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backup file

How Do I Automatically Perform a Scheduled Backup?

Chief Mechanic · September 4, 2010 ·

In QuickBooks, the scheduled backup function can be used to automatically perform a backup of the QuickBooks company file (.qbw) based on closing the company file or on a set interval ranging from 1 to 5 weeks on any combination of the days of the week.

See our related article on QuickBooks data file naming restrictions for how violating these restrictions can cause scheduled backups to fail.

A backup can be performed to a local hard disk, a network drive, or a USB drive.  For a scheduled backup to take place, the computer on which you scheduled the backup must be on, but the QuickBooks company file (.qbw) cannot be in use.

Scheduled backups will be created in the location you specify and will have a .QBB extension.  This is one of the file types used by QuickBooks.

A scheduled backup’s filename will be in the form:

SBU_n_[companyID] [optional: date time].QBB

where n is the sequence number of the backup.  That is, the 10th scheduled backup for TestCompany with the optional date and time stamps disabled will be named:

SBU_10_TestCompany.QBB

To schedule an automatic backup, start by clicking on the File->Save Copy or Backup… menu selection.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup

Click the Next button to display the Backup Options window.  Specify the location to save your backup file by typing the complete path to your backup location or by clicking the Browse… button and browsing to the desired location.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Options

Beyond specifying the location used to save your backups, you can control:

  • whether the date and time is added to the name of the backup file
  • whether the number of backups in the backup location is limited
  • whether you will be reminded to manually back up when closing the company file
  • the degree of verification performed prior to backup

Verification is the process of checking the company file and the internal database for possible damage.  Complete verification is not available in multi-user mode.  If you opt for at least some data verification prior to backup, QuickBooks will automatically create a transaction log file (.tlg).  The transaction log file records changes to your company file since the last backup and can be used in extreme circumstances to recover data from recent transactions.

If you opt to save your backup on the same drive that holds your QuickBooks company file (.qbw), you’ll be warned to choose another location.  Depending on the role that a scheduled backup plays in your overall backup strategy, this warning may not be relevant.  You can either click Use this Location and continue or choose a different location by clicking Change Location.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Location Warning

Once you’ve chosen to use the location you’ve entered, you can continue to either perform a manual backup, perform a manual backup and schedule future backups, or simply schedule future backups.  To proceed to schedule backups, select the radio button for Only schedule future backups and click Next.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup 2

We’re now ready to schedule our backups.  We can create a schedule based on backing up the company file when its closed (i. e., not based on the calendar) or on a calendar-based schedule taking place on a set interval from 1 to 5 weeks on any combination of the days of the week.

Scheduling a backup based on when the company file (.qbw) is closed has the advantage that one of the requirements for performing a backup (i. e., that the company file not be open) is satisfied.  However, because the company file could be opened and closed several times in a short period of time, backups may be performed on data with minimal changes, thereby reducing the value of the backups.

On the other hand, scheduling a backup based on the calendar insures that a reasonable amount of time has elapsed between backups, but because the company file may have been inadvertently left open, there is no guarantee that a scheduled backup will take place as planned.  Once you’ve decided which backup approach fits your computing habits, click New… to set a new schedule, Edit… to modify an existing schedule, or Remove to delete one.

Enter a Description to help you describe this backup schedule.  Specify a Location or click Browse… and navigate to the desired location.  If you’d like to limit the number of backups made under this schedule in the backup folder, click the checkbox and specify a number to keep.  Record the time to perform the backup.  Choose the frequency in weeks from 1 to 5 to perform this backup, and the days of the week the backup should be performed.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Schedule Backup 1

To insure that a backup can be performed if the Windows user is logged off, QuickBooks stores the Username and Password of the Windows user.  Click Store Password… to enter your Windows Username and Password.  Remember: these are the credentials you use to log in to Windows, not QuickBooks itself.  Click Ok when you’re done.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Store Windows Password

The backup schedule you just created will now appear in the list of available backup schedules, showing the next date on which this schedule will be performed.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Schedule Backup 2

Click Finish to save the scheduled backup.  QuickBooks will report that your backups have been scheduled.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Scheduled

Your scheduled backups will now take place as planned.  Just be sure to exit QuickBooks so your company file (.qbw) is not in use at the appointed time!

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How Do I Perform a Manual Backup?

Chief Mechanic · September 4, 2010 ·

From within QuickBooks itself, you can perform a manual backup.  See our related article for information on how to perform scheduled backups.

