As we all know that QuickBooks is an accounting software that is used by businesses to manage their financial issues single-handedly. But you might get interrupted by an error called The file you specified cannot be opened while you perform your task in the software. This situation may put you in difficulty by intruding on your work.
You should know everything about the error and why is it caused to apply the solution accordingly. This article is all about The file specified that cannot be opened error message, you can follow up to get an answer to all your queries.
What Exactly is ‘The file you specified cannot be opened?
QuickBooks error The file you specified cannot be opened is one of the many QuickBooks errors that the users of the software face while performing their tasks. The user can get this error while updating the payroll account while filing invoices or taxes, etc. Almost at any point, you can tangle with this error.
The error comes with a notification stating ‘The File you Specified Cannot Be Opened. Make sure that it is not currently being used by another program or a read-only file. Or ‘The Windows Error was ‘the File Exists’.
There are many factors that cause the error, the factors are in this article. You can read them and get the right idea for the solution you need to tackle the issue.
Factors Behind ‘The file you specified cannot be opened’
There are many factors that can cause a QuickBooks error message the file you specified cannot be opened. In this article, we will tell you about these factors along with the solutions to deal with this issue.
- The file that the user is trying to open is opened on another server.
- Corrupted or damaged company files of QuickBooks can be the reason behind this error.
- QuickBooks Software is probably not updated, which implies that you are using an old version of the Software which could have caused the error.
- QuickBooks download and installation process is incomplete.
- The Credentials put in during the Login are incorrect.
- Permissions required by a specific file to run are not accessible.
These sprinkling amounts of pointers can be the cause for “The file exists the file you specified cannot be opened”. Now, you probably have an idea that can hinder the required problem.
Guidelines You Can Follow Before Seeking the Solutions
These are a few points that the user must keep in mind before jumping into the solutions. Following these pointers can simply rectify your problem with QuickBooks the file you specified cannot be opened payroll without attempting the solutions.
- Close the QuickBooks Software and restart the system to open the software again.
- Make a backup of all your QuickBooks data before using any method of solution.
- Ensure to use an updated version of QuickBooks.
- When you receive a popup for the error simply press ‘Ok’.
- Start your QB system as an admin.
Methods to Solve QuickBooks Error ‘The file you specified cannot be opened QuickBooks
After taking a glance at the causes of the error you can accordingly look out for the solution given later in the article. If you are not aware of the factor causing the error then you can apply all the solutions one after another till you are able to rectify the problem.
Register .ODC and . DLL with Reboot. Bat File
You need to register the .ODC and . DLL file again using the Reboot .bat file if the files are damaged or corrupted. To do so follow the steps given:
- Close QuickBooks and open it again.
- Now, you right-click on it and select ‘properties’ now find the ‘location of the file’.
- Then you click on ‘Reboot .bat File’> Select ‘Run as Administrator’.
Now you can restart your system to check the changes and solve errors. If you still face the problem then you can follow the other methods mentioned.
Grant the Required Windows Permission
There is some Windows permission that the software needs to function without any glitches. Follow the steps to update the Windows permissions.
- Go to ‘Taskbar’>’ Microsoft Edge’.
- Find the ‘QuickBooks Program’>locate the file C:\Programs Files x86\Intuit\QuickBooks XXXX (XXXX is the version of the software) for 64-bit and C:\Programs Files\Intuit\QuickBooks XXXX (XXXX is the version of the software) for 32-bit.
- Now in the QuickBooks folder go to ‘Properties’ by right-clicking>’ Security’.
- Select ‘Edit’>’ Add’>Put ‘Everyone’ >’ Ok’.
- In the Security Window>Full Control>Ok.
- Press ‘Add’ again and add a user>’ Ok’.
- Select ‘Full Control’>’Ok’>’Apply’>’Ok’
Now all the required updates and changes have been made.
Run QuickBooks as Administrator
The user should run QuickBooks as admin for doing that follow the steps:
- Go to QuickBooks by clicking on the icon or by searching for the app in Windows Start.
- Then right-click on the app and select the option ‘Run as Administrator’.
Now you can try to Run other services like Payroll Updates to check if the problem is solved or not.
