Renaming a QuickBooks company file on a computer running Microsoft Windows

In some situations you might need to rename a QuickBooks company file. . For example:

• Your company's name has changed and you want your company file name to be representative of the new name.
• You created a QuickBooks company file, and you misspelled it or used the wrong name.
• You created a new copy of a company file while troubleshooting a QuickBooks issue, and you want the new file to use the same name as the previous file.

Follow these instructions to rename the company file so it will be easy for one or more QuickBooks users to find and use the file after you rename it.

Note: If you use Loan Manager to track loans that you have set up in QuickBooks, you will need to recreate all of your Loan Manager information after you rename the company file. . This is because the Loan Manager file (.lmr) uses the same file name as the company file, and if you rename the Loan Manager file you will receive an error when you try to open it in QuickBooks.

Caution: You are about to make changes to your QuickBooks company file outside of the QuickBooks program. . Before you proceed you should back up your company file as a precaution:

• Backing up a QuickBooks 2007 or later company file
• Backing up a QuickBooks 2005 or 2006 company file

Rename your QuickBooks company file

1. Open the company file in QuickBooks.
2. Press F2 to open the Product Information window.
3. Carefully note the Location of the company file in the File Information section of the window. . If the file name is very long, it will end with an ellipsis (...) in the Location field. . Mouse-over the file name to display the full name so you can write it down.
4. Close QuickBooks. . (If you are in a multi-user environment, close QuickBooks on all workstations that use this company file).
5. Right-click the Windows Start button and select Explore. . Navigate to the company file location you noted above.
6. Right-click the file name and select Rename. .

   Important: Depending on whether your Windows Folder Options are set to show or hide extensions for known file types, the company file name may display as [CompanyName].qbw or just [CompanyName]. . If you see the .qbw file extension, then your new company file name must also end with .qbw. . If you do not see the .qbw file extension, then do not add it when you rename your company file.

7. Type the new company file name and press Enter. . If Windows prompts you to confirm that you want to rename the file, verify that you have entered the new file name correctly and click Yes.

Set up QuickBooks to use the new company file name

1. Open QuickBooks.
2. Open the new company file in your version of QuickBooks:

• QuickBooks 2007 and later:
  1. In the No Company Open window, click Open or restore an existing company.
  2. In the Open or Restore Company window, select Open a company file and click Next.
  3. In the Open a Company window, locate and select your new company file name and click Open.
• QuickBooks 2006 and earlier:
  1. In the No Company Open window, click Open an existing company.
  2. In the Open a Company window, locate and select your new company file name and click Open.

Your new company file will display in the No Company Open window next time you open QuickBooks.

If you are in a multi-user environment, repeat steps 1 and 2 on all workstations that use this company file.