Quickbooks Connection has been Lost"

Quickbooks Connection has been Lost"




QuickBooks displays this error because it cannot access your company data file. There are several possible causes of the error.

You use a standalone computer

  • The folder where the file is saved may need additional permission
  • A 3rd party process/service from an Anti-Virus firewall may be interfering with QuickBooks
  • Your QuickBooks file may be corrupted

Your computer is connected to a network and your data file is stored on another computerThe network connection may be unstable (non-wired connection)

  • The folder where the file is saved may need additional permission
  • Firewall is preventing access over the network
  • Power saving mode is turned on


Resolve Connection has been lost error



Quick Tip

Tips to resolve the issue:Restart Database Server Manager

Move the file to a different folder

Set Power saving option to never

Tips to prevent the issue from happening again:Ensure you connect to the network using wired connection

Configure firewall and add QuickBooks firewall ports

Set up folder permissions to share company files



You use a standalone computer

  • For the best results, follow the steps and solutions in the steps and solutions in the order they appear.Solution 1: Restart QuickBooks or your computer; restarting may reconnect QuickBooks to the data file.
  • Restart QuickBooks.
  • Restart your computer.

Solution 2: Use the QuickBooks File Doctor to fix the error

    1. Download and install the QuickBooks File Doctor. See QuickBooks File Doctor: Fix your company file or network (US, CA, and UK) to use the QuickBooks File Doctor.
    2. When the download is complete, install the tool by double clicking the .exe file.
    3. Launch the tool by double clicking the icon on your desktop.
    4. View the results.If you see No problem detected in your Company File, your company file is OK. If you still see the error, Verify your company data file, and rebuild it if necessary. See Resolve data damage issues (basic troubleshooting) to perform a Verify and Rebuild.
    5. If the tool detects data damage, you can:Repair the file. The tool will tell you if it fixed your file.
    6. Restore recently backed up company file.
    7. Recover lost data with QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery
    8. Send your company file to our Data Recovery Team. To request data recovery service from Intuit Data Services, contact QuickBooks Technical Support (US, Canada or UK).


                 If your company file is stored on a portable drive, follow these steps:

    1. Working on your company file while it is on a portable drive, such as a flash drive, is not recommended. Proceed with the following steps at your own risk.Check your portable drive
    2. Make sure your portable drive is still connected. You may try:Disconnecting and reconnecting your drive
    3. Finding your file on your drive from My Computer
    4. Saving other files to your drive to make sure it's working


Make sure your drive has plenty of available space. It should have at least as much free space as the size of your company file.
Note: If you still see the error, follow the steps above under Use the QuickBooks File Doctor to fix the issue.

    1. Your computer is connected to a network and your data file is stored on another computer
    2. Your network can break in several ways:You may have seen a Windows error or similar problem on your computer.
    3. The computer you're connected to (it's called a server or host) may have a similar problem.
    4. The problem may lie in the connection between the two computers (cables, routers, protocols, etc.).
    5. For the best results, follow the steps and solutions in the steps and solutions in the order they appear.Solution 1: Use the QuickBooks File Doctor to fix the error
    6. Download and install the QuickBooks File Doctor. See QuickBooks File Doctor: Fix your company file or network (US, CA, and UK) to use the QuickBooks File Doctor.
    7. When the download is complete, install the tool by double clicking the .exe file.
    8. Launch the tool by double clicking the icon on your desktop.
    9. View the results.If you see No problem detected in your Company File, your company file is OK. If you still see the error, Verify your company data file, and rebuild it if necessary. See Resolve data damage issues (basic troubleshooting) to perform a Verify and Rebuild.
    10. If the tool detects data damage, you can:Repair the file. The tool will tell you if it fixed your file.
    11. Restore recently backed up company file.
    12. Recover lost data with QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery
    13. Send your company file to our Data Recovery Team. To request data recovery service from Intuit Data Services, contact QuickBooks Technical Support (US or Canada).


Solution 2: Restart computers

Restart the server first.
Important: Before doing this, make sure no one else is connected to the network.

Restart your computer.
If you still see the error, continue with the next solution.

Solution 3: Check your network

Important: Wireless networking is not reliable enough for information like your company file. It's not supported by QuickBooks. Review the details if you like, but don't use wireless networks for QuickBooks.Open or save another file on the server to make sure you have the necessary access. Using another program like Microsoft Excel or WordPad, create and delete another file on that computer.

