Error Code: 11987 00677 When trying to upgrade company file from QB 2016 to 2020. HELP!

Just an update. 

So, just about everything I have tried by INTUIT has been glitchy.  It took me hours and a hundred tries just to post the question above.  The website kept giving me and error and telling me to fix the highlight errors, which did not exist.  So QB 2020 is glitchy and cannot do a simple file upgrade from the 2016 version.  The QB Hub Tool is glitchy and cannot run the File Doctor.  This website is glitchy and took my 12 hours and a hundred tries to post a question, which was then immediately marked as spam.  I may not be able to even post this comment.

I am really questioning if Inuit is a reliable company anymore.  They have always been bad, but this bad.  What gives?

I appreciate your time for reaching us in the Community, Victor B.

At this time, it would be best to reach out to our Phone Support team so we can investigate this further. Our support team can also help you migrate your company file. Here's how you can reach out to them:

1. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help from the Help menu.
2. Scroll down, and then click Contact Us.
3. Enter Migrate company file as your keyword.
4. Click Continue.
5. From there, you can either Message an Agent or Talk to a Specialist.

Also with regards to the spam message, our system will automatically mark the post as spam once it identifies multiple digits on it.

Feel free to tag my name if there's anything that I can help you.

@Adrian_A 

I spent six-hours on chat messaging today trying to fix this problem with your "Specialist."  I am sorry, but your specialist, do not even know jack squat about their own QB system.   I sat there hour after hour, watching them go around in circles on Screenshare, trying the same useless things that I told them right up front I had tried a dozen times.  Like hamsters on a wheel, they hand no clue where to go if the standard routing fixes did not work.  It told them right at the start exactly what the issue was, but they chose to waste my time chasing useless fixes that did not even address the root problem.  And then the idiot statements they made along the way, just made me want to choke them.  The second guy was so bad, I just told him I had lost all confidence in his knowledge of the Quickbooks program and its systems., and he hung up on me. I bet it was his first day on the job. 

Let me put it to you this way.  If I am asking for help, it is beyond some robot at a computer terminal following instructions on a screen.   I don't ask for help until after I have chased every rabbit and beat every bush on the internet to find the solution.   I am a certified computer technician and I have been using QB since 1998. I need REAL help.  Not this pat recorded preformatted answer crap.  

Here isthe very simple problem.  My company file works fine in QB 2016.  The issue occurs when QB tries to upgrade the file to QB 2020.   So, a good tech, knowing these facts, is going to immediately look at WHY QB cannot update the file.  This information will be found in the ERROR log.  This will give them the information they need as to what to do to fix the problem.  Not ONE of the three CS reps I talked to today even bothered to look at the error log, and I doubt very seriously they had the knowledge to even read and understand it, much less know how to use that information to fix anything.   They just kept trying the exact same thing I told them did not work. They just tried the same things Over,  and Over, and Over, and Over, and Over, and Over (getting tired yet?) and Over, and Over, and Over, and Over, (now you know how I feel) and Over, and Over, and Over (get the point yet?)

So, if you really want to help me, get me in touch with a real TECH. Not some $10 an hour American in a call center or some Indian sitting in a room in India that knows English as a second language.  Not a CS Rep that is paid to follow on-screen instructions without any fundamental knowledge of what is actually going on.   Those people have the skill to help my grandma out.  They can't help me. 

Thanks for getting back to us, @Victor B.

This is not the impression I want to leave with you. Let’s work together and get this error code resolved. 

First, we need to find out what your computer needs to run QuickBooks Desktop. What this means for you, is each operating system has to meet requirements for QB. To ensure you get the best support, May I ask what windows you are using. This will allow us to gather further information to provide a solution. 

Second, you’ll need to run the Install Diagnostic Tool. This tool hub helps fix common errors. 

Here’s how:

1. Close QuickBooks.
2. Download the QuickBooks Tool Hub file. 
3. Open the file you downloaded (QuickBooksToolHub.exe).
4. Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
5. When the install finishes, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool hub.

Run QuickBooks File Doctor. The scan time depends on the file size. After the scan is finished, open QuickBooks and your company file. Your issues may have been resolved even if the scan says it was unsuccessful. 

1. From the tool hub, select the Company File Issues tab.
2. Click Run QuickBooks File Doctor. It can take up to one minute for the file doctor to open.
3. In QuickBooks File Doctor, find your company file from the drop-down menu. If you don’t see your file, choose Browse and search to find your file.
4. Push Check your file (middle option only) and then Continue.
5. Enter your QuickBooks admin password and then hit Next.

