“Lookin' for love…I was looking for love in all the wrong placesA”, not sure about “love” but how about ‘logs.’
There are a variety of log files (logs) that contain information which can benefit those who can interpret them when attempting to identify specific issues associated with QuickBooks desktop. The question is ‘what’ and ‘where’ these logs can be found, rather than going about “looking for logs in all the wrong places.” Here are a few of the more than a dozen log files used for QuickBooks research (other than our favored QBWin.log file).
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Channel.log files –
What: record events associated with the downloading of updates for both the QuickBooks application and payroll subscription module. One reason to examine the Channel.log file is to determine if updates are being blocked. Internet security, AOL parental controls, firewalls and other third-party programs can prevent QuickBooks from getting updates or functioning properly when you have an active QuickBooks payroll subscription. QuickBooks maintains both the current (most recent) and prior Channel.log file (Channel.Old).
Where1- C:\ProgramData\CommonFiles\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\Log\Channel.log (the Channel.Old file is located in the same directory)
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Criticalfixes.log files –
What: critical fixes, also known as ULIP (Ultra Light Patch) files are a new feature which began during QuickBooks 2014 and continue in newer versions. These ULIP files deliver minor critical fixes without the need for an actual release patch. The patch release process (identified as R#s) involve move complex groups of updates, but ULIP files deliver typically a single critical function fix which can’t await a schedule release patch. The Criticalfix.log file records the application’s activity in monitoring, receiving and applying ULIPs.
Where1- C:\ProgramData\CommonFiles\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\Log\Criticalfixes.log
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Update.log –
What: In the same way the Criticalfixes.log file records information about ‘patch files’, the Update.log file records information about actual release patches that update the QuickBooks application. These patches, commonly referred to as ‘maintenance releases’ are identified by specific R#s. The updatelog.file records events associated with the ‘checking’ for available updates, download of any updates, and installation of downloaded updates, or failed update attempts.
Where1- C:\ProgramData\CommonFiles\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\Log\Update.log
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NewFeatures\QBInstall.log –
The new features QBInstall.log works hand-n-hand with the Update.log in that it records the actual installation steps and updates of new feature functionality which is incorporated in updates to the product. You will commonly find terminology that ‘makes sense’ in this log and other information for which “you don’t have a clue,” you will even find references to feature names which Intuit uses for specific functions that you had never heard mentioned in that manner.
Where1- C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks3\\Components\DownloadQB4\NewFeatures\Qbinstall.log
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QBCFMonitorService.log-
What: The QBCFMonitorService is an associated function of the QuickBooks Database Server, it continually monitors the assigned drives (created as part of the ‘scanning process’ and ‘drive designation’ using the QuickBooks Database Server Utility) for the presence of QuickBooks Company (data) files. New files when appear in the director are immediately generated a companion *.nd file which provides a script as to the identification and location of the QuickBooks Database server. This log records all activities related to communications between these files and the QuickBooks Database server, thus it is an excellent source of information when problems exist with respect to inability to connect to a specific QuickBooks Company file, or connect to the QuickBooks Database server.
Where1- C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks DB Server Manager\QBCFMonitorservice.log
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IntuitSyncManagerLogger.log-
What: This file logs all activity associated with the IntuitSyncManager including activation, configuration, and connection with the Intuit cloud and 3rd party applications that use SyncManager. Messages within this log are mixed in complexity, some errors are easily identified, read and interpreted; other errors seem archaic and may not even be easily identified as an error. Expect to spend considerable time reviewing this log when you have multiple SyncManager applications, be sure to always search for the date and time frame associated with any errors you encounter.
Where1- C:\Users\UserName2\AppData\Local\Intuit\SyncManager\IntuitSyncManagerLogger.log
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LicenseUtility.log –
What: Several years ago Intuit implemented use of a ‘licensing server’ which is designed to respond to ‘pings’ from each QuickBooks application to verify and validate ‘QBEntitlement’ (a fancy term for licensed authority.) This is one reason why Intuit specifies (within the minimum system requirements) that Internet Service is required. The License Utility log records these license verification events and the applications validation against the established ‘entitlement’ documentation which was recorded at the time QuickBooks was installed and registered (as recorded in the EntitlementClientInstallLog).
Where1- C:\Users\UserName2\AppData\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks\Log\Licenseutility.log
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QBBackup.log –
Ever wonder if something recorded the various events that took place when you backed-up your Company file, well know you know, that is the function of the QBBackup.log file. I like this log because it shows you in plain English the various steps and the exact time when those events took place. Errors are easily identified.
Where1- C:\Users\UserName2\AppData\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks\Log\QBBackup.log
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Accessing logs from TechHelp window: You probably know that all of these logs also appear in the 'Open File' (tab) window of the TechHelp (F3) window that can be opened from inside QuickBooks, but the problem is that you may need to access this information when you can't or shouldn't have QuickBooks open, so knowing the path locations (the various "where's" above) is critical to tracking down the clues when not so readily available.
Footnotes:
A- "Lookin' for Love" is a song written by Wanda Mallette, Bob Morrison and Patti Ryan, and recorded by American country music singer Johnny Lee. It was released in June 1980 as part of the soundtrack to the film Urban Cowboy.
1 – This path reflects the default installation path
2 – ‘UserName’ is the specific user account name for the user performing the activity
3 – QuickBooks is the specific product (for example: QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 14.0)
4 – QuickBooks is the specific product (for example: QuickBooks_15)