Is Your QuickBooks Running Slow Over Network? Try This

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You need your accounting software to perform at its best to run your business efficiently and smoothly. But what if the software that handles all financial tasks starts to lag? If you are a QuickBooks user, this can be a big trouble, becoming a nightmare if you use it in a multi-user environment where multiple users simultaneously work on the company data. This guide will discuss every possible reason why QuickBooks running slow over network and experts-recommended solutions to get it back on track.

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of troubleshooting a slow-running QuickBooks in a multi-user environment on your own, contact the support team for immediate help at 1855-546-5024

Why QuickBooks Performing Slow in Multi-User Mode

Here are the reasons why QuickBooks starts running slow in the network.

• Not having the required system configuration to run QuickBooks.
• Low network speed.
• Missing, corrupt, or idle QB Database Server Manager.
• Connectivity issues in the network.
• Inadequate access to the QuickBooks folders.
• Issues with the mapped drive.
• Firewall restrictions on QuickBooks Desktop.
• Missing QuickBooks Desktop updates.
• Massive size of the company file.
• Damage to the QuickBooks program.
• Corruption in the company file.
• Issues with the QBWUSER.INI and EntitlementDataStore.ecml file.
• Corruption in the hard drive.
• Damage to the Windows operating system.

Prerequisites to Get the Best QuickBooks Performance

Consider the following requirements before running QuickBooks over the network to ensure it does not lag or run slow.

• First, ensure your system meets the minimum requirements for running QuickBooks Desktop.
• A minimum 100Mbps network speed to support multi-user mode.
• QuickBooks Database Server Manager must be installed on the server system.
• For QuickBooks Pro & Premiere versions, the company file size must not exceed 250 MB, and the Enterprise version must not exceed 1.5 GB.
• Be sure to add QuickBooks as an exception to the Windows firewall.
• If you are using a mapped drive to store the company file, it must be properly connected, and the company file path set in QuickBooks must be correct.
• Install the most recent QuickBooks Desktop updates to improve performance.
• Ensure that your hard drive is not corrupt and is in good health.

Fixing QuickBooks Performance When Running Over the Network

Try the solutions below to fix the issues that cause QuickBooks to run slowly in the network.

Solution 1: Repair QuickBooks Using Troubleshooting Utilities in Tool Hub

• Download and install the most recent version of Tool Hub (1.6.0.5). Click HERE to download.

• Run Tool Hub, go to the Program Problems tab, select QuickBooks Program Diagnostic Tool, and check if this improves the performance.
• If not, go to the Installation Issues tab, select QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool, and let the tool repair the damage to the QuickBooks installation.
• If you still notice QuickBooks running slow over network, go to the Company File Issues tab and select QuickBooks File Doctor.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to repair the company file and check if running all these tools helps fix QuickBooks performance over the network.

Solution 2: Condense the Company File

• Go to the File tab and select Condense Data under the Utilities drop-down.

• Hit Next to condense the company file.

Solution 3: Move the Company File to the Default Location

• Exit QuickBooks, go to the company file location, right-click the file with the (.qbw) extension, and select Copy.

• Follow this path: C://Users/Public/PublicDocuments/Intuit/QuickBooks/Company Files, and paste the company file here.

Solution 4: Set Correct Folder Permissions for QuickBooks

Step 1: Verify if the Permissions are Correctly Set

• Press Windows + E, go to the company file folder location, right-click the folder, and select Properties.
• Go to the Security tab, choose Advanced, choose QBDataServiceUserXX, and hit Edit.

• Set permissions for the following settings to be Allowed:
  • Traverse Folder/Execute File
  • List Folder/Read Data
  • Read Attributes
  • Read Extended Attributes
  • Create Files/Write Data
  • Create Folders/Append Data
  • Write Attributes
  • Write Extended Attributes
  • Read Permissions
• If you find the permissions incorrectly set, right-click the company file folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and select Edit.
• Select QBDataServiceUserXX, choose Full Control, hit Allow, and click Apply and OK.

