Attachments are missing

My attachment library is not appearing in my automatic backups. When I open the backup I see the company file and the restore instructions pdf which says :

"If you use Attachments and you have enabled back up of the attachments folder in the ‘Backup’ preferences." That is checked in my back up preferences. So where is it? 

SteveG

My backup does not contain the attachment folder and I have done the following: "If you use Attachments and you have enabled back up of the attachments folder in the ‘Backup’ preferences."

Is it possible I am not using attachments and how would I set that up? Or is there some other problem. It doesn't make sense that I'd have to locate the attachment folder and then drag it into the backup. What if it was on a broken drive and I was restoring from a backup drive? That folder needs to be with my backup, and it should go there automatically.  Agree? Or am I missing something? 

Steve G.

Hi @SGFiNEART1143,

Let me clear things up for you by sharing how attachments work with regards to the backup feature.

At this time, QuickBooks doesn't include Attached Documents when you create a backup. We advise our users to make a manual backup of the Attach folder which can be found in the same location as your QuickBooks company file.

In your situation, I suggest for you to paste the Attach folder into the same location as your restored company file.

Answers to frequently asked questions about QuickBooks Document Center are located in this article: QuickBooks Document Center: FAQs and common issues. This includes troubleshooting steps to common issues like missing attached documents, issues with scanning or attaching documents, or being unable to email transactions or send forms.

Don't hesitate to leave your questions or clarifications in the comments below, if you have any. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Sounds like I may be having a similar problem/question.  My customer is running QB2019 and has multiple company files as he has restored from backup on several occasions and it had broken the link in the attach files. 

They populated in the document center but were unreachable.  They also showed as attached to any invoices when looking in their register etc.

I copied all the existing attach folder and txn folders  and placed them in the newly created company folder because it was not existent in the newly restored backup and then repaired the linked documents via the company>repair links option.  When I clicked in the document center all of the files came up and the scans were there, however when looking in the register all file attachments were missing and no longer with the transactions.  Is there something I'm doing wrong, or is there even a way to have to do this?

I appreciate you for posting your concern here in the Community, @NOWITS.

I'm here to help provide some troubleshooting steps to isolate the attaching file issue in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Most probably this issue is caused by recovering a backup file which has damaged links and created a backup. Which removes the attachments.

What you need to do is reattach the files by going to Doc Center. Here's how:

1. Browse to the location where your company file is stored.Default location: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
2. Make a new Attach folder.
   a. Rename Attach folder by adding "_OLD" to it.
   b. Create a new folder and name it Attach.
3. Copy the contents from the old folder.
   a. In the new Attach folder, create a folder that matches the name of the company file. Open the new folder.
   b. Create new sub-folders named Inbox and TXN.
   c. Copy and paste contents over to respective new folders from their old counterparts.
4. From the QuickBooks Company menu, select Documents > Repair Attached Documents Links.
5. Select Repair Links.

If the same thing happens, I recommend contacting our QuickBooks Desktop. They have additional tools to pull up your account and do a remote session to investigate this further. 

Here's how to contact our technical support:

1. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help from the Help menu.
2. You can also press F1 on your keyboard to bring up the same Help Panel. 
3. In order to route you to the correct support expert, we need to know what type of question you have.
4. Click Continue.
5. We’ll provide you a few options. You choose which one is best for you.

For additional reference, you can check this article to learn more about attaching files: QuickBooks Document Center: FAQs and common issues.

Please let me know how it goes by clicking the Reply button below. I'll be around to help if you have any other concerns. Have a good one. 

It is every attachment to every vendor bill. Any attachment I have ever uploaded to quickbooks including employee files. How do I get them back?

If you've recently moved your working file (.QBW) to a different location, this can remove the attachments, Heidi3.

Let's look for the folder where you have previously saved the file. This way, you can get back the attachments. 

Once done, you'll have to re-attach the files or documents manually. Here's how:

1. Open the transaction.
2. Click the Attach File button.
3. Click Computer, then select the attachment.
4. Click Done, then Save & Close. 

Please know we're just right here if you need more help from us. 

I backed up my QB file and the "Attach" folder.  I then restored my backup to a new unique folder and moved the "Attach" folder into the same folder where my restored QB file is located.  If I go to the Doc Center, all my supporting documents are there (over 3000).  When I go to an individual invoice, however, the attachment paper clip is not shown.  I went to my QB program, selected Company->Documents->Repair Attached Document Links.  When I clicked on "Repair Links" I got the following message "This doesn't look like the right Attach folder for your company file".  I looked inside the Attach folder and the sub-folder with the documents was labelled "TXN".  I changed the name to match my company file, but the result is the same.  I recognize I can search the document center to find my supporting files, but apparently I need more help to re-attach or repair the links?

It's good to know that you can see location of the attachments, Mike.

Before going in to the repair process, I'll share a few more steps to re-link the attached documents. Here's how:

1. Open the location where your company file is stored and open the Attach folder.
2. Open the folder with the OLD company file name.
3. Copy and paste the contents of the Inbox folder into the Inbox sub-folder of the folder with the new company file name.
4. Copy and paste the contents of the Txn folder into the Txn sub-folder of the folder with the new company name.

Once everything is transferred, proceed to the repair process once again. Check out this article for more details: FAQs and Common Issues For QuickBooks Document Center.

I'll be around to answer if you have follow-up questions when moving the file and attachments. Thanks!

I'm having the same problem. Upgraded and all my attachments are gone. None of the suggestions here on how to recover them work. I have the folder with 1000's of cryptic folder names that contain all the documents. Am I really left to manually sort this out? Really?

