctor did not solve your issues.
• If you have multiple versions of QuickBooks installed on your computer, the network connectivity diagnosis and repair option might not function accurately.
• The network connectivity diagnosis and repair option also does not work on computers which are installed only with the Database Server Manager (File Hosting component).
• Although the File Doctor is compatible with all the versions of Microsoft Windows, it is not working for the QuickBooks application on a MAC computer.
• Make sure to be logged in as an administrator.
• Your company file should be no larger than 2 GB.
• For the process to work, you need a stable internet connection, since it is required to upload company files.
• Data loss due to failure in correct data synchronization are not repairable with the QuickBooks File Doctor.

How to use the QuickBooks File Doctor?

Step 1: Download the file doctor from Intuit.com on your computer where QuickBooks is installed. open the downloaded file from the downloads folder to install the File Doctor Open the file and follow through the installation menu.

After the successful installation, the File Doctor will open automatically. Should that not be the case, go ahead and click on the icon for the File Doctor that appears as a shortcut on the desktop of your computer.

Step 2: Now the File Doctor is at your service and you can choose the malfunctioning company file by using the drop-down menu or clicking on ‘Browse’ and selecting the file out of the correct storage folder.

Step 3: Further down you will find ‘Advanced Settings’ from which you should select ‘Check file damage only’. Now hit the ‘Diagnose File’ button to run the test.

Note: – For errors from the 6000-series (as mentioned above) you select ‘Check both file damage and network connectivity‘

– If you are in the multi-user mode and errors from the H-series (as mentioned above) show up, please select ‘Check network connectivity only‘.

Step 4: When requested, enter the admin user name and password.

Next you are given the option to update the file. It will be updated to the newest QuickBooks version, in case you are using a 2011 or older one.

This step is optional though and can be skipped by selecting ‘Repair the file for your existing version of QuickBooks‘. This is recommended, since it is better for preventing any future complications. You can upgrade everything once the repair of all errors was successful.

Step 5: Now the File Doctor is doing it’s work to repair your company file. This might take a while, depending on the size of the file, the network speed of your connection and the severity of the damage of the file.

Step 6: After the successful repair you have the choice of opening the file right away.

If you should use multiple versions of QuickBooks, File Doctor lets you decide in which software version you want to open to continue.

Step 7: Just to be sure, you can repeat step 2 to 6 again, to make sure that the File Doctor did not miss anything.

How to use your built-in QuickBooks File Doctor ?

The built-in File Doctor usually detects errors and launches automatically. With this simpler version you only have to click the Start button to let the tool run the diagnosis and repair the error. The rest of the steps are quite similar to the external, stand-alone File Doctor version.

1. Start your QuickBooks Desktop software. Do not open your company data file yet.
2. From the menu of the file select ‘Utilities‘ and then ‘Repair File and Network Problems’ to start the File Doctor.
3. Search and choose the company file that is causing the problem, by clicking on the ‘Browse button.
4. Just as with the stand-alone version of the File Doctor, you can choose now which type of repair action you want to apply. Continue by clicking the ‘Next‘ button.
5. Type in your administrator user name and password for the chosen company file. Click the ‘Next‘ button again.
6. After the File Doctor is finished with the diagnosis and repair process, go ahead and open the file once again to see if the error is resolved.

What if the QuickBooks File Doctor wasn’t able do resolve your problem?

QBFD found a problem, but is unable to solve it

Should your company file still not not work, or the FD did not detect a problem in the first place, it is advised to start the setup of the Auto Data Recovery. Enter the transactions since your last backup manually.

The issue has to do with the failure of data synchronisation

Due to data synchronisation errors it is possible that you are not seeing your complete data, your transactions, which were stated in your QuickBooks previously, are lost, or your lists of Customers, Vendors or Items are showing the old state as from before the error occurred. These kind of issues happen when the QuickBooks Sync Manager is not properly synchronizing the company data files, which results in the data loss.

Conclusion

We hope that this blog post enables you in the future to take care of most of the issues you are facing with your QuickBooks. After all, the File Doctor is a very effective yet simple tool to repair damaged company files or deal with network connection isues.

Should your problem still persist or exceed the capabilities of the File Doctor, do not risk further damages or data loss that would cause operational delays for your business. Contact a professional QuickBooks ProAdvisor for reliable and gratifying assistance.