QuickBooks Rebuild Error

QuickBooks Rebuild Data Error: Comprehensive Diagnosis and Repair Solutions

The QuickBooks Rebuild Data Utility is an essential tool designed to repair corrupted company files and resolve data integrity issues. However, when the rebuild process itself fails—displaying various error codes like 310, 350, or cryptic messages in the QBWin.log file—it indicates a severe level of corruption that requires specialized intervention. These errors halt accounting workflows and risk permanent data loss if not addressed correctly.

Understanding QuickBooks Rebuild Errors

What Triggers Rebuild Failures?

Rebuild errors surface when QuickBooks encounters irreparable inconsistencies during its repair process. Common scenarios include:

• Transaction Linkage Corruption: Payments disconnected from invoices, journal entries with broken references

• Encrypted Data Damage: Stored customer credit card information that cannot be decrypted

• Index File Corruption: The internal "table of contents" of your company file becomes unreadable

• Excessive Data Volume: Company files exceeding 350,000+ transaction targets (or 750,000+ for Advanced)

• Sudden Software Termination: QuickBooks closing unexpectedly during data operations

• Payroll Data Corruption: Specific to payroll transactions and year-to-date balances

Critical Error Messages You May Encounter

1. Error 350: "Verify ToC: Verify has failed due to an error under Transfer of Credits"

• Root Cause: Damaged links between related transactions (invoice → payment → credit memo)

• Impact: Affects accounts receivable accuracy and customer balance reporting

2. Error 310: "Problem not fixable by Rebuild"

• Typical Message in QBWin.log:

  text

  GetDecryptedCreditCardNumber Failed: The decryption has failed.
  Error: Verify Encrypted Data: Failed to decrypt customer's credit card number.
  (This problem is not fixable by Rebuild.)

• Root Cause: Encrypted customer data (usually credit card information) that QuickBooks cannot decrypt, often in inactive customer records or records with expired dates but missing card numbers

3. QBWin.log Structural Errors

• Verify Primary: Duplicate transaction number

• Verify Primary: totTrans wrong. Is ### should be ###

• Verify Primary: Next trans number is ### should be ###

• LVL_ERROR–Error: Verify Names List: Index XXX record XXX

4. Payroll Service Data Loop Errors

• Errors that reappear immediately after a seemingly successful rebuild

• Indicates deep corruption in payroll transaction structures

---

Systematic Repair Methodology

🔴 CRITICAL FIRST STEP: CREATE MULTIPLE BACKUPS

Before ANY repair attempts:

1. Go to File → Create Backup → Local Backup

2. Save to at least TWO different locations (external drive + cloud storage)

3. Also create a Portable Company File (File → Create Copy → Portable Company File)

4. Document the exact error messages displayed

---

Tiered Solutions for Rebuild Errors

TIER 1: BASIC REPAIR ATTEMPTS

Solution 1: Update QuickBooks to Latest Release

Corruption sometimes results from bugs in older versions.

Detailed Process:

1. Close ALL company files

2. Press F2 to open Product Information window

3. Note your current version (e.g., R12_1234)

4. Go to Help → Update QuickBooks

5. Crucial: In the Options tab, check "Reset Update" before clicking "Get Updates"

6. Install ALL available updates including .NET Framework updates if prompted

7. Restart computer and attempt rebuild again

Solution 2: Verify Data for Specific Error Codes

1. File → Utilities → Verify Data

2. If errors found, note EXACT error codes

3. Press F2 during error display to access detailed technical log

4. Look for "RefNum" and "RecNum" references—these pinpoint corrupt records

Solution 3: Secondary Rebuild Attempt

Sometimes initial failures are temporary:

1. Close QuickBooks completely

2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del → Task Manager → End any QB-related processes

3. Restart computer

4. Launch QuickBooks as Administrator (right-click → Run as Administrator)

5. Attempt rebuild again with NO other applications running

---

TIER 2: INTERMEDIATE REPAIR TOOLS

Solution 4: QuickBooks Tool Hub Suite

The centralized repair toolkit:

A. QuickBooks File Doctor (Network & Local Versions)

text

Step-by-Step:
1. Download QuickBooks Tool Hub from Intuit's official website
2. Install and run as Administrator
3. Navigate to "Company File Issues" tab
4. Select "Run QuickBooks File Doctor"
5. Choose file location type:
   • Local file: Browse directly to .QBW file
   • Network file: Enter database server name
6. Click "Check your file" then "Continue"
7. Authenticate with Admin credentials if prompted
8. Let scan complete (30+ minutes for large files)
9. Review diagnostic report before proceeding

B. Quick Fix My File

text

Use when File Doctor fails:
1. In Tool Hub → "Company File Issues"
2. Click "Quick Fix My File"
3. This attempts aggressive structural repairs
4. Creates automatic backup before proceeding

Solution 5: Transaction Log Analysis (Advanced)

For specific record corruption:

On Windows:

1. After verify error, navigate to:
   C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Intuit\QuickBooks\log

2. Open QBWin.log in Notepad++

3. Search for error codes and record numbers

4. Cross-reference with transaction numbers in QuickBooks

On Mac:

1. Hold Command + Shift + G

2. Enter: ~/Library/Logs/Intuit/QuickBooks

3. Open QuickBooks.log

4. Search for @recnum[number] patterns

Solution 6: Targeted Corruption Removal for Error 310

When encrypted credit card data causes failure:

text

Detailed Resolution:
1. Run rebuild and expand Error 310 section
2. Print or screenshot ALL customer IDs listed
3. Export Customer List: 
   • File → Utilities → Export → Lists to IIF Files
   • Select Customer List only
4. Open IIF file in Excel
5. Match corrupted Customer IDs to customer names
6. In QuickBooks:
   • Locate each problematic customer
   • Customer Center → Edit Customer
   • Payment Settings tab
   • Replace encrypted credit card with temporary dummy number: "4111-1111-1111-1111"
   • Save customer
   • Return and remove dummy number, save again
7. Attempt rebuild again

---

TIER 3: ADVANCED DATA SURGERY

Solution 7: Data Condensing for Target Limitations

When total targets exceed limits:

1. Check Current Targets: Press F2 → Product Information window → "Total Targets"

2. If exceeding 350,000 (500,000 for Enterprise):

   text

   a. File → Utilities → Condense Data
   b. Select "Transactions before a specific date"
   c. Choose date 2+ years in past (if business allows)
   d. Select "Remove ALL transactions, then..."
   e. Check "Create a summary of transactions"
   f. UNCHECK "Remove transactions from company file"
   g. Run condense
   h. After completion, rebuild data
   i. If successful, rerun condense WITH removal option

Solution 8: Portable Company File Reconstruction

This creates a "clean copy" often bypassing corruption:

text

1. File → Create Copy → Portable Company File
2. Save to desktop with NEW name
3. Close original company file
4. Open portable file (will expand to full .QBW)
5. Immediately verify data in new file
6. If clean, use as new working file
7. If errors persist, corruption is transaction-level

Solution 9: Manual IIF Export/Import (Last Resort)

text

Phase 1 - Export:
1. Create NEW empty company file with SAME:
   • Chart of accounts
   • Customer/Vendor/Item lists
   • Preferences settings
2. From corrupted file, export:
   • All lists (Customers, Vendors, Items, Accounts)
   • Transaction ranges in chunks (e.g., by month)
   
Phase 2 - Import:
1. Import lists to new file
2. Import transactions in chronological order
3. Verify after EACH import chunk
4. Stop when errors appear (identifies corrupt transaction range)

---

Post-Repair Validation Protocol

After ANY repair attempt:

1. Immediate Verification: File → Utilities → Verify Data

2. Critical Report Review: Press F2 → "Review last Verify/Rebuild" → Expand ALL sections

3. Key Transaction Testing:

   • Create test invoice and payment

   • Run key reports (Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss)

   • Check period comparisons match pre-corruption

4. Backup Validated File as new master

---

Preventative Measures and Best Practices

Daily/Weekly:

• Consistent closing procedures (never force-close QuickBooks)

• Regular backup rotation (daily incremental, weekly full)

• Monitor file size growth

Monthly:

• Scheduled Verify Data checks

• Review QBWin.log for warnings

• Clean up unused list entries

Quarterly:

• Complete data condensing if applicable

• Archive old periods to reduce file size

• Test restore from backups

---

When Professional Help is Essential

Contact +1-888-381-4670 immediately if:

1. Multiple rebuild attempts fail consistently

2. Critical payroll data is corrupted

3. Company file exceeds 1GB in size

4. You're facing tight reporting deadlines

5. Complex multi-user environment issues

Our Accounting Professionals specialists can perform:

• Advanced log file analysis

• Manual database repair techniques

• Transaction-level reconstruction

• Priority recovery with data integrity validation

---

Quick Reference: Error to Solution Mapping

Error Symptom	Primary Solution	Secondary Solution	When to Call Expert
Error 310 (Encrypted data)	Solution 6 - Credit card cleanup	Portable file creation	Multiple customers affected
Error 350 (Transfer of Credits)	Verify for specific transactions	Transaction log analysis	Affecting key customers
Payroll data loops	QuickBooks File Doctor	Manual payroll verification	Payroll period closing
"Problem not fixable" messages	Quick Fix My File	IIF export/import	File > 800MB
General rebuild failure	Update + Tool Hub suite	Data condensing	All basic attempts failed

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I run Rebuild Data proactively?
A: No. Only run rebuild when Verify Data finds errors. Unnecessary rebuilds risk introducing corruption.

Q: How long should rebuild take?
A: Approximately 2-5 minutes per 50MB of file size. A 200MB file taking 30+ minutes indicates severe issues.

Q: What's the difference between Verify and Rebuild?
A: Verify = diagnostic scan. Rebuild = repair surgery. Always verify first, rebuild only if errors found.

Q: Will I lose any data during rebuild?
A: Potentially yes. The utility may discard irreparably damaged transactions. Always maintain pre-rebuild backups.

Q: Can antivirus software cause these errors?
A: Yes. Exclude QuickBooks folders from real-time scanning: C:\ProgramData\Intuit and C:\Users\[You]\AppData\Local\Intuit

---

Final Recommendations

1. Never ignore verify errors—they worsen over time

2. Maintain at least 3 backup generations

3. Document every error message before calling support

4. Consider splitting rapidly growing company files by fiscal year

5. Schedule regular maintenance with our helpline for mission-critical files