Hello, @rjmihelich.

Let me share some information about missing attached documents in QuickBooks Desktop.  

When using QuickBooks Attached Documents, an Attach folder is created and stored in the same location as the QuickBooks company file. Renaming or moving the company file to a different location will break the connection between the Attached Documents and company file.

To fix the problem, re-link the Attached Documents. Here's how. 

1. Browse to the location where your company file is stored and open the Attach folder.
2. Open the folder with the OLD company file name.
3. Copy and paste the contents of the Inbox folder into the Inbox sub-folder of the folder with the new company file name.
4. Copy and paste the contents of the Txn folder into the Txn sub-folder of the folder with the new company name.
5. From the QuickBooks Company menu, select Documents then Repair Attached Documents Links.
6. Select Repair Links.

You can refer to this article for more detailed information and troubleshooting steps for common issues of missing attached documents in QuickBooks Desktop. QuickBooks Document Center: FAQs and common issues.

Stay in touch if you have other concerns by leaving a comment below. I'm always glad to help in any way I can.​ Have a great day.

Ok Come QB all this time reading your steps and suggestions on how to try and recover attached files how bout shifting that time to solving the problem. In this day an age people have eliminated hard copies and file cabinets. We want to scan our bills or receipts and attach them to our payments. That attachment paper clip should show visibly on every transaction in the register without having to open each transaction to see if the paper clip icon is there and every attachment should reside with its transaction in every back up so you can access your file anywhere and have it complete. What's the huge benefit to QB cloud if when you open your file elsewhere which many of us do and all of our attachment files are not residing with our QB file. Time to fix this problem as the steps being outlined for us all to try are really ridiculous. I have been a QB user for more than 20 years. I have been attaching files for the past 2 years and all are gone.  Fix this or I will look, for the first time for a new program that keeps my attached files as part of my company file.  An attachment must become part of the file permanently !

How do you enable the backup of the "Attach" folder/files? I do not see it under Preferences or any where else. Can you tell me how this is done?

Any progress on this?

I’m glad to see you on this thread, @Suzanne181.

I want to ensure your concern will be addressed. Can you share with me the exact situation you’re having? This way, we can provide the best resolution.

If you're having the same issue concerning missing attachments, you can locate them to where it was originally saved.

On the other hand, you’ll want to make a manual backup if you want to ensure your attachments are maintained. You can check this reference to learn more about attachments: QuickBooks Document Center: FAQs and common issues.

Leave a message below if you have other concerns with attachments. I’m here to help you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you, MadelynC.

We are a non-profit organization. We have been using QuickBooks Online for 7 years. We just purchased QuickBooks Online at a much lower price from TechSoup. We had to move all our files to the new QuickBooks Online. To do this, we downloaded our QB online file to QB Desktop and then exported from QB Desktop to the new QB Online. After doing this, we lost our attachments which means 7 years of receipts that we had uploaded to QB Online. We need them back. How can we get them back? Thank you.

Thanks for getting back to us and providing additional details to your concerns, Suzanne181. 

I can help share some insights about your lost attachments. When you move from QuickBooks Desktop to the Online version, there are limitations on what data won't convert to QBO. One of these limitations is Attachments. For more information, please check on what to expect when you switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.

You may need to attach them again manually into QuickBooks. 

Answers to frequently asked questions about QuickBooks Document can be found in this article: QuickBooks Document Center: FAQs and common issues.

Please reach back out to me if you have any additional questions about migrating your data between QuickBooks. I'll be right here to help.

Thank you, Glinnette. Is there a way to download all the attachments from our previous company that was in QuickBooks Online? We still have that company for another 10 days.

It's nice to hear from you again, Suzanne181.

You can export the attachment from our previous company by following these steps. Note: This can only be done when your subscription is not expired yet. 

Take a look at this step-by-step visual below to see how to go exporting the attachments:

1. Go to the Gear icon in the upper-right corner.
2. Select All lists under Lists.
3. Select Attachments.
4. Mark the attachments you want to export.
5. Click the Batch actions button and select Export.
6. Extract the downloaded zip file to your computer.

You can also export other data from your company by following the steps in this link.

I hope that helps! Feel free to post your other concerns here. I'll help you as soon as I can. Have a great day.

Thank you, SarahannC. That worked! Now we just need to export the attachments from the last three years and we will be good!

On the subject of missing attachments and with an Intuit service contract, I am pissed for the lack of service which has dragged out over 2-3 months as you will note in the case numbers..... which I have recorded.

After talking to several at level 1, I found them over several months to be clueless. Talked one to Level 2 once. He too did not have a response stating he would call me back on a second live share session. Two months passed. No support callback and to boot I discovered later he simply closed the case.

Listen up. A class action lawsuit is in the works by a firm in New Orleans. 

In the meantime, fully aware now there has been since 2019 a solution to the missing attachments, I insist and require a call and a live on the phone sharing session. I do not want the instructions. Too complicated.

I have spent many hours and do not intend to follow the instructions. 

Remember I have a service contract!! 

Anthony

License #[removed]

I feel you, we have them same issue and have been on the phone all morning , to finally be told we will have to call someone and pay them to fix their problem which was caused by updating from 2019 to 2022.. also in the New Orleans area

Hello there, 

I'm trying to export all attachments from qbo. The attachments run multiple pages so it takes a few zipfiles to backup all. But somehow the it won't let me go to next pages. The next page option is in grey. How can I access them any other way? Thank you for the help. 

Chevonne