A backup can be performed to a local hard disk, a network drive, or a USB drive.  QuickBooks compresses data in a backup file, and the scope of the data actually backed up has changed over the years.  See our related article for what’s included in a backup file made with the integrated QuickBooks backup function.

A manual backup will have the name:

[companyID] (date time).QBB

To perform a manual backup, start by clicking on the File->Save Copy or Backup… menu selection.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup

Click the Next button to display the Save Copy or Backup window. Choose Local Backup and click Next.

QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 10 Save Backup

When the follow-up Save Copy or Backup window appears, choose the Save it now option and click Next.

QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 10 Save Backup 2

You’ll next be prompted to specify the location and file name of your .QBB backup file.  By default, the file name is set to your company file name followed by the date and time in parentheses, but you can change it to suit your needs.

Alternately, before the preceding step, you may choose to click the Options button.  Doing so will allow you to manage several backup settings, the most important of which is verification.  By default, a manual backup is set to complete verification.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Options

Verification is the process of checking the company file and the internal database for possible damage. Complete verification is not available in multi-user mode. If you opt for at least some data verification prior to backup, QuickBooks will automatically create a transaction log file (.tlg). The transaction log file records changes to your company file since the last backup and can be used in extreme circumstances to recover data from recent transactions.

Once you’ve chosen to use the location you’ve entered, you can continue to perform a manual backup by clicking Ok.

If you opt to save your backup on the same drive that holds your QuickBooks company file (.qbw), you’ll be warned to choose another location. Depending on the role that this manual backup plays in your overall backup strategy, this warning may not be relevant. You can either click Use this Location and continue or choose a different location by clicking Change Location.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Backup Location Warning

QuickBooks will now perform a manual backup based on your verification setting and display a message similar to the one below once the process is complete:

QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 10 Backup Complete
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What Information Does the Integrated Quickbooks Backup Function Actually Back Up?

Chief Mechanic · September 4, 2010 ·

Over the time, the scope of the information that the QuickBooks backup function actually backs up has increased.  As a result, a backup file (.qbb) is often much bigger than the company file (.qbw) itself.

If you’re using an older version of QuickBooks and you’re relying on the integrated backup function as your sole backup, you should check the Help file included with your version to make sure important files are included.

For QuickBooks 2008 through 2010, here’s a list of what is included in a .QBB file created with the integrated QuickBooks backup function:

  1. The company file (.qbw)
  2. Letters and templates
  3. Logos and images
  4. Printer settings
  5. Spell check files, including the user dictionary
  6. Financial Statement Designer files, including client and data files
  7. The transaction log (.tlg) file
  8. ND files (.nd)
  9. Cash Flow Projector (.cfp) files
  10. Business Planner (.bpw) files
  11. Loan Manager (.lmr) files

For more information on what’s included in a backup, consult this Intuit knowledgebase article.

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What Does Error Code -6000, -816 Mean?

Chief Mechanic · August 31, 2010 ·

According to Intuit, Error Code -6000, -816 “QuickBooks was unable to open the company file because the file is in use” has multiple possible causes, at least 1 of which is unresolved and is associated with Microsoft Windows Vista.  The possible causes of this error are:

  • the company file is in use by another program such as third-party backup software
  • a damaged company file (.qbw)
  • the company file is located on a computer running Microsoft Windows Home Server edition with multiple hard disks (not supported)
  • opening a company file (.qbw) or a restored company file on a computer running Vista (unresolved)

There is a possible workaround for the Vista-related issue discussed in the Intuit article linked below.

For more information on resolving Error Code -6000, -816, consult this Intuit knowledge base article.

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What Does Error Code -6147, 0 Mean?

Chief Mechanic · August 30, 2010 ·

According to Intuit, Error Code -6147, 0 can occur when restoring a company file (.qbw) from a backup file (.qbb) where:

  • the backup file (.qbb) is damaged
  • the company file was not updated completely

Intuit offers a troubleshooting guide to address this issue that’s linked below.  This guide will discuss attempting to restore the backup file (.qbb) to a new location with hosting mode turned off.  You can confirm the Hosting setting by pressing F2 while QuickBooks is running.  Doing so will display the Product Information window.  The Hosting setting appears in the lower left corner.

QuickBooks Premier 2009 Product Information Hosting

If your attempt to restore from the backup file that generated the error is unsuccessful with hosting mode turned off, the next step is to try to restore from another backup file with hosting mode turned off.  If this does not resolve the error, contact us to discuss other data recovery solutions.

To follow the troubleshooting steps to resolve Error Code -6147, 0, consult this Intuit knowledge base article.

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