restore a backup without changing current data

Hi there, @Hawkeye14.

I appreciate you reaching out and providing detailed information about your concern. 

Backing up your data is a good way to get back to work quickly if you run into a problem. When doing a backup and restore, your current data won't be affected. Once you restore, it'll create another company file. Thus, the current data is safe. Then, when you decided to restore your file, you can export the data from your restored file and import it to the current one

To learn more about managing your data in QuickBooks Desktop, see the below articles:

• Back up your QuickBooks Desktop company file
• Restore a backup of your company file

Reach out to me if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm always around to provide answers and clarifications to your questions. Have a great day ahead and take care.

Hello MiriamM, thank you for taking the time to reply.

My understanding of backup/restore process is that it's a replacement of one file with another.  From one of the QB articles I read:

"If your computer crashed or you need to undo recent changes, use a backup company file to restore your accounting data. This lets you go back to one of your save points if you ever run into problems."

and:

"Note: If you open the backup in the same folder as your existing company file, you may overwrite your data.

To avoid overwriting anything, you can rename your existing company file or the backup so the names are unique. Or you can save the backup in a completely separate folder."

My understanding from this article is that any data that was entered in after a backup was created, will be overwritten and lost if that backup is restored.  In other words in my case, if my understanding of this article is correct, all business recorded after the 14Jan backup, will be lost if the 14Jan backup is used to recreate the company file.

I may have been unclear.  What I am wanting to do is merge two slightly different copies of a company file.  I have a backup dated 1Jan, that is the file that I am currently working with.  It contains everything from Sept 2011 through 1 Jan 2022, and is on a zip drive.  I continued working through 14 Jan 2022, when I made another backup but left it on the computer.  That one included all the 1Jan backup plus all the business from then through 14  Jan 2022.  Then the computer crashed, possibly taking with it the 14Jan backup file.  Today, I restored the company file with the 1Jan file, and have been adding data all day, but the company file is now missing all the data from the past two weeks.  If the computer tech is able to salvage the 14Jan backup file in a week or two, is there a way I can merge it with the current file, so as to capture the missing two weeks, or alternatively, save the current file in some format to preserve the current data, do a restore with the 14Jan file to rebuild all up to the crash, and then merge the current file (or just the current part of it?) back in to complete the file rebuild.

My understanding of restoring a backup, is that any data not in the backup file being used for the restore process, will be overwritten because it creates an image of what the file had been at some point in past.  My understanding of restoring an accountant's copy (and "restoring" may not be the correct word) is that it is a merge--it doesn't overwrite using an image, but simply adds in the changes that were saved in it "by the accountant."

Sorry this is long, but it's a weird situation.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @Hawkeye14. I understand you'll need to merge some old files with the current ones. 

We haven't tried the method you've suggested. We wish to have visibility on your screen while you do this. However, when you try this on your own, please ensure to create a separate copy of the old backup file and back up the current one as well to avoid messing up with your files. 

For future reference, here's an article that will guide you in moving over any additional company files in QuickBooks Desktop. 

Come again if you have additional concerns. We're always here to help. 

@Hawkeye14 

You can have 2 independent company files and use a migration tool as a workaround to migrate your lost transactions.

Huh.  So I'm the pioneer in this problem, at least on the record?   I really expected that this comes up regularly.  Ok, I'll give it a try if the tech is able to salvage the 14Jan backup.  May be a week or two.  I'll post back with the results.  If it works, thank my genius daughter, whose old laptop I'm using in the meantime (she got a new laptop out of the deal).  After I explained how the backups work, she suggested trying to merge the data with an Accountant's Copy of the file.

Ok, so I've been thinking about this, and I think there's a flaw in my plan.  I think the accountant's copy is designed to import changes made to itself, not necessarily to the company file.  In other words, if I make an accountant's copy after I have entered all kinds of current business, then restore the 14Jan backup, then import the fresh accountant's copy into the new company file that will be created from the 14Jan backup, it will not result in a merging of the data entered from 15 Jan on.  It will only work if I enter that newer date into the accountant's copy after I have created it.  Is that correct?  And if so, can you even add business like that (Estimates, Invoices, Received Payments, Bill Payments, etc.) into an accountant's copy?  If you can add that kind of data, then I should have created the accountant's copy on 15 Jan, and should be working within it now as I conduct daily business, in order to capture that daily business data.  Any insight into this?

If you can't enter that kind of daily business data, then the accountant's copy won't help, and I will need to figure out a way to merge two separate company files that will have the same old date up to 1 Jan, different date from 2 Jan through 14 Jan, and different data from 15 Jan up to the day in which I attempt to merge them.  There is a note about that above.  How is that accomplished?

I appreciate you for coming back to the thread to add further details and clarification about your concern, Hawkeye14. With this, I'll ensure to share more details on how the Accountant's copy works in QuickBooks Desktop.

