Is it possible to create a new company and populate it with the customers, vendors, items, and vendors of an existing company.

If you can still open your company file, you can use a migration tool to create a new one.

https://get.transactionpro.com/qbd

Otherwise, we can check your company file to give our second opinion whether we can fix it or not. Contact me in private for details.

Hi there, @In2theBlueSky. I'll help you add these lists in just a few clicks.

First, we can export the customer, vendor, and items list. This way, you can import them back to your new company file.

Export the data from the existing file

1. Go to the File menu and select Utilities then Export.
2. Choose Export IIF Files.
3. From the Save in the drop-down, select the location you want to save the IIF. For example, your Windows desktop.
4. Enter a name in the File name field and select Save.
5. Tap OK.
    

Import data to the new company file

1. Go to the File menu and scroll-down to Utilities.
2. Hit Import and select IIF Files.
3. Tap Import IIF file.
4. Look for the file that you saved from the other company and click Open.
5. Follow the succeeding prompts to import the file.
    

Check out these articles for more details:

• Import Or Export MS Excel Files
• Import And Export Data In QuickBooks Desktop

We can also take a look at this article for more information: Create QuickBooks Desktop Company file: Overview.

Please post again in the Community if you have follow-up questions. I’ll be here to help. Take care and have a good one!

Fiat Lux

Can you contact me regarding this.  I would like to find a QB solution vendor that could do the work over a weekend.  Jim Serbin  [email address removed]

@In2theBlueSky 

We are not allowed to share email address here. Click on our profile name and you will find our website address to send an email to.

Hello, I have a similar goal for different reasons.  I'm trying to find out if I can create a new company by simply importing an existing back up file.  It sounds like the IIF file export/import may work but does it bring over any transactions/history or just the accts & lists etc?

Please advise further and clarify.

THANK YOU! 

Hello there, @chrtucke.

Let me share information about importing IIF files to QuickBooks Desktop when creating a new company file with existing data.

Yes, you can import transactions in QuickBooks Desktop using IIF files. Here is an article you can check for the list of the transactions you can import: Export, import, and edit IIF files.

Also, take note of the following before importing IIF files:

• You can only import a certain number of list items. See maximum number of list entries for more info.
• When you import IIF files, it doesn't link transactions. For example, you still need to link an invoice and an invoice payment after the import.
• To link transactions, go to the Receive Payments or Pay Bills window. You can also use third-party apps to import and link transactions.
• When you import assembly items, you can't import data in the item's custom fields.
• You can't export or import price levels that are set up on a per-item basis.
• You can only use IIF files to export payroll data from Core, Premium, and Elite Standalone Payroll.
• You can't import and export IIF files to and from a country's version of QuickBooks to another country's version. For example, from the US version of QuickBooks to the Canadian version.
• When you create an IIF import file, you can't enter numbers with leading zeros in Microsoft Excel. As a workaround, you can format the column cells as Custom.

For future reference, you can read these articles about creating new company files:

• Create new company files from existing ones in QuickBooks Desktop.
• Start a new company file with data from your existing file.

Feel free to click the Reply button below if you have questions about creating new company file in QuickBooks Desktop. I'm always here to help. Have a great day.

@chrtucke 

Which QB Desktop year version do you have? You can run the Condense Data utility to remove all transactions but CoA and Lists. Then use the condensed file for your new company file.

Thank you for getting back to me...it's 2021 Pro.

Maybe I should mention that I can open the primary business company file (the one that our Intuit acct is tied to) still but can't seem to open our LLC file.  

It's been suggested that I need to "direct QB to the file" as opposed to trying to "open previous".  However, I did use the "restore backup" function that still had the same outcome.  Is it possible that our dsktp sftwr has been altered in some way after migrating that company to online services making it non functional in other respects?

Regards,

 I did use the "restore backup" function that still had the same outcome.

What error message did you encounter?

Thanks for getting back to us with additional details, @chrtucke.

Can you please tell us what specific error message you encountered?

While we wait for your response, I would like to guide you through some general troubleshooting steps to fix issues when your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) company file won't open. 

1. Update QBDT to the latest release.
2. Ensure you want to open a company file (.QBW). You can't open other file types, like backups (QBB) and portable files (QBM) the same way.
3. Confirm that your file isn't compressed or encrypted:
• Right-click the company file and choose Properties.
• Select Advanced.
• Clear the Compress and Encrypt checkboxes.
• Click OK.
4. If you still can't open your company file, choose your company file in No Company Open.
5. Press and hold ALT on your keyboard and then select Open. Keep holding the ALT key until the file opens. If QuickBooks prompts you to sign in, release ALT and enter your password. Press and hold ALT again and click OK.
6. If your company opens successfully, turn off the Save the desktop when closing preference.
7. Go to Edit and select Preferences.
8. Choose Desktop View.
9. Click Don't save the desktop and then OK.
10. Close and open QuickBooks again, then pull up your company file.

If it opens successfully, then you're good to go. However, if you can't open your company file, refer to this article's Solution 3: Turn off hosting on your workstations section: Can't open your company file in QuickBooks Desktop.

Moreover, you can access QBDT remotely from a host or server computer. For more details, check out this article: Open a company file on a remote computer.

You can always get back to this thread if you need additional help with your company files. We've got your back.

Thank you for getting back to me.  After restoring the company backup and attempting to open it I get...

Error 6189, -816 and... "We're sorry but QuickBooks cannot open your company file" with "hear are some ways to fix the problem".

I have gone through those links and used the repair utilities etc as suggested on the "Tell me more" link, see below with no change.

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/open-programs/fix-error-6189-816/L9BP...

Thx,

Now I'm being told that I was "Denied access..." when trying to reply here with more information???

@chrtucke 

It is possible your file is damaged. Contact me in private and we can help to check it.

Thank you, admittedly I have tried opening 2-3 different files and get the same error.  Would that make sense that it's a corrupt file??

@chrtucke 

Maybe I should mention that I can open the primary business company file (the one that our Intuit acct is tied to) still but can't seem to open our LLC file.

You can restore only one backup file(*.qbb) but fail to open the rest? You should contact Fiat Lux directly and seek their second opinion.

OK, thank you...how would I do that?  

Bear with me, I'm no CPA and this online tool is ENTIRELY new which makes it ENTIRELY worse!

Thx

@chrtucke 

You can click on my profile name and you will find our website address to send emails.