Am I Restoring the Wrong File?

Question:

New client -- he is using QB 2004 Pro. He has office in Lynn and Swampscott. I watched him back up the file at his Lynn office and email it to me. When I get the file here and open it -- it is only through January 05.

So he does it again over the phone -- same thing -- he's backing up through May be I'm only getting it as of January -- not a big file either -- what could be going wrong?

Answer:

This sounds strange. I have a few suggestions.

1. Make sure that he is using the right file. Have them see what the last check number in his file is. This is a simple check to ensure that something hasn’t happened to the data. If the last check number in his file is the same as the one in the file he emailed you then you have a bigger problem…something has happened to his data. If the check numbers don’t agree, you can be sure that the problem lies with backup/email process. (Continue to step 2).

2. Walk him through the back up process. Make sure that he knows where the backup is being saved. I would have him put it on the desktop so that he can’t miss it.

3. Have him assign a name to the backup that is not easily confused…such as “accountant backup urgent.qbb”.

4. Walk him through the email process as well. Make sure that he is emailing you the right file. I have seen many clients that keep all there backups in the same folder and they will email you the wrong one. It sounds like that could be what is happening here.