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Open and use a secondary company file in QuickBooks Desktop

by Intuit•2• Updated 5 months ago

Do you want to open two company files at the same time? With QuickBooks Accountant or QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, you can have 2 company files open in 2 different versions of QuickBooks Desktop.

When working with 2 company files, the first opened file is labeled Primary and the second opened file is labeled Secondary. If you close the Primary company file, the Secondary becomes the Primary file.

There are 3 ways to open a Secondary file. While the first company file is open:

Double-click the second company file's name.
Double-click the QuickBooks icon.
Go to the File menu, then select Open Second Company.

Note: Don't use the File menu > Open or Restore Company to open a second company file.

Restrictions

Listed below are the restrictions when opening a Secondary company file. Note that user permissions can't override them.

Restrictions on both Primary and Secondary files

You can't perform the operations listed in the table in either file when 2 company files are open.

Area	Restriction
Accountant Menu	Manage Fixed Assets QuickBooks Statement Writer Export Balances to Lacerte Tax Export Balances to ProSeries tax
QuickBooks Services	Add any QuickBooks Add-ons
App Center	Install Intuit Partner Platform (IPP) applications
Intuit Data Sync (IDS)	Set up, reset, or sync data
Internet Connection Setup	Set up an internet connection from the Windows Control Panel
Registration and Licensing	Register QuickBooks, sync license, change license, unlock to Premier, and add seats
SDK Applications	Any application that uses the QuickBooks Software Development Kit (SDK) to connect to QuickBooks
Tax Product Integration	Integrate with TurboTax, Lacerte, or ProSeries
Update QuickBooks Desktop	Download an update to QuickBooks. If Automatic Download is on, the updates will be downloaded but not installed until you exit from both files.

Restrictions on the Secondary file

In addition to the operations listed in the preceding table, you can't perform the following operations on the Secondary file if 2 company files are open.

Area	Restriction
Banking	Order checks and envelopes Set up account for Online Services Import Web Connect file Create Online Banking message Loan Manager Set check reorder reminder Participating online institutions Learn about online bill payments Change Online Banking mode
Company Menu	Alerts Manager Customer Credit Card Protection Manage Currency Planning and Budgeting Tools Prepare Letters with Envelopes
Customer Center	The Collections Center These Credit Card Processing activities: Add Billing Solutions Add Credit Card Processing Add Electronic Check Processing Add Mobile Payment Processing Authorize/Capture Payments Download Fees Get Online Payments How to Process Credit Cards Link Payment Service to Company file Merchant Service Center Process Payments Record Merchant Service Deposits Set up Recurring Payments
Complex Passwords	Complex Password Setup for Credit Card Protection
Customize Design and Layout	Estimate Purchase Order Sales Order Invoice Sales Receipt Credit Memo
File Menu	All items on the Import and Export sub-menus of the Utilities menu Convert Send Forms Ship FedEx Package Ship UPS Package Shipping Manager Shipping Settings Synchronize Contacts Track or Cancel a Shipment Update Web Services
New Business Checklist	All items on the checklist
Payroll	My Payroll Service (all items) Add, Edit, and Delete Payroll Items Create Termination Check Edit Filing Methods Edit Payment Due Dates/Methods Entering Time: Use Weekly Timesheets, Time/Enter Single Activity Excel: Client-Ready Payroll Reports Get Payroll Updates Pay Employees Process Payroll Forms, Adjust Payroll Liabilities (Liability Adjustment), Edit/Void Paychecks, Change New Employee Default Settings Payroll Setup Set up Workers' Comp Start Scheduled Payroll Word: Customize Letter Templates Workers' Comp: List, New Workers Compensation Code, Create/Edit Experience Modification Factor
Printer Setup	You can only set up a printer in the Primary window.
QuickBooks Messenger	Restricted in the Secondary window.
Template List	New Edit Delete Duplicate Active/Inactive Download
Year-End Guide	Restricted in the secondary window

Restrictions on QuickBooks Help

QuickBooks Desktop Mac PlusQuickBooks Desktop Premier 2021QuickBooks Desktop Premier PlusQuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021QuickBooks Desktop Pro PlusQuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2020QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021

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