CHRONIC - Quickbooks Desktop 2021 fails to Export Employee reports to Excel - developing!!!

Hi @John_TN,

I appreciate you sharing detailed information on your concern and its result when performing the troubleshooting steps. I want to make sure this issue gets resolved, and I'd like to redirect you to the best support group available to get this address right away.

Since you're still experiencing issues exporting payroll forms to Excel, I highly recommend reaching out to our QuickBooks Support Team. They can further look into this matter and provide in-depth troubleshooting steps to get this resolved. To reach them, you can follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Help icon and select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Click Contact Us.
3. Write your concerns in the description box, then select Continue.
4. Select which one of the support options you'd like to use.

In addition, our product engineers are already aware of the issue of exporting payroll summary reports to an Excel file. You can also share this investigation number (INV-24874) with the agent you'll talk to when contacting our support team.

As always, you can visit our QuickBooks Community help website if you need tips and related articles in the future.

Please touch base with me here for all of your QuickBooks needs. I'm always around if you need any help, @John_TN.

@Mark_R 

Thank you for the suggestion to use the Help->Contact to reach a tech.  

Unfortunately, over the last week or so I have tried that at least 5 times.  Each time I get a call back.  The techs are sadly incompetent to deal with the issue or to get me to someone who can.  So what do I mean by that?

1) They start reading the scripts to uninstall and reinstall QB2021 and to uninstall and reinstall office.  (They never even ask about whether its 32 or 64 bit).  I have followed these instructions repeatedly including reboots between each step.

2) The tell me to try the Quicken Hub tool (which I did and it did not resolve issue).  It did not even resolve the "class not registered" error that Excel was generating.

3) They have tried to tell me since its payroll related that I have to talk to the payroll specialists.  One person gave me an 866 number to call that was in fact a QB number, was answered by an autoattendant and which stated that it could no longer be used for contacting support.  Another told me that they were transferring me to payroll support, put me on hold (I assume) and then the call dropped after about 15 seconds.

4) Most of them seemed to be working from home - which is ok if they are competent but distracting when you hear kids and dogs in the background.

5) I think 1 out of 5 spoke good English.  Now I am in the south so I speak slower and probably hear slower but I had to repeatedly state to them "please repeat that, I did not understand what you said"

6) NONE of them ever addressed 32/64 bit.

7) Several of them told me I could not take a QB2012 file and read it directly into QB2021 (while other techs said I could).  So, these clueless techs were telling me the problem was my company file was likely corrupted and that I needed to start over by migrating through trial versions (they could not give me a link or code to install them) including QB2014, QB2016 and QB 2018 or 2019.   Of course, I have confirmed repeatedly that was FALSE.  Also, I have confirmed the problem exists even when I download the QB sample files directly within QB2021. 

So, I would be glad to speak with an actual upper level tech troubleshooter or programmer.  I have had that access repeatedly as a beta site for several other software developers (in fact, I had a 1 hour session debugging with a programmer on a product we use in the law office on Friday as we were testing a new feature that has not been put in general release yet on their product).

Also, I have experience with database programming in 8086 assembly, MSBasic, xBase, SQL and PHP.  I understand the basis - maybe as well as most of these QB techs.  In my opinion, talking to them on an issue that is a design flaw as opposed to user confusion is an absolute waste of time. 

So, let me repeat - I would be glad to deal directly with upper level tech support (who are experienced with this issue) or with a programming group actually working on this problem.  I suspect, however, there is no such person or entity b/c I am increasingly convinced QB sees the non-subscription 32bit desktop editions as already a legacy EOL product and they have no purpose or incentive to fix this well documented design flaw.

I just want the product i purchased to work the way it was represented and advertised.  Right now it does not.

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@John_TN wrote:

6) NONE of them ever addressed 32/64 bit.

 

So, I would be glad to speak with an actual upper level tech troubleshooter or programmer.  I suspect, however, there is no such person or entity b/c I am increasingly convinced QB sees the non-subscription 32bit desktop editions as already a legacy EOL product and they have no purpose or incentive to fix this well documented design flaw.