Follow the steps for the issue you see. You’ll have a couple of options to choose from. 

Opening the file in a newer version of Quickbooks or Repairing the file in your existing version.

Update and back up QuickBooks. Once the company file is fixed, back it up. 

Third, open the backup file created and Upgrade to 2020 then open in Desktop 2020.

The error you provided isn’t one of our error codes unless it’s an Unrecoverable Error and for troubleshooting, we’d have to know exactly when it happens. 

I strive to provide the best possible support. If you have other questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m always happy to help.

I do appreciate you trying to help, but I would appreciate it if you read my OP in which I have already stated that I have tried the troubleshooting steps with the QB Hub Tool that you have once again suggested. The three CS Reps I talked with today also tried all the Hub Tools as well.

Please confirm that you have read and understood my OP and have NEW steps to suggested that have not already been covered.

As far as my system specs go, that I will provide. I have a $2,000 gaming laptop. The Asus FX53VD-RH71.    https://amzn.to/36qCcvf

OS: Windows 10 Pro (Fully Updated)

CPU: i7 2.8 Ghz

RAM: 8GB

SSD: Samsung Evo 850 1TB

GPU: Discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 1GB

I appreciate the details that you gave, @Victor B.

To get this issue sorted out, I recommend uninstalling your QuickBooks to refresh its data. Then rename the installation folders afterward. Doing this helps ensure that you'll have new installation files for 2020 and prevent them from saving into the same folders as the previous versions, which may have lead to the error that you received.

Before doing so, I suggest gathering your QuickBooks product info so it would be easier for you to reinstall the program later.  You can get this info from your account management portal.

Let's now uninstall QuickBooks by taking these steps below:

1. Open the Windows Start menu. Search for “Control Panel”, then open Control Panel.
2. Select Programs and Features or Uninstall a Program.
3. From the list of installed programs, select the version of QuickBooks Desktop you're having problems with.
4. Click on the Uninstall/Change and follow the onscreen instructions. If you don’t see this option, sign out and sign back in to Windows as an admin (or a user with admin rights).

Once done, manually rename the QuickBooks Desktop installation folders.

Here's how:

1. Follow the steps to display hidden files.
2. Open the Windows Start menu. Search for “File Explorer”, then open File Explorer.
3. Find and open the folder that holds your QuickBooks company files. This is usually your QuickBooks folder. It's usually in one of these locations:
   • C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
   • C:\Users\(current user)\AppData\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
   • C:\Program Files\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
   • 64-bit version C:\Program Files (x86)\Intuit\QuickBooks (year)
4. Right-click the folder and select Rename.
5. Add the word "old" at the end of the folder name. This prevents QuickBooks from trying to open it when you reinstall.

In case you get and access error message when you try to rename the folder, please perform the following steps:

1. Right-click the Windows Task Bar, then select Task Manager.
2. Go to the Processes tab.
3. Select the Name column header to sort the list.
4. Click the following processes and then End Process for each: QBDBMgrN.exe, QBDBMgr.exe, QBCFMonitorService.exe, Qbw32.exe.
5. Tick on Yes if you see the message, "WARNING: Terminating a process can cause undesired results..."

After that, you can proceed with reinstalling QuickBooks. If you need more details about the installation process, please see this link: Install QuickBooks Desktop 

Let me know if there's anything else you need. I'll make sure you're all set. Have a good night, Victor.

Thank you for your help.  Instead if reinstalling QB 2020 on the same laptop, I just installed it on another computer that had never had QB on it before.  I got the same exact error code and result on that computer.

What I really need is a functioning version of the QB File Doctor tool.  Maybe you have a link to the tool that is stand-alone and not part of the Hub Tool.  Surely, this tool is meant to actually work and not crash.  Maybe possible Intuit has a stand-alone file upgrade tool, that can upgrade the company file before I try to import it into QB. 

Here are some screenshots:

Hi Victor B,

You'll have to download the QuickBooks Tool Hub so you'll be able to use the QB File Doctor tool. Let's suppress QuickBooks Desktop while opening the company file so you can successfully install QuickBooks 2020. 

Here's how: 

1. Select the desired company file from the No Company Open window.
2. Press and hold the Alt key, then select Open.
3. If you are prompted for your log in information, release the Alt key, then enter your user name and password. If you are not prompted for your user name and password, do not release the Alt key.
4. Press and hold the Alt key, then click OK. Do not release the Alt key until your file is completely open.