If you're not able to create and delete a file in that folder, set access permissions required for QuickBooks. See: Set Windows access permissions to share company files

You may need to consult a network technician or your IT staff if your network isn't working.If you still see the error, continue with the next solution.

Solution 4: Disable power management settings on the server

On the computer where the company file is stored, open the power management settings in Windows Control Panel:On your keyboard, press Windows and type Power Options, then click to select Power Options.

Turn off all sleep, standby, and hibernation modes on the host computer. Refer to Windows Help and Support for more information about power options.

Solution 5: Fix hosting on all computers

Host computer tasksMake sure QuickBooks Database Server Manager is installed on the host computer (server)

On your keyboard, press Windows and type QuickBooks.

If QuickBooks or QuickBooks Database Server Manager doesn't appear in the list, it means the program is not installed. Refer to Install, Update and Set Up the QuickBooks Database Server Manager.


Set hosting settings

If QuickBooks is installed on the host computer:Open QuickBooks.

Choose File > Utilities:If Stop Hosting Multi-User Access appears in the menu, hosting is enabled and you can proceed to the next step.

If Host Multi-User Access appears in the menu, select it to enable hosting on this computer, and then proceed with the next step.
The host computer should say Stop Hosting Multi-User Access. If it doesn't, select Host Multi-User Access to fix it.


If QuickBooks is not installed on the host computer (called a server-only installation):Double-click the QuickBooks Database Server Manager icon in the Windows system tray (or choose Start > All Programs > QuickBooks > QuickBooks Database Server Manager).

Click the Database Server tab.

Verify that your company file appears in the window below Currently connected company files and logged in users. If it isn't there, click the Scan Folders tab and click Help for information about adding the company file.

Close the QuickBooks Database Server Manager window.


Delete and re-create the .nd file

You need to scan the folder where the company file is stored to create the Network Descriptor (nd) file. The *.nd file stores information about the computer that is hosting the file.On your keyboard, press Windows and type QuickBooks Database Server Manager.

Click QuickBooks Database Server Manager.

In the QuickBooks Database Server Manager window, click Add Folder and find the folders storing the company files.

When all folders are added, click Scan.

The data files appear under QuickBooks company files found. Click Close.

Browse to the folders containing the company files and make sure the file .band was created for each company data file.

Note: If you don't see the QuickBooks Database Server Manager in the Programs list, you might have to uninstall QuickBooks and reinstall selecting the second option: I'll be using QuickBooks on this computer, AND I'll be storing our company file here so it can be shared over our network.
Workstation tasksMake sure hosting is turned off

Open QuickBooks.

Choose File > Utilities, and then:If Stop Hosting Multi-User Access appears in the menu, select it to disable hosting on this computer and proceed with the next step. If the workstation says Stop Hosting Multi-User Access, click it to fix it.

If Host Multi-User Access appears in the menu, hosting is already disabled and you can proceed with the next step. The workstation should say Host Multi-User Access. If it does, don't change it.



Open the company file using a UNC path

UNC (Uniform Naming Convention) is a common syntax Windows uses to describe the location of a network resource.

An example of a U NC path is \\Computer Name\Shared Folder\. Computer Name in this example would be the name of the server where the company file is hosted.

Follow the steps below to open the company file using the U NC path:

Open QuickBooks.

Choose File > Open or Restore Company.

Select Open a company file and click Next.

In the left pane of the Open a Company window, click My Network Places.

Double-click Entire Network and navigate to the location on your server where the company file is stored.

Select the company file and click Open.








    • Related Articles

    • QuickBooks Payroll Update Issue

      QuickBooks Payroll Error - PS033, PS077, PS034, PS038 Ensure that the users Intuit payroll subscription is in good standing, and that QuickBooks is updated to its latest version.   Fix 1: Have user go to: Employees / My Payroll Service / Manage ...

    • QuickBooks Error 3100

      QuickBooks software is one of the most sophisticated accounting software that has garnered popularity amongst bookkeepers and accountants all across the world. However, despite being so professionally sound and catering high level of businesses, the ...

    • QuickBooks Error 3371

      When we register or open QuickBooks, we see one of these error messages: Could not initialize license properties. Error 3371: QuickBooks could not load the license data. This may be caused by missing or damaged files. Could not initialize license ...

    • QuickBooks Has Stopped working .

      How to resolve “QuickBooks has stopped working” error? Have QuickBooks file has stopped responding suddenly? If Yes then you too are a victim of QuickBooks corruption like others. Sometime when you try to open QuickBooks file, you receive below error ...

    • Installing HP Printer in Mac Lion Using a USB Connection