Templates keep getting corrupted

This is not the impression we want you to experience when using the forms template. Let's perform some steps to get this sorted out, Lemmerot. 

To better isolate this one, let's try opening another company file to check if you're having a problem with only one file and not the program itself. Let me show you how:

1. In your QuickBooks, go to the File menu at the top left.
2. Choose Close Company.
3. In the No Company Open window, click the drop-down arrow in the Open a sample file icon.
4. Choose a sample file and click on it.

Then, try opening the template in the layout designer. To fix common template issues in QuickBooks Desktop, see the Fix common issues when you use and customize templates article. 

If it works, it's possible the template is damaged. We can delete and re-create the template. Before doing it, please create a backup company file first. Just in case you ever run into problems, we can use your backup to restore your data.

If the same something happens, there may be a damaged data on the company file you've been working with. We can run the Rebuild Data tool is built-in to fix any company file data issues. Just follow the steps and detail in the Fix data damage on your QuickBooks Desktop company file article. We can also repair your QuickBooks Desktop to fix any damaged components in the software. 

If the problem persists, 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. You may send a message via chat, call us at a time convenient to you, or we’ll get in touch with you instead. To ensure we address your concern, our representatives are available from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays and 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Saturdays, PST. See our support hours and types for more details about this one.

Visit our Help Articles page for more insights about managing your business in your software.

Feel free to update us after contacting our support or performing the solutions, as I want to ensure this is resolved for you. Please reply to this post and I'll get back to you. You have a good one. 

Figured it out.  We're using Desktop Enterprise, multi user mode, so the company file sits on a server.  The Printer Setup on the server was set to a printer with a configuration that was apparently negatively affecting the templates after one was printed from another computer.   

To resolve - we updated the selected printer for every form name under File=>Printer Setup to be the Microsoft Print to PDF (since we aren't printing anything from the server, this setting is fine).   Once we did that, all of the templates then appeared normal again.  We also, just as a precaution set the default printer on the server to be Microsoft Print to PDF.  

We will also confirm the print settings on the other computers that will be printing forms from Quickbooks, to hopefully prevent this template corruption from happening in the future.  

I'd like to recommend Quickbooks implement something that would prevent any printer configuration from completely botching up all the templates.  

Also - the template editor and Layout Designer interface in Quickbooks is horrible to work with and very glitchy (sometimes changes are saved correctly, sometimes they aren't, the print previews on-screen often don't match the printer print preview or what is ultimately actually printed on paper, so it is VERY difficult to get templates exactly the way you want them the first time).  It's also nearly impossible at times to select the right fields and boxes that you want to move or resize in the Layout Designer.   A lot of wasted time whenever a template has to be updated or created.  

Thanks for getting back to us, Lemmerot.

I'm glad to hear that you're able to figure it out. I know that your suggestions will help other users that are having the same issues.

Please know that the Community is here 24/7 if you have any other QuickBooks concerns. 

I’m just curious… did you encounter problems with adding Columns or adjusting their location on the template? Example changing the “Item” from spot 1 to spot 3?