@John_TN 
Last step to troubleshoot, consider upgrade your file on the trial license QB Desktop 2022 Enterprise.

@Fiat Lux - ASIAis the 2022 DB company file the same as the 2021?

Also, in light of the fact that the problem also exists on the QB2021 sample files, I don't think it is an issue with migration of the QB2012 database. Two other reasons are a) the internal QB payroll reports seem accurate and generate and b) when I use the QB2012 XLT file the report runs.

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@John_TN wrote:

@Fiat Lux - ASIAis the 2022 DB company file the same as the 2021?

 

You have to create a backup file and restore it with the new name prior to open it on QBD 2022. 

@Fiat Lux - ASIA

ok, on how to import to QB2022

My questions are:
1) Is the QB2022 company file then compatible with QB2021 Desktop?

2) Are you thinking that installing QB2022 would register the DLL for 32 bit Excel and that this would fix the problem with QB2021?
John Harris

QBD 2022 only runs on Windows 64bit. Do not install it on Win 11 or Win 10 21H2 to lower any potential risk.

1. Open your file on QBD  2021 and create a backup file (QBB) for this purpose

2. Install the trial license for QBD 2022 Enterprise. They don't (yet) provide the trial code for QBD 2022 Pro

3. Restore the backup file on QBD 2022

@Fiat Lux - ASIA 

I am not clear on why you are recommending to install QB2022 Enterprise and convert the company file?   Is it assuming a problem in the company file, to have QB2022 install some DLL or register settings or for some other reason?

This is the OS version on the workstation tower (but the problems are also occurring on the standalone laptop):

Version 2004 (OS build 19041) is already EoS. I'm not sure but it might be one of the root causes. QBD relies heavily on Windows OS. I don't recommend using the supported QBD version on outdated Windows OS,

@Fiat Lux - ASIA 

Since the problem is the same on the Win10 laptop and the Win10 tower workstation, I can check the laptop first and if necessary upgrade the OS to see if that corrects the problem.    I am hesitant to change the workstation since its part of a domain and the domain upgrades are handled by the IT service and not the individual users.  

John Harris

@Fiat Lux - ASIA @Mark_R  @BigRedConsulting 

Further to Fiat's comment, I am working on live data on a Dell Tower Win10Pro 64 bit.  This machine has Office2013 (64bit), QB2012 and the QB2021 Desktop that I am trying to migrate to but which will not generate XLT reports.  

I am working/testing also on a laptop Win10Pro 64bit.  It has QB2021 Desktop trial - 32bit.  It has both my ported QB2012 company file as well as a sample file downloaded from Quickbooks website by QB2021.   As of this morning, I have confirmed that it is updated with all Windows updates and that it is on 21H1 of Windows.

Observation 1
It was suggested on the to make sure Windows was on 21H2 and potentially to install Quickbooks 2022 Enterprise since its 64bit.  So,  I confirmed Windows version as 21H2 on the laptop.  I also installed Quickbooks Enterprise 2022.  I had Office 365 32bit already installed and the XLT reports continued to function.  I then uninstalled Office 365 32bit, rebooted, installed Office 365 64bit, rebooted and tested. 

With Excel 64bit installed, I first tried Quickbooks 2022 Enterprise.  When I ran QB_Taxform_link.XLT it generated a NEW error message in Excel 64bit:


Also, after installing QB2022 Enterprise, on the laptop the DLL error messages being generated by QB2021 continued.

Observation 2

I applied all updates to the Win10Pro tower except 21H2.  After doing so, QB2021 would not open the company files - it generated a "host" message and told me to run HUB and repair network.  I tried that, no change.  Finally, I had to completely uninstall QB2021, reboot and reinstall.  That got it working again but it did not fix the XLT file issues.  

On the Win10 tower here is what is happening:

QB2012 runs QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT as it has been.   However, it stopped running the QB_Payroll_Link.XLT and generates this error:

What I CAN DO in QB2012 - I can load a blank sheet in Excel and then run the QB_Payroll_Link.XLT FROM THE QB2021 directory and it will generate the report although it is very slow.

