As a small business owner, few things can be as frustrating as errors in your QuickBooks file that lead to crashes or incorrect data. Sometimes these issues can be caused by minor data corruption or disconnects. QuickBooks includes a utility called the File Doctor that can diagnose and repair various types of errors.
Running the File Doctor should be part of your regular QuickBooks maintenance routine. In addition, you should run it immediately if you notice any type of data errors or performance issues in the software. This guide will explain what the File Doctor is, why you need it, when to use it, and how to run it properly. Follow these tips and you can keep your QuickBooks data clean and running smoothly.
Stick to the article, to get a better insight into QuickBooks File doctor tool. Having said that, users who would prefer professional guidance, then they can avail it simply by dialing +1-844-539-0188. Our QuickBooks Premier support team doesn’t leave any stone un-turned to attain maximum client satisfaction.
You might also like: Fix QuickBooks Error codes H101, H202, H303, or H505
What is QuickBooks File Doctor?
The QuickBooks File Doctor is a built-in diagnostic and repair tool. Its purpose is to check your company file for errors, corrupted data, or structural problems, and then repair any issues it finds. This tool basically authorizes the users to troubleshoot QuickBooks desktop issues. This software is launched by Intuit Inc. This software is true to its name “Doctor”, as it is used to treat the issues and errors that the users face while using the QuickBooks.
This is mainly a file repairing software to get rid of the issues that are associated with files and data corruption, window problems, etc. This software checks the company damaged or corrupt file that doesn’t respond for some reason. If you are still not familiar with this tool, then it is high time for you to incorporate this tool and enjoy the amazing services that it caters.
Situations, when file doctor tool can be useful to you:
- When you are facing problems while opening company file, and encounter error codes such as Error 6150, Error -6000 -83, Error -6000, Error -6147, Error -6189, QuickBooks not responding etc.
- The user might need this software in the case when other than the damaged company files, the sample files and other company files open properly.
- Also, in the case when the user owns a blank or missing Customer list, vendors list in their QuickBooks.
When any of the above-listed issues disturb the QB users, QuickBooks File Doctor Tool acts as a savior.
Some key details on the File Doctor:
- Available in QuickBooks Desktop versions Pro, Premier, and Enterprise. Not available in QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks for Mac.
- Scans lists, transactions, account registers and balances, and program preferences.
- Can fix corrupted name lists, transaction data, account balances, missing program files or elements.
- Unable to repair severely corrupted data tables or damages to the file structure itself.
- Restores deleted names, transaction data, account information in many cases.
The File Doctor serves an important role by addressing small errors before they have a chance to grow into unrecoverable company file damages. Running it regularly can catch and fix minor issues that might otherwise escalate over time with continued use of QuickBooks.
Related Article: How to fix QuickBooks Error code 1321?
Errors Fixed by QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
| QuickBooks Error code 6150 | QuickBooks Error 6000 82 | QuickBooks Error 6000 305 |
| QuickBooks Error 6000 301 | Network errors | Installation errors |
| Various type of H series error | QuickBooks error H202 | QuickBooks Error H505 |
| QuickBooks database server manager related bugs | Unable to open QuickBooks company file | Missing or blank vendor, customer, or employee lists |
| Error in updating QuickBooks | Firewall port poorly configured | QB Error 6147, or Error 6130 |
| Damaged Windows registry | Data corruption errors | Malware attack hard drive |
| 6000 series errors | Multi-user mode errors | Damaged company files |
Benefits of Using QuickBooks File Doctor
Here are some of the key benefits of using the QuickBooks File Doctor:
- Detects and repairs data corruption errors early before they cause bigger issues. Running the File Doctor regularly helps prevent major damage to your company file over time.
- Restores missing data like transaction records, names, accounts, and items that may have been accidentally deleted or that disappeared due to minor corruption.
- Corrects balances, reconciliations, and reports that show incorrect amounts due to small data disconnects. Gets your account registers and financials back in sync.
- Provides diagnostics to identify the specific errors impacting your file. This helps you understand the issues affecting your QuickBooks performance and data.
- It’s simple and fast to run the File Doctor. The scan takes just a few minutes and walks you through any repairs. Much easier than trying to locate and fix data issues manually.
Limitations of QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
- Cannot repair structural damage – The File Doctor cannot fix severely corrupted data tables, missing elements, or damages to the overall file architecture. These require advanced data recovery methods.
- Limited historical data recovery – The File Doctor may not be able to restore transaction records, names, or other data that was deleted or damaged long ago. The longer ago an issue occurred, the less likely File Doctor can fix it.
- No predictive diagnostics – File Doctor only detects and repairs existing data damage. It does not analyze your file to flag potential future problem areas before they occur.
