Resolve Error OL-222 in QuickBooks for Mac

Imagine using a QuickBooks Desktop or one of its online versions when the application shows an import failure! It displays an error message- “QuickBooks was not able to complete your request. Please contact your financial institution. (Error OL-222)”. You have no idea what went wrong! If you are aware of this error in QB, this article is for you.

This article provides you with detailed troubleshooting methods to amend the error while giving you detailed insights into it. Follow along to get to the depth of this error and the ways to fix it.

What is QuickBooks Error OL-222?

QuickBooks Error OL-222 occurs at the time of importing files. It means a disruption in the connection between QuickBooks and the financial institution. In other words, the application did not receive valid responses from the bank’s server. Also, the error appears while importing two or more characters because it only accepts a single character. The .QBO files have unsupportive characters resistant to the Open Financial Exchange (OFX) standard to interchange financial data with QuickBooks.

The QuickBooks error OL-222 usually arises because of irregular formatting of company files in QB. Double-checking them for any invalid text on the file before importing them to QuickBooks is an essential action. The error message that you can see if this error occurs are:

• “Web Connect Branding – QuickBooks is unable to verify the Financial Institution Information for this download. Please try again later.”
• “QuickBooks could not complete your process.”

Now that you know what the QuickBooks error OL-222 is, let’s know why it occurs.

What are the Causes of QuickBooks Error OL-222?

One of the causes of the QuickBooks Error OL-222 is that it arises due to being poorly formatted. QBO files that need banking website fixes. Also, QuickBooks must receive a proper response from your bank’s server, which generally gets disrupted due to parsing errors. Moreover, the company files in QuickBooks must have characters amenable to the OFX. Apart from these, some other error-triggering causes are listed below:

• Importing two or more characters or non-amenable ones resulted in this error.
• Improper formatting of the QuickBooks company file.
• The .QBO file being non-compliant with the Open Financial Exchange standard.
• The Bank’s server providing an invalid response can be the reason for this error.
• Using an outdated version of QuickBooks can lead to this problem.
• The QuickBooks company file could be damaged causing the error.
• The possibility of third-party application interference with the QuickBooks application is a cause.
• A slow internet connection can cause this problem as well.
• The imported bank file might be corrupted or damaged leading to the issue.

Note: Users of Chase Bank can often face this error due to ongoing problems within the server. It usually occurs when the users try importing a Web Connect file downloaded from Chase Online Banking.

You can troubleshoot this problem from the solutions in this article.

You might also be wondering how this error can affect your productivity and performance. The next section shows the symptoms of this error.

What are the Symptoms of QuickBooks Error OL-222?

When displayed with the QuickBooks error OL-222, users can notice the following challenges:

• The action of importing files fails.
• There will be no response from the users’ financial institution server.
• The description of the QuickBooks Error OL-222 will appear on the screen.
• The users will find it difficult to use their financial institutions’ banking features.

Now, we can carry on with the solutions to fix this error.

What are the Points that you Should Check Before Troubleshooting?

Before we commence, certain points are necessary to check before beginning the troubleshooting methods.

Updating QuickBooks Desktop

Updated QuickBooks Desktop means you are using the latest version of the application. It can help automatically resolve the Web Connect Branding error in your software. Consider the following steps to update the QB application.

1. Access QB Desktop and go to the Product Information window (Use F2 on the keyboard to check the availability of updates).
2. Go to the Help menu and click on Update QuickBooks Desktop.
3. Select Update Now and start downloading by selecting the Get Updates options.
4. After the process is finished, close QuickBooks.

Backing Up Company File

The best way to have a backup of your company file is to store it in an external storage device. Do it by following these steps:

• Go to the File menu in QuickBooks Desktop and choose the single-user mode.
• Go to the File menu again and click on the Back Up Company option
• Select Create Local Backup
• Select the Local Backup and Options in the new window
• Choose the Browse option in the Local Backup Only part, and select your preferred storage to save the backup company file.
• Click OK to complete the process.

Having a Supported QuickBooks Version

A QB version that supports the users’ banking features is essential.

Ensuring to have a .QBO file

Downloading a .QBO file from the bank is an important part of the entire concept.

Finally! Let’s look into the fixing techniques of the QB error OL-222.

What are the Methods to Fix QuickBooks Error OL-222?