On QB202,  it also generates an error message when trying to run QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT from the 2021 directory:


However, if I load Excel with a blank page and run the 2012 version of QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT from Excel it generates an accurate report.

In QB2021 the QB_Payroll_Link.XLT is now running from the 2021 template directory and generating a report.

Summary

It seems that the problem remains that the Quickbooks 2012 and 2021 are not communicating accurately with the intended XLT files but that when the reports fail, it is usually possible to generate the report by manually loading Excel and then running the XLT from the other version of QB.

Another fact to note.   If you look at the Properties->Details for the 2021 and 2022 versions of the templates (although one is supposed to be 32bit and the other 64bit) the Content Created, Date Last Saved, and Last Printed fields are identical.  These fields are different on the QB2012 versions.  This is from the QB2021 template.



It all continues to suggest that there is a significant design problem in the XLT files and/or how QB is calling them and passing or not passing data to them.  

Thanks for the details, @John_TN. Appreciate you for performing some steps to resolve this.

I have more steps we can try. This way, we can fix the issues with Excel in your QuickBooks file. You'll want to download our QuickBooks Tool Hub. It has sets of tools to address different types of QuickBooks problems. Let me guide you how.

1. Close QuickBooks.
2. Download the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Then, save the file on your Desktop.
3. Open the file you downloaded (QuickBooksToolHub.exe). Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
4. When the installation finishes, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool hub.
5. From the launchpad, select Company File Issues. 
6. Click QuickBooks File Doctor.

It'll take 2-3 minutes to complete.

Next, open any report and update the existing excel worksheet within QuickBooks Desktop. Oftentimes, updates fix Excel-related issues. Here's how: 

1. Open a specific report. 
2. Go to the Excel button.
3. Select Update Existing Worksheet.
4. Choose the Browse button to look for your existing worksheet.
5. Click Export. 

Once done, restart your computer to refresh the program. You can refer to these articles for more information:

• Fix common problems and errors with the QuickBooks Desktop Tool Hub

• Fix export to Excel issues in QuickBooks Desktop

If you're still getting the same report, you may need to follow the steps from Microsoft to uninstall and reinstall Excel.

Please let me know how it goes after trying the above-recommended steps as I wanted to make sure this is resolved for you. Take care and have a good one.

@ShiellaGraceA 

Tried all of those steps more than once.  All of those steps appear to have been offered repeatedly to many difference QB paying customers on this issue over the last 3 years but yet the problems persist.

Actually, on those steps  they did not work for me and I do not recall seeing a single user anywhere who reported these problems responding back and saying it worked for them either. 

@ShiellaGraceA 

On your suggestion to use these steps:

[quote]

Next, open any report and update the existing excel worksheet within QuickBooks Desktop. Oftentimes, updates fix Excel-related issues. Here's how: 

1. Open a specific report. 
2. Go to the Excel button.
3. Select Update Existing Worksheet.
4. Choose the Browse button to look for your existing worksheet.
5. Click Export. 

Once done, restart your computer to refresh the program. You can refer to these articles for more information:

[quote]

This is what happens, for example, in QB2021 with the QB_Taxform_Link.XLT ----




Again, that is generated by Excel 2013 64Bit.    I am just amazed none of QB's programmers in 3 years of working on this have seen that message or fixed it.

John Harris

Totally agree that the Tools hub solution does not work, nor will any of the tax reports export to Excel.  

@John_TN 

This issue must be infuriating, but I see some things in your posts that are being proposed as issues, or signs of a design issue, that aren't. Perhaps these notes will help narrow things down:

- The "This is not a valid QB Report Excel Sheet" message is appearing because you're not on a standard QuickBooks report that has been exported to Excel, such as a Balance Sheet or similar financial report. The button is added by QuickBooks in order to update those types of reports, not the Excel-based Payroll reports, which are different.

