QuickBooks Unable to Backup Company File – Full Guide

QuickBooks Unable to Backup Company File” or “QuickBooks Backup Failed“. These errors may occur due to various reasons such as QBW file corruption, damaged ND files, etc. To resolve this issue, you can follow the troubleshooting steps mentioned in the article.

In conclusion, regular backup of QuickBooks® company files is crucial to protect business data from loss or damage. QuickBooks® provides options for manual and automatic backups, but if you face errors while backing up, follow the troubleshooting steps to resolve them.

Recommended to Read: How to fix QuickBooks Restore Failed Error?

Reasons For QuickBooks Unable to Backup Company File

  • Corrupted Company File Can Cause QuickBooks Backup Failed issue.
  • You may experience backup issues in QuickBooks due to the inconsistency of Network Data Files.
  • Your company file name is consisting more than 65 characters.
  • Maybe your company file size exceeded the standard size limit.
  • A Third-Party Antivirus program can also bring forth QuickBooks Cannot backup company file issue.

Troubleshooting Steps for QuickBooks backup Failed

Method 1: Use Verify and Rebuild Data Utility

Here are the simple steps to perform verify and rebuild in QuickBooks:

  • Launch QuickBooks.
  • Navigate to the File menu and select the utility drop-down.
  • From the Utilities drop-down, choose “Verify Data.”
  • In case the Verify Data tool identifies any issues with the company file, repeat step 2 and select “Rebuild Data.
  • Let the tool repair the damage in the company file.
  • After the repair is completed, try backing up the company file once more to verify if the “QuickBooks could not copy the company file” error has been resolved.

Method 2: Check the QuickBooks Backup Directory

  1. Open QuickBooks Desktop and head to the Preferences section.
  2. Locate the Backup Options area.
  3. Verify the backup directory specified in the Local Backup Only section of QuickBooks.
  4. Ensure that QuickBooks has a valid pathway for creating the backup file.
  5. If the backup path is incorrect or unavailable, simply click on “Browse” and select the appropriate folder location for saving the backup of your company file.
  6. As an alternative, you can modify the backup path prior to taking the backup from the “Create Backup” window.

Method 3: Rename the Network Data File(ND)

  • Close QuickBooks Desktop and open Windows File Manager.
  • Go to C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks and find the network data file.
  • It will have the same name as your company file with a .ND extension.
  • Right-click the file and choose Rename.
  • Rename the file by adding .NewFile at the end and save.
  • Attempt to make a backup of the company file again.
  • If the error “QuickBooks was unable to back up your company file” still persists, try the next troubleshooting step.

Method 4: Check the Storage Status of your Flash Drive or External HDD

“When faced with the warning message, ‘To back up your company file, there must be 645106849 bytes of space available on 192.168.0.243, but currently there are only 31055872 bytes available. Please free up some space on this drive and try again,’

understand that this is simply a reflection of insufficient storage on the backup drive. The solution is to eliminate any unnecessary files and make room for QuickBooks to create a successful backup. Allow me to guide you through the process of freeing up space on your storage devices.”

Method 5: Reset your QuickBooks Desktop Update

  1. Launch QuickBooks and go to the Help tab.
  2. Select the option ‘Update QuickBooks Desktop‘ and navigate to the ‘Update Now’ tab.
  3. Check the box for ‘Reset Updates’ and click ‘Get Updates’.
  4. Allow QuickBooks to install updates by clicking ‘OK’ twice.
  5. Close the ‘Update QuickBooks’ window and restart QuickBooks Desktop.
  6. Attempt to backup the company file once more.”
Conclusion

If you continue to encounter issues while backing up your QuickBooks company file, this may indicate an irreparable damage in the file. In such a scenario, it’s recommended that you restore the most recent backup before attempting another backup. If you require assistance with restoring your data, repairing the damaged company file, or resolving the “QuickBooks Backup Failed Mac” error, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Data Service Solutions team at +1-888-704-1357.

James
James

"James, a Technical Content Writer at QBDATASERVICES, specializes in crafting informative articles about QuickBooks, Sage50, MySQL Databases, Active Directory, email recovery, Microsoft365, pattern recognition, and machine learning. With a passion for researching and learning about new technology, he creates engaging technical blogs that aid organizations and Database Administrators in resolving various issues. In his free time, James can be found on social media, streaming web series, reading books, and experimenting with new recipes."