Method 1: Getting the Newest Version of the QuickBooks Desktop

Updating your QB Desktop to the latest version of the application is the simple process of avoiding this error. Check the steps below:

1. Close QuickBooks and right-click on the QB Desktop icon.
2. Select the Run as Administrator option (if not logged in as an administrator) and Windows will enable you to enter admin account credentials.
3. After entering the credentials, press Enter to open QB Desktop.
4. Access the Help tab in QuickBooks and click on the Update QuickBooks Desktop option.
5. Under the Update Now tab, select the Get Updates option.
6. Restart QuickBooks and select Install Updates to completely install the updates.

Method 2: Remedying the Improper Formatting of .QBO File

Use these steps when you recognize the improper formatting of the .QBO file.

1. Right-click on your .QBO file and choose Edit.
2. Choose your preferred text editing application to open the file.
3. Remove the invalid characters such as &amp from the text.
4. Go to the File tab and select Save.
5. Exit the editor app and open the file in QuickBooks again.

Check if the problem continues. If yes, then follow the next fixing method.

Method 3: Downloading the FIDIR.txt File Again

FIDIR.txt file can be the reason for the error. So, use the following steps to resolve it.

1. After exiting the QuickBooks Desktop application, copy all the text from the FIDIR.txt page.
2. Create a new text file. Paste all the copied data into it.
3. Name the file FIDIR.txt and save it on your desktop.
4. Remove the old FIDIR.txt file.
5. Press the Alt key on your keyboard.
6. Select Go and Library under the Finder application.
7. Go to ApplicationSupport/com.intuit.QuickBooks 20XX/Downloads.
8. Discard the FIDIR.txt file from that folder.
9. Move to the Applications option in the Finder app.
10. Press and hold the Ctrl key and select QuickBooks.
11. Select the Show Package Contents option under the contextual menu.
12. Now, double-click the Contents folder followed by double-clicking on the Resources folder to remove the FIDIR.txt file from it.
13. Copy and paste the new FIDIR.txt file from the desktop into the Resources and Downloads folders.
14. Follow all these steps again to import .QBO file in QB.

Method 4: Downloading Web Connect

Having a .QBO file is significant as QuickBooks cannot read any other file. Thus, downloading Web Connect files from the bank instead of QuickBooks is necessary.

1. The first step is logging in to your bank’s website.
2. The next step is searching and downloading the Web Connect file.
3. Launch the QuickBooks software and access your .QBO file.
4. Commence importing the .QBO file.

You need to disconnect your account while importing and note your transactions in QuickBooks. You can change the settings again later.

An error may occur while you download due to bank issues. In this regard, contact your financial institution.

Method 5: Checking Bank Notifications

Often, banks send notifications regarding some changes that require your identity confirmation. For this,

• Log in to your bank’s official website.
• Check all the messages in the notification section.
• Execute if there are any instructions provided.
• Disconnect your account if your financial institution does not use Web Connect.

In case there are no notifications or messages, follow the next method.

Method 6: Switching Bank Feed Modes

Follow the below steps:

• Select the Banking menu and go to Bank Feeds.
• Select the Change Bank Feed Mode option.
• Select the Classic/Register Mode.
• Import the .QBO file.

Method 7: Creating a test file

Sometimes the error occurs due to issues in the company file. You can fix it by importing all transactions into a new company file.

• Select the File menu in QuickBooks and choose New Company.
• Select Start Setup or Express Start, and fill in the required information. Include the term ‘test’ at the end of the Company name to identify it easily.
• Select the Start Working button.
• Now, import the company .QBO file in the new company file. Continue downloading all transactions into the same bank account with issues within the original company file.

During this method implementation, there are two possibilities for error-triggering:

Error 1: Importing was possible and transactions were visible

Reset the main company file as settings issues can cause the error.

1. Access the main company file.
2. Disconnect your account in case of an error.
3. Reconnect the account.
4. After the reconnection, import the .QBO files once more.

Error 2: Importing was not possible and the transactions were not visible

The issue might lie in the .QBO files from your financial institution. Collect all your bank log files and then contact your financial institute for assistance.

Final Words

Not being able to import a file can be challenging for the users. Thus, knowing the methods to fix such errors is essential.

The methods that are most suitable to troubleshoot the QuickBooks error OL-222 are explained in this article. So, hopefully, you can fix this error on your own when it appears.

However, if you are still confused regarding the matter, get in contact with our experts.

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