Step 2: Change the Permissions for the Folder

• Launch Windows File Explorer and find and right-click the folder listed below.
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v8
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v6.0
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v5
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v3
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\Entitlement Client
  • C:\Program Data\Intuit\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions X.0 (X = version) or C:\Program Data\Intuit\QuickBooks 20XX (XX = year)
  • C:\Program Data\COMMON FILES\INTUIT
  • C:\Program Data\COMMON FILES\INTUIT\QUICKBOOKS
  • C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\FAMXX (XX = year)
  • C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
  • C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Sample Company Files\QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions X.0 (X = version) or C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Sample Company Files\QuickBooks 20XX (XX = year)

NOTE: You may not have all these folders on your system as some are specific to certain versions of the QuickBooks Desktop program.

• After right-clicking the folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and choose Everyone.

NOTE: If you don’t find Everyone listed in the Group or User Name checkbox, hit the Add option, type Everyone, and hit OK.

• Choose the Full Control option, hit Apply, and then OK to save the changes.

Step 3: Set Correct Windows Access Permissions for Company File Sharing

• Go to the Start menu, select File Explorer, find and right-click the company file folder, and select Properties.
• Select Sharing, hit Share Add, choose the correct QBDataServiceUserXX, and set the permission level of both users to Full Control.
• Hit Share.

Solution 5: Repair QBWUSER.ini File

• Open Windows File Explorer, follow this path: Users[Your user name]AppDataLocalIntuitQuickBooks [year], and right-click the QBWUSER.ini file.

NOTE: You must change Windows settings to show hidden files when viewing the QBWUSER.ini file.

• Select Rename, add .OLD at the end of the file name, and save the changes.
• Now, also rename the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file similarly and restart QuickBooks.

Solution 6: Install Windows Updates

Windows 10

• Go to the Start menu, choose Settings, go to the Update & Security section, and hit Check for Updates.

• Once the updates are downloaded, restart your system and launch QuickBooks.

Windows 11

• Go to the Start menu, choose Settings, and hit the Windows Update option on the screen.
• Once the updates are downloaded, restart your system and launch QuickBooks.

Solution 7: Map the Network Drive having the Company File

• Hit the Windows icon on the desktop, enter This PC, and select the same in the results.
• Choose More (…), then Map network drive, and select a drive letter in the Drive section.

• Now, either enter the complete path to the company file folder on the mapped drive or only the path to the system where the file is saved and click Browse to find the folder.
• Hit the Reconnect at sign-in option and hit Finish to save the changes.

Solution 8: Ping the Server and Check Network Connectivity

• Go to the Start menu on the workstations connected to the server, enter Network in the search bar, and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Choose Change Advanced sharing settings, and check if Turn on Network Discovery is selected in the Network Discovery and File and Printer section.

• To get the server name, go to the Windows Start menu, enter Run in the search box, and select it to launch the Run program.
• Enter CMD in the text box, press Enter, enter ipconfig/all in the command prompt window, and hit Enter.
• Check out the Host Name on the right side in the Windows IP Configuration section, take note of it, and move to the workstation to test the connectivity.
• Press Windows + R, enter CMD in the text box, press Enter, enter the command: “ping [your server name],” and hit Enter. (Don’t include the brackets in the command.)

There are no connectivity issues if you receive a prompt reply for each data packet sent. However, if you notice a slow response or packet loss, contact your IT team for the necessary troubleshooting.

Solution 9: Fix QuickBooks Services on the Server

• Press Windows + R, enter services.msc in the text box, press Enter, and locate and double-click the QuickBooksDBXX in the list.

• Choose Automatic as the Startup Type. Ensure the Service Status is either Running or Started; if it’s neither, choose Start.

• Go to the Recovery tab and select the Restart the Service option from the First Failure, Second Failure, and Subsequent Failures drop-down menus.
• Hit Apply and OK to save the changes and repeat the same steps for QBCFMonitorService.

Solution 10: Upgrade Your System to Improve QuickBooks Performance

• Consider upgrading the RAM on the server and workstations. Multiply the company file size with the users working on it to find the amount of RAM you need.
• Increase the Virtual Memory to 2 GB and an additional 2 GB for any other large program on your system.
• Upgrade your operating system; for example, if you have Windows 10, consider upgrading to Windows 11.
• You must also upgrade your hardware components, such as your Hard Drive, Network Interface Card, and CPU.

After following the instructions in this guide, you will not notice your QuickBooks running slow over network. However, if you face issues implementing the troubleshooting solutions or QuickBooks is still lagging while hosting the company file, contact the team of experts at 1855-546-5024.

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