I Don't Have My QuickBooks Password.

Question:

For a variety of reasons, I have purchased a new computer. The sales team dutifully transferred my files to the new hard disc. However I learned that I could not start QuickBooks on the new drive without re-installing the program. I have now installed my old QuickBooks Pro 2003 but my account will not open without entering the password. As far as I know, this would be the password I installed when closing out my 1996 year and I can not find a record of what I used. I have tried the passwords I typically use for various programs but none of these seem to work. Is there a way I can eliminate the password (which serves no purpose in my situation), learn what I used in 1997 or change it, without opening the account? - Bill K

Answer:

There are basically two types of passwords in QuickBooks.

1. Login passwords
2. Closing date passwords

The password that you seem to remember is the closing date password, which does nothing more than lock prior periods to editing. The problem that I believe that you are having is with your login password. Forgetting this password would prevent QuickBooks from opening the file.

I am afraid that this is more serious.

If in fact this is the password that you don't have then you will have to have Intuit remove the password for you.

The following is a excerpt from the QuickBooks Help Menu:

For those instances in which you cannot recover the Administrator's password using the troubleshooting suggestions, contact our Data Services group or use the Online Service Request Form located on our Password Removal Service site. There may be a fee for this service. You will be asked to review the terms of our Service Agreement online before uploading your data file to Intuit.

I think the fee is like $65 or so. You may want to have a QuickBooks professional in your area determine that this is the problem before you go through this.