Once done, you can try reinstalling again.

You might want to check the most common causes of Unrecoverable Errors in QuickBooks: Unrecoverable Error: General Troubleshooting Steps.

If there's anything else that you'd like us to help, please let us know. We're always here to assist you. 

@Victor B 

Just to clarify, are you able to create a dummy file or open a sample one on it. If you can do that, your data file may be damaged. It is better you call and ask Intuit Data Service to fix it. Should you need to resolve it in due course, consider to purchase a 3rd party file repair service.

Just my 2 cents.

Does anything Intuit programs actually work right?

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@Fiat Lux - ASIA wrote:

@Victor B 

Just to clarify, are you able to create a dummy file or open a sample one on it. If you can do that, your data file may be damaged. It is better you call and ask Intuit Data Service to fix it. Should you need to resolve it in due course, consider to purchase a 3rd party file repair service.

---

Yes, that would be the obvious course of action and does show that you have actually read and understand what the issue is (Unlike some other responders).   But there are a couple of factors to consider in your reasonable recommendation. 

1. My company file contains the personal information of thousands of people.  I cannot simply hand this over to a stranger and pray they do not lose steal, sell, or otherwise compromise the security and privacy of customers in some way.  I would have to have a written promise of absolute liability before I hand my company file over to a complete stranger that I cannot physically observe working on my file.

2. My company file works just fine in QB 2016.  During the installation of 2020, it automatically uninstalled 2016.  But last night I reinstalled 2016 to a different location and opened my company file.  No problem, I ran a data rebuild multiple times and verified the file many times.  There is nothing wrong with the file.  It works just fine in 2016 and there are no errors with it.

I believe that I know what the issue is.  I believe it has to do with Inuit's barbaric SUNSET feature.  The only reason I am upgrading at all is that when I tried to import my bank data from a downloaded web connect file from my bank, it failed because QB 2016 is more than three years old.  It told me I had to upgrade to QB 2020.  I think when I tried to import that Web Connect file, Quickbooks locked or otherwise altered some coding to my company file to prevent me from importing data from my bank in order to FORCE me to upgrade.  I believe that whatever Intuits Sunset programming did to my company file, is what is preventing 2020 from upgrading it. 

I have lost all confidence with Intuit.  Their program does not work. Their repair tools do not work.  Their website does not work, their CS reps cannot read.   I mean, even their stinking chat box is screwed up. Yesterday when I was chatting with the CS rep, the chat box was so small I had to use a magnifying glass to read the text.  And there was no way to enlarge it, because I asked the rep if there was a way and they told me that the chatbox size could not be enlarged.  Here take a look at it yourself.  This is how big it was on a 15-inch laptop monitor.   Who designs a chat box this small without a way to enlarge it?

And if that were not bad enough, the reps told me to use the messaging function within the QB program to contact them (Help/Support on the menu in QB), but one of the first things they told me to do was to shut QB down and restart it.  Think about this for a second and let it sink in.  I am using a function of the QB program to chat with them, and they tell me to shut the QB program down...................... Just trying to let that sink in for a little bit.  The first CS Rep that said this, I followed their instructions and guess what happened?  It ended our CHAT SESSION!  So I had to start a new one with a new Rep.  That person told me to do the same thing, and when I told him that it would close the chat box, he told me that I would have pay for premium support if I wanted help from Intuit.  I am NOT Joking!  I was like, "I just bought this program less than 24 hours ago, and it does not even work.  You tell me to close the QB program in which were are chatting now, and your solution is that because you told me to do something that would end our chat session, I have to pay more money.  HUH!?" 

I have never dealt with CS reps that had so little understanding of how the software they are offering support for works.  Just the CS replies to this thread should be enough to convince anyone of the truth of what I am saying.  

Oh, yeah, let's not forget that Intuit is still using INTERNET EXPLORER as the browser in QB!  Are you freaking kidding me?  In the brand new QB 2020, I have to close out of THREE script errors when I first launch the program as a result of their use of an unsupported browser for web services.  When I try to use web services to connect with my bank within QB, my bank comes and says, "We no longer support Internet Explorer, please upgrade to a more modern browser."

So here is where I am at.  Inuit has demonstrated that they are utterly incompetent in every area I have had interaction with them. 

1. Their brand new QB 2020 program produces script error upon launch as a result of them continuing to use an old, outdated, insecure, and unsupported browser.   

