QuckBooks Enterprise 2024 multiuser problem

Hello there, @GManea2021.

Thank you for the detailed information. I can provide some troubleshooting steps to fix the issue with multi-user mode in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Beforehand, there are some reasons for QuickBooks multi-user mode not working. You'll want to check the following:

• QuickBooks is not installed on the server.
• Possibly the hosting settings are not properly configured.
• A firewall or antivirus software does not allow communication between user computers.
• The database server is unable to open the company file.
• Windows file permissions are not properly set.

Worry less. Let me share some steps to help you fix it.

Firstly, you'll want to check the folder permissions on your server computer, to ensure that the folder holding your company files has permission to be on your network.

Secondly, ensure that the QuickBooks Database Server Manager is installed on your server computer. This way, your company files will be shared with other computers over your network. After that, scan your folder using the Database Server Manager to access your file over the network. See this article for details: Use QuickBooks Database Server Manager.

Finally, turn on hosting on your server computer:

1. Go to the File menu and hover over Utilities.
2. Select Host Multi-User Access.
3. Then, hit Yes to verify.

Moreover, in regards to the file types used in your QuickBooks version, let me share details about it.

The .db file is a defragmented file, excessive usage can lower the performance of your computer. To learn more on how you can use it properly to avoid performance issues, visit this article: Database (DB) file fragments in QuickBooks Desktop.

On the other hand, the QBDBMgrN is the same as the QuickBooks Database Server Manager which will not work with the .qbw file instead, select the .ND or the Network Data file. It can be used for any company file stored on the host computer. Also, the .ND files are needed in your QBDT account to access the company file in a multi-user environment. To learn more on these, check this link: .ND files in QuickBooks Desktop.

Furthermore, I'm sharing this handy article for future reference, it will discuss more about access limits in single or multi-user mode: Tasks that can be performed in a single or multi-user mode in QuickBooks Desktop.

Tag me in this thread if you have clarification about managing multi-user mode in QuickBooks. I'm always here to assist you. 

Hi and thanks for your replay. The QuickBooks Database Server Manager did not install with the 2024 version.

And 2021 was 32 bit and 2024 is 64 bit so there must be a difference with a different way to get it to work multi-user.

Thank you for getting back to us with additional information concerning managing your company file in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), @GManea2021. 

First and foremost, can you tell me which user license you have? Based on the scenario you shared, you seem to have a single-user license where you can only access your company file one at a time. This explains why you can only open one account while the other is closed. Whereas multi-user licenses, allow different people with a QuickBooks license to work with a single QuickBooks company file simultaneously. 

After that, managing multiple on a server will depend on how it was set up. Thus, you can use the steps below to install the application on either a dedicated server or computers that access the data on a server. This could also function as a Terminal server or a server that supports both QuickBooks and your company file.

Here's how:

1. With an active internet connection, open the file QuickBooks.exe.
2. Click Custom and Network Options, then, Next.
3. Select I will NOT be using QuickBooks on this computer. I will be storing our company file here so it can be shared over our network to install only the QuickBooks Database Manager on a server to host files.
4. Then, click Next.
5. Select Next to start the installation.
6. If you opt to change the installation location, you can select Change the Install Location then Browse to decide where you want to put your folder.
7. Once finished, select Open QuickBooks.

Once you're done with the installation, set a folder to create or store your company file by referring to Step 3: Open your company file in this article: Install QuickBooks Desktop.

Stay in touch if you require additional assistance with your company file. I'm always here to lend a hand for help. Take care!

I checked and Help/About shows that I have 3 licenses.

The 2021 was running on a 10+ year old 2012 server and after trying to install 2024 on it, I found information from Intuit stating that it will not work so I decided to use one of the Windows 10 computer as a pseudo server. Is it supposed to be able to run on that? As I mentioned before, it is installed and can switch to multi user but a second computer will give me the error: QuickBooks is unable to open the company file ... Error codes: -6190, -816. If I close QB on the pseudo server, I can open it on the second computer but it opens in single user even though on the pseudo server it was multi user.