- Manual scan initiation – File Doctor does not run automatically in the background. You must remember to manually run it for preventative maintenance.
- Slow scan times – The File Doctor may take a long time to scan very large company files with extensive historical data, numbering into the hundreds of thousands of transactions.
Types of File Doctor Tool
There can be two types of QuickBooks file doctor tool namely:
- Built-in file doctor for QB desktop 2016 and later
- QBFD stand alone version: This version is used from the server where only the QuickBooks database server manager component is installed for the hosting purposes
Read Also: Resolve QuickBooks Error 15215
What is Built-in QuickBooks File Doctor tool?
Well, talking about the built-in version of QBFD, this tool works in US, CA, and UK versions of QuickBooks, which makes it restricted to a certain extent. This built-in tool is generally used for file and data repair, along with that it is also used for network and diagnosis repair. Also, the users should note that the built-in version of QuickBooks File Doctor tool supports only in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Server 2003-2012. After knowing all the important facts about QuickBooks File Doctor Tool, it is now time to check out the ways to use this built-in QB File doctor version.
Compatibility of QuickBooks File Doctor tool
- Any version of QuickBooks for MAC, QuickBooks File Doctor is not supported.
- This software has become QuickBooks built-in tool for QB desktop 2016 and the other versions that were introduced later on. Also, this software works with all QB desktop for Windows versions.
Different Sorts of QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
- QuickBooks File Doctor stand-alone version, which is generally used from the server. In this server, solely for file hosting purposes, the QuickBooks Database Server Manager component is installed.
- Another form of QuickBooks File Doctor Tool, is the built-in file for QB desktop 2016 and the later versions.
Steps to Download and Install QuickBooks File Doctor tool
Below we have shared few quick steps to download and install QuickBooks file doctor tool into your system
Step 1: Download for the Internet
- The first step is to download the QB File doctor and then run the QBFD.exe file.
- After that, the installation will begin.
- Once the installation is complete, the file doctor will automatically open. You can also open the program from Start or clicking the icon.
- It should be noted that having .Net framework on the system is of much importance, as in case the user is not having the framework, QBFD setup will download it on its own.
- The user is now required to follow the simple installation process just as they follow while installing the other programs in windows.
See it also: How to use QuickBooks component repair tool?
Step 2: Download QuickBooks file doctor using QuickBooks tool hub
The QuickBooks Tool Hub helps you to resolve all your common errors that occurs in your software.
- At first, download the QuickBooks Tool Hub file and Save the file somewhere you can easily find it.
- After that open QuickBooksToolHub.exe file.
- Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
- Once the installation finishes, double-click on the Tool Hub icon to open the tool hub.
- When the tool hub open you need to choose the Company File Issues tab.
- Choose Run QuickBooks File Doctor option. This may take up to one minute for the file doctor to open.
- After that select your company file from the drop-down menu and choose check your file and then Continue option.
- Finally enter your QuickBooks admin password and then choose Next.
Read Also: How to resolve QuickBooks Error code 7010?
Troubleshooting QuickBooks File Doctor
In most cases, running File Doctor will take care of minor data corruption and discrepancies in your company file. But occasionally issues may persist or you may see new problems after using it. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Run File Doctor again if unfixed issues remain. It may take more than one pass to completely resolve some errors.
- Try running it from Recovery Mode, which is accessed while holding down the Ctrl key during launch. This can enable a more thorough scan and repair process.
- If File Doctor shows an error or crashes, reboot your computer and try again. This can clear out any memory issues affecting it.
- Make sure your operating system and QuickBooks are updated. Older versions may have incompatibility with File Doctor.
- For major damage beyond File Doctor’s repair abilities, you may need QuickBooks data recovery services. Contact Intuit Support for assistance evaluating the best options.
How to Use Built-in version of QuickBooks File Doctor?
As it is the built-in tool, it detects the issues on its own and also launches automatically. This is basically a simplified version, as the user only needs to hit the start option, to begin with working and using the tool and also rectify the errors and issues. Leaving the already mentioned ones, rest of facts and features of this version resembles the stand-alone version of the QBFD tool.
Following the below- scribbled instructions will help the users to deal with this built-in version:
- Well, if you have the built-in version,then you are required to launch QuickBooks without opening the company file.
- The user is also required to click on the File Menu >>> Utilities >>> Repair File and Network problems simply to launch the built-in version of QBFD.
- After that, the user is required to browse and select the Company File, which requires diagnosis and repair, proceed by clicking Open.
- From the Show Advanced Setting drop-down list, the user is required to pick the type of rectification process that they want their file to undergo and then proceed further by clicking on Next option.
- Enter the credentials when asked and then choose Next option.