2. Their program cannot upgrade a perfectly good file from their own program. 

3. Their File Doctor Repair tool does not work and crashes before it even launches. 

4. This website constantly is giving me errors when I am trying to post, telling me to fix "Highlighted Error" when there are NO HIGHLIGHT ERRORS. 

5.  Their CS Reps are completely unaware of how their own support system works or how to do basic computer functions (believe me, I watched them stumble around my desktop screen for hours making beginner errors in simple desktop interface functions (copy, paste, etc.)

And now, your suggestion is that I hand my company file over to this company?  Don't get me wrong, I think you are right, but what evidence do I have to invest such an enormous amount of trust into anyone that works for INUIT?  

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@MariaSoledadG wrote:

Hi Victor B,

 

You'll have to download the QuickBooks Tool Hub so you'll be able to use the QB File Doctor tool. Let's suppress QuickBooks Desktop while opening the company file so you can successfully install QuickBooks 2020. 

 

Here's how: 

1. Select the desired company file from the No Company Open window.
2. Press and hold the Alt key, then select Open.
3. If you are prompted for your log in information, release the Alt key, then enter your user name and password. If you are not prompted for your user name and password, do not release the Alt key.
4. Press and hold the Alt key, then click OK. Do not release the Alt key until your file is completely open.

Once done, you can try reinstalling again.

 

You might want to check the most common causes of Unrecoverable Errors in QuickBooks: Unrecoverable Error: General Troubleshooting Steps.

 

If there's anything else that you'd like us to help, please let us know. We're always here to assist you. 

---

@MariaSoledadG 

I really am trying to be civil and patient here, but answers like yours make it extremely difficult, especially after I have already explained in detail how frustrated and insulted I am by CS Reps that ignore what I have already told them and just keep offering me the standard pat, preformatted, robot messages, that are plastered all over this forum and have already been tried.

PLEASE for the sake of all that is holy, READ what has already been WRITTEN before you answer!!!!!!!!!

---

@Fiat Lux - ASIA wrote:

@Victor B 

Imho, you may have two options:

1. Keep using 2016 version and forget the bank feed feature. You can wait until Q3/2020 to retry upgrading your data file. Maybe company has released a certain patch for your issue. For the time being, you may import the data by using the importer tool, or

2. Try self-migrate your data file to 2020 version using the migration tool.

 

Another critical issue, how big is our data file? Our experience is that Pro and Premier data files start to take a long time to run reports at the 150-200 MB size. In addition, Pro and Premier become more susceptible to data corruption and other funky issues if they get to be too large. 

---

You are the only level headed person on here.  I appreciate your time.  I have decided that after 22 years of using Quickbooks, it is time for me to leave.  I have wasted two solid days working on this and not one step closer to resolving the problem.  After careful consideration of the clear facts, I believe that Intuit is intentionally sabotaging Quickbooks for Desktop, in order to make it so difficult to use that people will move to Quickbooks Online out of frustrations.  Inuit makes 5X more profit off of QB online then they do selling the Desktop version with a three-year license.   It only makes sense for them to want to kill QB Desktop so they can shut down that whole support division.  This would explain why they have not updated the web services component in QB to a modern browser and continue to rely on the discontinued Internet Explorer.

I am getting calls and email from Intuit begging to let me solve this problem because of this thread.  But it is too late for them to get serious about helping me now.  The time for that was two days ago, before I woke up to what Intuit is really trying to do to me.  I have put up with your crappy software and service for WAY too long, Inuit.  You owe me years of my life back in the stress you have caused me. 

I’m having the same issue! I have 2 different companies to convert from 2016 QB to 2020QB onto a new computer that has nothing on it. I was able to get one company transferred no problem. But the larger one gives constant errors. I’ve tried everything! 

I understand it can get frustrating having to go through multiple troubleshooting steps and not having any of them work can be a real pain, Erika_B.

May I know what specific error message you encountered when transferring the company file? This will help me investigate why you're having this issue. 

We can try adding a Windows user to give permission and make changes to let QuickBooks Desktop runs properly. Just refer to this article for the steps and details: Add or create a Windows user with Administrator rights

Once done, we need to set up a folder and Windows access permission to transfer the company file in QuickBooks. This helps you access the larger file with no issue in the software. You can check out this article for the detailed steps: Set up a folder and Windows access permissions to share company files.

If the same thing happens, I'd suggest contacting our Technical Support Team. They'll pull up your account in a secure environment and investigate what's causing this issue.