Also, any documentation I find does not give instructions on how to install 2024 in multi user. There must be something different about 2024 since the database is 64 bit and there is no QuickBooks Database Server Manager 

@GManea2021 

I checked and Help/About shows that I have 3 licenses.

Do you have a license for 3 users or 3 licenses for single user?

Help/About shows User Licenses 3

Thanks for the quick reply, @GManea2021. Let me add more details about the error code -6190-816 in QuickBooks Desktop.  

QuickBooks error 6190 occurs when attempting to open the company file. This error will happen when multiple users try to open the same company file in single-user mode. Additionally, discrepancies between the transactions file and the company file can also trigger QuickBooks error code -6190, -816.

Some of the most apparent reasons behind the QuickBooks error code (6190-816) are described in the list: 

• Discrepancies between the Transaction Log File (.TLG) and QuickBooks Company File (.QBW).
• When the transaction log file is not updated on a system where you are trying to update the company file.
• Possible data damage in the company file can also promote error code 6190 in QuickBooks.
• When more than one user tries to open the company file together in single-user mode. 

To fix QuickBooks error code (-6190, -816), please be sure to update your QuickBooks Desktop, and run the QuickBooks File Doctor before performing any of the following steps. 

This way, the .ND and .TLG files should be renamed. Renaming won't cause data loss as these files are automatically re-created when opening the company file. Here's how to do this:

1. Open the folder that contains your QuickBooks company file.

2. Look for the same file name as your company files but with extensions .ND and .TLG.

a. company_file.qbw.nd.

b. company_file.qbw.tlg.

3. Right-click each file and select Rename. Add the word OLD at the end of each file name (Example: company_file.qbw.nd.OLD).

4. Reopen QuickBooks and try to sign in to your company file.

If the issue persists, you can refer to this article for additional troubleshooting steps: How to fix Error 6189, 816 and 6190, 816.

However, if you're experiencing the same issue, I highly recommend reaching out to our QuickBooks Desktop Support Team. They can further investigate the reason for the inability to rename the file. Here's how to get in touch with our Customer teams and please check out our support hours to ensure that we address your concerns on time.

In Addition, you can check this article to learn how to fix errors when you enter your product and license numbers in QBDT: Fix activation, license, and product numbers issues.

Don't hesitate to leave a comment below and keep us posted on your progress in getting this error code resolved. It's our priority to make sure you can access your file. Take care.

Still working on suggestions but I failed to mention that the network is a domain network with the 2012 server that the QB 2021 version was on and I installed the 2024 version on a domain joined computer and shared it. Could that prevent the multi-user access?

Thank you for keeping us posted about your concern, @GManea2021. Let me add some details about the multi-user access setup in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

As long as you've installed QuickBooks Database Server Manager for each version, your multi-user network will become stable.

Some possible reasons why the multi-user mode will not work are networks set up incorrectly, ensuring the QuickBooks Database Server Manager runs to both desktop versions 2021 and 2024. Then, verify folder permissions. You can also review the answers suggested by my colleagues above for more info.

To ensure that the folder keeping your company files has permission to be on your network, we can check the folder permissions on your server computer.

We also need to make sure that the admin rights are set correctly to a specific user so you can change your firewall settings and folder permissions.

Moreover, this article can help you to learn about the tasks that can be achieved in single or multi-user mode: Features available and tasks you can perform in single or multi-user mode in QBDT.

You're always welcome to come back to this thread if you require additional assistance with multi-user access or any QuickBooks-related queries. Take care always.

Thank you to all that responded and tried to help. Here is what solved the problem:

Thank you to all that responded and tried to help. Here is what solved the problem:

After a lot of troubleshooting using some of the suggestions received, I decided to download QB 2024 to my network and install it on 2 of my computers. It worked right off the bat in multi-user mode and the QB Database Server Manager was found at the first search by searching for “QuickBooks Data”. I was baffled and after a while decided to check where the shortcut for the program pointed to and found it here C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBServerUtilityMgr which is not where QB is installed and it has a different name. Still do not understand why it was found on my computer and not on my customer’s computer as I searched the same way and with the full name! Went to the customer’s computer and found it in the same location as on mine, put a shortcut to it on the desktop, started it, configured it and it worked!!! Very strange and frustrating!!!