QuickBooks Point of Sale must be able to access the POS company data that is stored on the Server Workstation. In a networked installation, the connection issues outlined below most commonly apply when a Client workstation is unable to locate or connect to the data on the Server Workstation.
There are certain prerequisites to being able to access the Point of Sale data, whether it is being accessed from the Server or Client Workstation.
- The Server Workstation must be turned on (but Point of Sale need not be running).
- Firewall software must be properly configured to allow Point of Sale components to access needed ports.
If a workstation cannot locate or connect to the POS company data, you may see an error message similar to that shown below.
Application could not find, could not connect to, or could not open company data.
When encountering connection difficulties on a Server Workstation, the first step is for the user to sign onto the computer as a user with Windows Administrator rights.
When encountering connection difficulties on a Client Workstation, the first step is for the user to sign-on to the Client Workstation as an administrator AND that an administrator also sign-on to the Server Workstation.
Review the list of possible causes and solutions below to correct the problem.
Company data was renamed, moved, or deleted - A list of the data files and Server Workstations found on the network is listed. Select the correct data/server and then select OK. On subsequent startups, the client workstation will reconnect to this same data.
The data file does not have a unique name - Ensure that the POS data file has a unique name.
The Server Workstation is not running. In order for a client workstation to access the data stored on the Server Workstation, the Server Workstation must be running - Once you are sure the Server Workstation and network are working, enter the Server Workstation computer name (can be found at Windows Control Panel System Computer Name on the Server) and POS company data file name (can be found in the Point of Sale title bar on the server) and then select OK.
The Server Workstation has a different data file open than the one to which a client workstation is trying to connect – Open the correct company data on the Server Workstation or select to connect the currently open data.
The network connection or configuration is not working - Check your network connections and cables on both Client and Server Workstations. Can you access other information on the Server Workstation from the client? Many network configuration parameters can influence the connection or performance of Point of Sale. An improperly configured network can cause all system resources to work harder, deterring from their ability to serve Point of Sale and other application requests. Following is a list of questions and answers related to the most common parameters that can adversely affect Point of Sale performance. Every computer and network configuration is unique; consult a qualified computer consultant for help, if necessary, to address networking issues. Consult with a qualified computer network specialist for help.
Firewall settings, on either the client or server workstation, are blocking the connection - In most cases, you will see a message from the firewall if this is the case. (Note: Some firewalls don’t display a message at all in this case and others display messages only if the user has Windows Administrator rights.) Check your firewall settings. Be sure you are signed on to Windows as a user with Administrator rights and then try to connect again. If you receive a firewall message saying that Point of Sale (or the applications: QBUpdate, QBDBMgrN, Adaptive Server Anywhere Network Server) are trying to access the Internet, answer Yes, always to allow the connection. This should prevent this problem in the future. Note: Firewalls may vary in their message and the solution to this problem. Click the link above or refer to your firewall documentation for additional assistance.
Selected data is not a Point of Sale database - Select a valid Point of Sale data file.
There are more workstations running than are allowed by license – Shut down the excess workstation(s) or purchase additional Point-of-Sale licenses.
The workstation is not running the same level or version of Point of Sale as another workstation that is currently accessing the database – All Point of Sale Servers and Workstations must be the same level and version. Update all installations to the same level and/or version of Point of Sale.
Insufficient user rights to create a database or to change the currently accessed database – Make certain that your Windows user rights are not blocking access. Ensure that you are logging in to Point of Sale with sufficient rights to create or change the currently accessed database.
Client Workstation is still logged into a database, preventing Restore, Open Database or Rename Database - Close the Client Workstation database connection or exit Point of Sale on the client.
The QBPOS Database Manager or Entitlement Client (licensing) service has been stopped or disabled as a service on this computer – Restart your Point of Sale Server Workstation, in many cases this will resolve the problem. If restarting your computer doesn’t work, restart the service manually from the Windows Services user interface. If you are unfamiliar with Windows Services consult with a qualified computer specialist for help.
The Windows user account for "QBPOSDBSrvUser" has been disabled or its user rights limited. This user account must exist and rights must be equal to the default Users Group – Check your Windows User Accounts to be sure that this special user is listed, has not been disabled, and that the Windows rights for this user have not been limited. If you are unfamiliar with Windows User access and controls consult with a qualified computer specialist for help.
TCP/IP protocol is not installed on the computer and/or network - Ensure that each computer has TCP/IP protocol installed. For network installations, ensure that TCP/IP is assigned to the network connection. Consult with a qualified computer network specialist for help, if necessary.
Troubleshoot QuickBooks Point of Sale Connectivity - This downloadable tool helps determine issues that prevent Point of Sale from opening and identify network connectivity issues.
Source: Intuit Point-of-sale Technical References; Intuit, 2015.