Yes, you're correct! after you have entered all kinds of current business and restored the 14Jan backup, then import the fresh accountant's copy, it will not result in a merging of the data entered from 15 Jan on. It will only work if you entered that newer date into the accountant's copy after you have created it. Then, you can make the changes in an Accountant's Copy when working on transactions. Like, add, edit, and delete most types of transactions dated on or before the dividing date. Then, add new transactions dated after the dividing date.

On the other hand, you'll have to make sure to create a different copy of the old backup file and back up the current one as well to avoid any issues with your files. Also, you can follow the article or note you've mentioned above to achieve your goal.

You may refer to this article to see additional details: Use the Accountant's Copy. This also provides different related links to see extra details about using an l Accountant's copy.

Lastly, you may refer to this article to view troubleshooting steps on how you can fix the issue in case your company file is missing or can’t be found in QuickBooks Desktop: Company file is missing or cannot be found.

Drop a reply anytime below if you have questions or further concerns with exploring the account's copy. I'll be around to help. Have a great day.

Thank you for your reply, ChristieAnn, and for all the others above.  As I am reading through all these articles, forum posts, and ad copy from file merging services/software, I also look at the plate of spaghetti casserole sitting on my desk for lunch, and the irony of the juxtaposition is not lost on me.  I usually appreciate good irony, but not today, sigh.

It seems like every trail I follow, ends in a "yes, but..." statement.  You left a trail for me, that I need to understand better to see where it leads.  Regarding the use of an accountant's copy to restore the missing data:

1. Can I even open, work in, export, import, and restore an accountant's copy without using an accountant's edition of QB?  I have QB Desktop Pro 2018 with all the current updates.

2. As I noted somewhere above, we are an auto repair shop.  I consider a Customer to be a family name, and then each of that family's vehicles become separate Jobs under that Customer name.  Estimates, Invoices, and Payments are assigned to specific vehicles as they occur.  I have about a thousand Customers in the database, and add a couple more every day, some with a dozen or more vehicles.  Probably 90% of my parts purchases are paid for individually and entered as separate transactions referenced to the appropriate Customer, and we run an average of 10 vehicles a day, at maybe 4 QB transactions entered for each job.  Can I enter that kind of information into an accountant's copy?

3.  If we're good so far in using an accountant's copy, when should I create it and what should I set as the dividing date?  Can I run the business from within it, and/or should I?  Keep in mind that I am back and forth in entering transactions.  I may order and take delivery of a part a few weeks prior to a repair, and that purchase may not be entered until the day of the repair, although the entry will be dated correctly.  

4.  When I came back in Monday 17 Jan after the crash, I began using the company file that I had created as a backup on 1 Jan, resulting in a two week hole in my data.  There is another backup on the crashed computer that is dated 14 Jan.  Because of the way I operate, I have had to rebuild part of that lost two weeks, in the 1Jan file, in order to keep my invoicing and purchases straight.  If I end up getting that 14Jan backup restored, of course, all those entries will be restored up through 14 Jan, leaving this week and maybe part of next week (the current business) missing.  I am keeping all papers in a box, in case I need to enter the new business again one transaction at a time.  Hopefully, the tech guys won't take very long.

So what are my chances of making this work?

Hi @Hawkeye14,

I appreciate your detailed response about the issue. I will also seek expert advice if this problem happens on my end.

By doing so, I can determine the available options when retrieving the data. Allow me to chime in and share some information to your follow-up questions in QuickBooks Desktop.

Before we start, I would like to share some details about the accountant's copy. It's a file you can send to your accountant for review to ensure your books are accurate and error-free.

An accountant will convert the Accountant’s Copy (.QBX) to an accountant’s copy working file (.QBA). The process will allow them to make changes to your books. Once it’s converted, they can correct and adjust transactions and return the file (.QBY) to you.

You can restore an accountant's copy into QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2018 if the file has a QBY extension. To answer your first question, yes, you'll need QuickBooks Accountant Desktop to work on this type of file.

To understand more about the workflow and how accountant's copy works in the Desktop version, I recommend the following links:

• Use the Accountant's Copy
• Use an Accountant's Copy working file in QuickBooks Desktop

The feature allows you to send your company file in QuickBooks to a user who's using QuickBooks Accountant Desktop. For your second question, the answer would be yes. It would the accountant who's receiving the file that will enter that kind of information on your behalf.

For the third one, it would be best to work with your accountant. The process will depend on how they want to handle your books when entering transactions and doing it back and forth.
 

Lastly, you can restore the backup file from the crashed computer. Once retrieved, you can enter the remaining transactions manually or use a migration tool suggested by Fiat Lux - ASIA.

The Desktop version also has a discontinuation policy for the products. Access to add-on services will be no longer supported. For more information about it, check this out: QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy and upgrade information.

For additional reference, I've attached a link you can check to know more about the limitations when importing or exporting IIF files: Export, import, and edit IIF files.

Please know that I'm just a post away if you have more questions about retrieving QuickBooks data. Take care.

@Hawkeye14 

You will need to use QBD Accountant 2018 or 2019 version to work with your QBD 2018. Unless you can find a ProAdvisor with one of those versions to help you, a migration tool like I mentioned earlier is the only way.