- The payroll report templates delivered with QuickBooks 2022 and Enterprise 22.0 will not work with any older version of QuickBooks. They are designed to connect only to 64-bit QuickBooks.

- Similarly, the templates delivered with any older QuickBooks version - 2021 and before - will not work with QuickBooks 2022. They are designed to connect only to 32-bit QuickBooks.

- I checked the QB_Payroll_Link.xlt template file on my computers. The templates that I have for QuickBooks 2012 and 2021 are identical. Note they were designed to be updated in payroll updates, which I have not received on these computers, so that may not always be the case on all computers.

- The QB_Payroll_Link.xlt template for QuickBooks 2022 is different. Though it has the same create and print date, it was last saved on 6/9/2021 instead of 1/15/2013.

So, looking back in this thread on some of your comments:

- "On QB202[2](?), it also generates an error message when trying to run QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT from the 2021 directory".   As expected. Templates from older QB won't work with QB 2022.

- "What I CAN DO in QB2012 - I can load a blank sheet in Excel and then run the QB_Payroll_Link.XLT FROM THE QB2021 directory and it will generate the report although it is very slow."  Weird that it works, but if you are using 64-bit Excel or you have the preference set behind the "Options / Settings" button to force the alternate 64-bit connection, then it will be slow. That connection is slow due to windows marshaling between 32-bit QuickBooks and 64-bit Excel.

- QB2012 runs QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT as it has been. However, it stopped running the QB_Payroll_Link.XLT and generates this error:  "An error occurred when attempting to find QuickBooks."

This is a result of the very first step in trying to connect to QuickBooks. I think it indicates you're using the standard connection method for 32-bit Excel and your computer is saying the thing you're trying to call, the class "QBInstanceFinder.RunningInstanceFinder" isn't registered and so Windows doesn't know what to do with the request. It points to an incomplete installation.

When I search the Windows registry for "QBInstanceFinder.RunningInstanceFinder" I get a hit in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT pointing to the CLSID {1B3FC869-FA13-4948-A865-B626713E98B4}, which in turn points to the InprocServer32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBInstanceFinder.dll". You should see the same thing. (There are other components and methods that need to be registered as well to make this work.)

Some of the other details of your posts also point to issues with the registration of QuickBooks components, I think on multiple computers. It's almost as if something has denied the installer access to the registry. I would think it would notice this, but it might not. Is it possible your machines are locked down so tight that something is blocking the installer from doing its work? Maybe a super-aggressive virus checker or something like that?

Given the issues you're seeing, and especially if the items noted above are not in your registry, I would try disabling any virus checker or other nanny software (as is recommended by Intuit for the install) and then uninstalling, restarting your computer, and then installing QuickBooks again.

@BigRedConsulting 

I checked the registry as you indicated and confirmed that the CSLID you indicated is there and it contained the DLL you listed below. 

I was careful to disable the virus software (the local machine only runs the Windows product) and, since the machine once had Avast, I downloaded the Avast cleaner utility to remove any remaining registry entries. 

On this domain, I don't control the domain firewall or the router's security.  However, the installation is for the local machine only with no portions stored on the network.

john harris

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@John_TN wrote: I checked the registry as you indicated and confirmed that the CSLID you indicated is there and it contained the DLL you listed below. 

 

Well, that's good, but still you're seeing a message that says windows can't find or create the object for some reason. Not sure why. 

 

Maybe I have the wrong class targeted.

What is your configuration when you get this message, when using the XLT installed with the same version of QuickBooks?

 

Excel version and bitness:

QuickBooks version:

 

 

@BigRedConsulting 

Reply to last comment:

That error message relative to "class not registered" generates with QB2021 32 bit when attempting to load QB_Taxform_link.XLT that is installed by uQB2021.  This is using Excel 2013 64bit.  