Here's how to reach them:

1. Click the Help icon on the top menu. 
2. Choose QuickBooks Desktop Help. 
3. Tap Contact us.
4. Select Search for something else and enter your concern in the Tell us more about your question: field. 
5. Tap Search. 
6. Choose Start a Message or Get Phone Number to connect with our support. 

I've got a link here that provides you with articles about running your business in QuickBooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/get-started/07?product=QuickBooks%20Desktop.

Keep me posted if you need anything else in QuickBooks. I'll be here to ensure your success. Keep safe and healthy. 

@Erika_B 

As I mentioned in older post, how big is your file size? Try to condense it first. If the error still persists, your data file may be damaged. Contact and ask Intuit Data Service to fix it. Otherwise, you have to purchase a 3rd party file recovery service.

@Victor B I want to thank you for keeping up this thread.  After 4 very frustrating days, your comments are the only ones that helped me get through the error code 11987 and update my 2017 company file to 2020.

I believe you are spot on about the sunset programming of Intuit being a problem.  My cut off date to upgrade was end of May 2020.  I tried to download a bank statement June 10th and was forced to upgrade.  I spent days trying to get my latest file and backup to upgrade to 2020 format.  The only way it worked was by going back and restoring my file from a back-up in May.  Then I was able to convert my 2017 file to 2020 and open it with out the dreaded error and crash at 84% completion.  I had to re-input everything I did over that first 2 weeks of June, but I would have NEVER figured it out had I not read through all your comments.  

So, Thank you. 

@Victor B  I also want to thank you for sharing your long and frustrating struggle here.  I ran into the exact same problems migrating Desktop Pro 2017 to Desktop Pro 2020.  I had a similar chain of events as you and @KTB123  - the file I was migrating went past the end of May upgrade deadline, I tried unsuccessfully to get a final bank feed and when I tried to migrate it several weeks later, I ran into the same errors.  Like @KTB123 when I restored a backup from a few days prior to the bank feed attempt, it migrated without a hitch.  Before I tried that, I diligently read through many other articles and ended up buying a new computer thinking it was a problem with the processing speed on my old Surface Pro.  Expensive migration. 

It's frustrating that QB created this problem for customers who had decided to stick with the product.  Many of us, I imagine, are struggling with our small businesses during COVID-19 and this sunset (and the subsequent problems) seem cruelly timed.  It has slowed down our business processes, cost us money and cost us precious time.  I wish Intuit was more of a champion for small businesses.  When I called with questions about the migration, the sales customer service person passed me over to a tech person by saying, "she only has desktop pro 2017".  There are so many clear indicators that Intuit doesn't value small businesses and solo-preneurs.  I hope someone else steps into this space to take our business and earn our loyalty.  And gets the banks to write compatible downloads.  I look forward to the day I can say good-bye to QB for good.

Thanks @Victor B  and @KTB123  for sharing and saving me days of frustration - it was only a painful 36 hours for me.  Good luck to you!

Same error upgrading from 2017.   Also had a problem with the quickbooks hub.  It could not repair, some kind of network problem - network was fine.  Then on a fresh computer I got the file doctor to work, then quickbooks froze on upgrading the "repaired" file.  Now an error that "admin" was not a recognized user.  going back to a file from May fixed it.  Thank goodness I had a backup version from before quickbooks "broke" their own software.  Quickbooks is HISTORY for us as soon as I find a replacement.

KTB123,

I'm having this issue as well....fun. Question for you:

When you state that you "restored a file from a back-up in May", where did you restore it to? QBs 2020?

This is SO frustrating.

Thanks in advance.

Same Error!  

My backups are dated in June - did anyone find another workaround?

Hello there, kp28.

Please reach out to our Customer Support Team if you're still getting the error after doing the steps shared by my colleagues. That way, they can further investigate this to see what's really causing this error and so we can resolve this as soon as possible.

1. Go to the Help menu and select QuickBooks Desktop Help. 
2. Click Contact us and enter the error message in the Tell us more about your question: field. 
3. Tap Search and choose either Start a Message or Get Phone Number.

Also, you can always visit our QuickBooks Desktop Help page. We have lot of articles there that can help you in managing your business.

Please post again here if you have additional questions. Wishing you all the best!

@kp28 

We had a client with the same issue. As a workaround, they open 2017 file on the trial license of QB 2019 Pro edition and found no error. Then they open the converted file of 2019 on their QB 2020 without any issue.