Configuration of UAC
You are supposed to disable the User Account Control if it is enabled in your system. You can solve the error “Quickbooks the file you specified cannot be opened” by disabling the UAC setting, follow these steps to disable this setting.
- Click on ‘Windows + R’ to open the ‘Run’ dialog box.
- In the Windows Start type ‘Control Panel’>’ Ok’.
- Then, look for ‘User Account’>’ Change User Account Settings.
- Click on ‘Yes’>’ Never Notify’>’ Turn off User Account Settings’>’ Ok’.
Following these steps, you have now changed the settings of the User Account from enable to disable this will ultimately rectify the issue.
Uninstall and Install QuickBooks software
The users can uninstall QuickBooks and then reinstall it again. This can be a helpful way to resolve the problem. This procedure can be done using QuickBooks Clean Install Tool to make the entire process convenient.
- In the Windows Start type ‘Run’>type ‘appwiz. cpl’>’ Ok’>’ Enter’.
- Find QuickBooks> double click>uninstall.
- You can download the ‘Clean Install Tool’ from the official website.
- Now, using the tool download ‘QuickBooks’> and save it>restart your computer.
- Then, go to the location where you saved your file >double click>install.
- Follow the guidelines given on the screen to install the tool
- Press on ‘Finish’. QuickBooks is installed on your device.
- Give access to QB Software.
- You should now check if the changes have been made to your system.
Use the Latest Version of QuickBooks
Using the latest version of QuickBooks Software is the key to smooth functioning and denial of many errors that you may encounter otherwise.
- In QuickBooks >’ Help’>click on ‘Update QuickBooks’.
- Visit ‘option’>’ mark all’>’ Save’.
- Click ‘Update Now’>’ Reset Update’>’ Get Update’. You will get a notification for the completion of the update process.
- Close your QuickBooks and access the app.
- Press ‘Yes’ to any impromptu notification.
You can now restart your device to see the made changes and check if the problem is resolved.
QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
QuickBooks File Doctor is a tool used to rectify many problems, this can resolve many errors of QuickBooks in an instant of use. The mentioned steps can be followed to install and use the tool for QuickBooks “The file you specified cannot be opened”
- Firstly, download QuickBooks Tool Hub from the official website of QuickBooks.
- Then you can locate the file and double-click on it to install the file. After this, you can launch and look for the company file issue which will appear on the screen.
- Click on Run QuickBooks File Doctor, this process is automatic.
- The Company Issue File will get scanned and the issues will be resolved simultaneously.
Fix the QuickBooks Software
If you are concerned that The file you specified cannot be opened with an error message then you can fix QuickBooks Software to get the problem solved to some extent. The steps given below can be followed.
- In the search bar search for the Control Panel.
- Choose ‘Programs’ from the prompt of the Control Panel.
- From the Program and Features select QuickBooks by right-clicking on it the uninstall/change option will appear.
- Go for the repair option>continue>follow the guidelines given there>finish.
- The repair procedure will be done now.
You can check for the repair done by accessing the QuickBooks Software.
The Bottom Line
This article was written to enlighten all the readers about all the solutions that would help you resolve the issue of ‘The File You Specified Cannot be Opened’. You can try all the solutions one by one to see which one works for you. Hopefully, this in-depth article which was packed with all the important information was helpful for you. This article tried to mention all the measures for resolving the issue. If you still face any queries you can contact us for further help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1.Does the Error Also Appear on Different Versions of QuickBooks?
A. Certainly, the error can also appear on different versions of QuickBooks including Pro, Premier, accountant, 2018,2019,2021,2022, etc. The error can be encountered by users on any version of QuickBooks. But the good part is, the solutions mentioned above can be used with all the versions of QuickBooks. So irrespective of the QuickBooks version, the issue of ‘The File You Specified Cannot be Opened’ can be resolved.
Q.2. How can we repair QuickBooks Desktop files?
A. There are many ways to repair QuickBooks Desktop Files some of which are:
- Rebuild Data Tool can be used
- QuickBooks File Doctor Tool
- One can also repair QuickBooks Desktop Files manually.
- Use the latest version of QuickBooks.
- Uninstall QuickBooks and then download QuickBooks Desktop again.
