How to Create a Portable Company File in QuickBooks Desktop?

Sometimes as a business accountant or even a business owner, you might need to transfer your accounting data from one device to another. And if you are using QuickBooks as your accounting software, then you are in luck. You can do so by using the portable company file feature. Let us know some things more about the portable company file.

Well, the portable company files are nothing but your business accounting data in compact form. It will help you in transferring the accounting data to a new device with the help of email, a USB drive, or a hard drive. The extension for portable company files in QuickBooks in (.qbm), the files won’t contain the company logo, name, picture, etc. It will not include a fixed asset file manager and load manager and it also won’t contain a .log or .tlg file. Lastly, if you restore a portable file, it will help you in debugging various errors in the data as QuickBooks will re-index the data automatically.

But you should know that the portable company file in QuickBooks is not the replacement for the full backup as it does not comprise various things as mentioned in the earlier paragraph. So, if you need a full backup of your company file data, you will have to create one. In the next section, we will look into the process of creating and opening a portable company file.

What Is a Portable File in QuickBooks Desktop?

In QuickBooks Desktop, a portable file serves as a compact, transferable replica of a company file. It encapsulates all essential financial data, templates, and attachments, making it an ideal tool for sharing with other users, clients, accountants, or colleagues for collaborative work, review, or backup purposes.

This feature allows for secure and convenient transfer of financial information, reducing the risk of errors or data loss. The portable file’s ability to consolidate relevant data into a single, easily transportable package makes it an indispensable tool for accountants and business professionals who need to exchange or safeguard financial records within the QuickBooks Desktop environment.

Its compact size and ease of transfer make it a valuable resource for streamlining financial operations and facilitating seamless collaboration among stakeholders.

Pre-processing Steps Before Creating a Portable Company File

Before we move on to the actual process steps for creating and opening portable company files in QuickBooks, let us first understand the pre-processing steps:

• First of all, you should update the QuickBooks to its latest version, so that the old version does not cause any issues in the process steps.
• Also, it is recommended that you take the full backup of your company file data before moving on, it will let you restore the backup in the future if required.

How to Create the Portable Company File in QuickBooks

Step 1. To start, open QuickBooks and then log in with your credentials, making sure you are logged in as an Administrator.

Note: To create a portable copy of a company file, you must be logged in as an admin in single-user mode.

Step 2. Go to the File menu and choose Create Copy.

Step 3: After that, select the Portable Company File and then click Next.

Step 4. To distinguish your portable company file from your regular company file, you need to give it a unique name.

Step 5. The next step is to select a location to Save the company file, and it is best to use a desktop. Once you have done this, you need to finish the process by clicking save and close.

Here are the 4 Benefits of Creating a Portable Company File in QuickBooks:

• Easy Data Transfer: QuickBooks simplifies moving your business data by ensuring compatibility across multiple computers, enabling seamless transfer between your devices or to your accountant, eliminating compatibility issues.
• Backup Solution: In the world of digital assets and sensitive information, safeguarding essential files is paramount. In the event of unexpected disasters, technical glitches, or malicious activities, this backup acts as a sturdy shield, ensuring that the files remain intact and accessible when they are needed the most.
• Effective Troubleshooting: Portable files play a significant role in streamlining the process of locating and rectifying errors by containing only the essential data. This streamlined approach offers several advantages. It reduces the overall file size, making it easier to manage, transfer, and store. A smaller file size also translates to faster loading times, enhancing the user experience.
• Reduced File Size: By using the portable file format, data is compressed, leading to a smaller file size. This reduction in size saves storage space and facilitates sharing, making it more convenient for users.

How to Open the Portable Company File in QuickBooks?

Step 1. First of all, as earlier, click open the QuickBooks and login as an admin.

Step 2. After logging in by entering your credentials, go to the file menu and click on ‘Open or Restore company’.

Step 3. Now you need to choose Restore a company file and after that click on Next. Then, you need to select your company file with the extension (.qbm) and click on Open. Ensure that you do not use the same name for your portable company file as your regular company, because it will then overwrite the regular company file.

Step 4. In this step, you should read the notes that appear on the ‘Where do you want to restore the file’ page and hit next again. Once you are done, click on save and then open the file.

Conclusion: You can easily create a portable company file in QuickBooks by following the steps above. If you need more help, feel free to contact us.

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