- Once the diagnosis and the rectification process completes, the user should try to open the file.
You may also read: How to access QuickBooks desktop remotely?
What to do After Repairing your QuickBooks Company File?
After the diagnosis and rectification process is accomplished, the users are required to back-up the company file data and also make sure to store QuickBooks company data file and generated backup data file (.QBB) in a detachable external hard drive.
Once done with all the downloading and installing process, the most important part of the process comes into play, i.e. using this tool. Many of the users don’t know how this tool is actually used.
Thus, to make it easy for the users to use this tool, we have jotted down the steps to make the best use of this tool. Want to know how? If yes, then stick until the end to the article.
- Browse the company file on the system that, they wish to repair. Once done with that the user is required to tap on the Diagnose File.
- In the next step, the user is required to login with the username and the password of the company file that they wish to check.
- After this step, the user is required to be a bit patient and wait for a few minutes until the QuickBooks diagnose process completes.
- Once the process ends, the user will then be incited to select the server or workstation. What matters the most here is to pick the right option:
In case you are using workstation computer, this means that the QB file is not physically held on within the system and the user accesses the file through the network in a multi-user mode. If the user is using the server computer, it means that QuickBooks file is physically stored in the PC.
Moving forward, the user is required to select any of the options scribbled below:
Option 1: YES – In case when the user is running File Doctor on the server computer or host computer hosting the company file.
Option 2: No – In case when the user is running the QuickBooks File Doctor tool on a computer that is not hosting the company file (workstation).
Carry out the steps below, once QuickBooks File Doctor tool is done with repair and diagnosis:
- The user is required to shut the file doctor, once the tool completes the work.
- In order to see whether the issue has resolved or not, the user is required to open the file again.
Probable outcomes:
Case #1 – In case the QuickBooks File Doctor Tool didn’t detect the problem
In case when the file doctor didn’t detect the issue, then the user is required to login back into the Company File, and if by chance, the user is unable to open the company file, then it’s highly recommended by the QuickBooks to commence the Auto Data Recovery Setup and also enter the transactions ever since the former backup.
Case #2 – QuickBooks File Doctor is able to find the problem and also resolve it
Well, this is one of the best outcomes, as the issue will be resolved. The user is required to tap on “Open New Company”, at the time when the process comes to the conclusion.
Case #3 – QuickBooks File Doctor is able to find the issue, but for some reason unable to resolve it
In this case, the tool suggests the Auto Data Recovery setup, as well as entering the transactions in a manual way ever since the last backup or Upload the file on their own.
Read Also: Fix QuickBooks Error 80070057 While opening a company file
When to use QuickBooks File Doctor tool?
You can use QBFD tool when the following problems occurs in your QuickBooks:
Data Synchronize Errors:
Basically, this error means that there is an issue or error and because of some or the other reason the user is unable to see the full data in the meantime, the transactions are misplaced that were earlier there in QB or Vendor, Item or Customer lists that displayed lesser items than it disclosed previously, so the type of errors the user experiences are the Data-sync errors. Talking about these errors, they occur when QuickBooks Sync Manager doesn’t sync the Company File data, and that is the sole reason why the user faces the data loss.
Network Diagnosis:
First and foremost thing is to login as Administrator in Windows. And also necessarily turning off the Windows User Account control. Once the user has logged in with the administrative rights. Then QBFD will turn off the UAC on its own or automatically.
It should be noted that in case the systems have several versions installed, then QB File Doctor will not be able to resolve the issue. This is the biggest hurdle that the users encounter while using multiple versions. In such situations,the user is required to take the file to a system that does not involve multiple versions.
Constraints QuickBooks File Doctor tool
As we all know that everything has its pros, cons, and limitations as well. Similarly, there are certain constraints, when it comes to QBFD.
- In order to upload file and also for manual repair, the QB user requires an internet connection and also should be connected to the work process.
- The another constraint is that the Company File should not surpass 2GB.
- In case of any sort of data loss issue, QBFD will not able to assist in dealing with such errors.
- The File Doctor tool re-launches with elevated admin privileges, in case when the Windows user Account Control is ON.
- If the user wants to diagnose the network and also keep the QuickBooks software in the hosting mode, then it is essential for them to follow the admin panel.
- The user is required to consult QuickBooks technical support, in case their computer system is not from the required version, as File Doctor tool is available for the UK and US version.
Conclusion
With this, we come to the end of this article. We expect that this article might be of some help to you. Reading this article might help you to make the best use of QuickBooks File Doctor Tool. If in case you are unable to make proper use of this tool, or you face any difficulty in resolving the error, then you can consult with our QuickBooks pro support team at +1-844-539-0188. With their years of expertise, our team of professionals will ensure to provide you with the finest services.