To follow up on your questions, I did an uninstall of QB2012 this morning.  I rebooted.  I then ran CCleaner on the registry and removed all entries that it reported of QB2012 entries.  I went through the instructions (from various community posts) to rename QB2021 directories that are not removed by the uninstaller.  I only have Microsoft Defender running so I disabled it and did what I THOUGHT was going to be a clean install of QB2021.  Upon doing so, I concluded the Community instructions on removing QB2021 are incomplete b/c, for example, when I was doing the reinstall it populated with my license number and when in the program and I told it to open an existing file it looked in the non-standard location where I keep those (a unique "datafile" directory for offsite backups).  

Anyhow, after the instructed clean install, the error message on QB_Taxform_link.XLT (QB2021 version) still generates.  I can still load Excel (2013 64bit) to a blank page and then manually load QB_Taxform_link.XLT from the QB2012 template directory and it will run accurately on the QB2021 datafile (I have an edited paycheck with $10,000 added to tell the difference in QB2012 and QB2021 data files). 

After initial tests, I disabled Windows Defender and ran Quickbooks Hub's installation repair.  Nothing changed.

Of note, at this point QB2021's QB_Payroll_link.XLT is running although slow.  In fact, each one of the XLT files that are installed by QB2021 (date 10/11/2021) will run and generate reports except for QB_Taxform_link.xlt

Also, note that after the install the QB2021 XLT files are still on the dates of 10/11/2021.  I have NOT run an update on QB2021 yet and am testing at this point on a fresh install.  It is potentially significant that one of the

So, it does seem that the QB2021 installation is failing to register one or more entries correctly. 

@BigRedConsulting @Sulley @ShiellaGraceA @Fiat Lux - ASIA @Mark_R 

One point of additional consideration since I have both QB2012 and QB2021. These install DIFFERENT QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT files.   The 2012 version is dated 12/28/2016 and is 1,035KB.   The 2021 version is dated 10/11/21 (I have disabled updates for now) and is 854KB.

I temporarily renamed the QB2021 version to ".old" and copied the QB2012 version to the QB2021 template directory.   When I then run the QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT (2012 edition) from QB2021, ALL SIX OF THE REPORTS EXECUTE WITHOUT ERROR.

Again, this suggests that the problem is with potentially just the QB2021 QB_TaxForm_Link.XLT (2021 edition).   If someone can provide this XLT file from the QB 2014-2020 tempate directories, I would like to test those as well.   I assume that they can be obtained from the QB2014-2020 "trial versions" but I don't have those and really don't want to spend a day or more installing and uninstalling them just to test this idea.

This also appears to show that the suggestion of some as a solution to uninstall 64bit office and reinstall 32bit office may be an option but its a workaround and not a proper fix.  What is really irritating is that QB knows of this problem, it is well documented by many users over at least 3 years and QB keeps giving the response of "try this", "try that" and "we are working on it" when I think all of those responses are just BS. 


John Harris

I have also called several times about this issue--I have spent literally many, many hours on the phone with Intuit reps, and tried to fix it myself through Googles searches. NO ONE at Intuit has been able to fix this issue. I have been paying for QuickBooks payroll for many years. I consider this feature to be a necessary part of what I am paying for. It is unacceptable that Intuit does not fix this issue for all of us who pay for the Payroll service. 

Hi robyn2,

I understand the hassle when a feature isn't working as how it's designed.

Upon checking, the investigation about exporting payroll reports to Excel is still ongoing. Our engineers shared a workaround, though. You can run the report from previous quarters. Then when asked to update, select Yes. From there, you can pull all the data correctly. 

If the same thing persists, you can delete the QB_Payroll_Link.xlt template and then re-download it. Afterward, close your QuickBooks file. Go to the C drive and then open Program files (86x). Then open Intuit, and then QuickBooks20xx. Go to Components and then Templates. From there, locate QB_Payroll_Link.xlt and delete it. Lastly, re-open QuickBooks and get a payroll update.

Additionally, since you already contacted our Phone support agents, your name is already added as one of the affected users. That said, once our engineers roll out an update about this matter, you'll receive an email.

If you have some How do I concerns, feel free to visit our QuickBooks Community help website.

We appreciate your patience while we're working to have this issue a permanent fix.