Recover lost data with QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery

QuickBooks users often rely on Intuit Data Services to salvage data from damaged or corrupted QuickBooks data files. Nevertheless, the data recovery process can be time-consuming, leaving your data files inaccessible for several days. However, QuickBooks offers a solution in Auto Data Recovery (ADR), a feature designed to swiftly recover your data in the event of data loss or corruption.

Note: It's essential to consider using the ADR feature only after troubleshooting the QB issue through appropriate solutions, as recommended by Intuit.

What is QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery File Extension?

QuickBooks generates a duplicate of crucial data during the company file backup process. This backup, referred to as the company file backup, serves as the foundation for restoring information to your QuickBooks account whenever necessary. It is imperative to recover this information in the event of data loss. The backup file is located in a folder named Auto Data Recovery, ensuring its segregation from other files. This file possesses a .adr extension, with the extension qbw.adr appended to the end of the file name. This extension not only indicates the file type but also underscores its significance. It is essential to refrain from deleting this file, as doing so would complicate the process of initiating a hard restart of the data into your account using the backup file.

What is QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery, and How Does It Function?

Auto Data Recovery (ADR) is an integrated recovery feature within QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT). It serves the purpose of recovering and restoring lost QuickBooks data through the execution of one of the following actions:

• Using the most recent Transaction Log (.TLG Log) file and a copy of the Company file (.QBW) to restore recent transactions.
• Utilizing a copy of both the .QBW file and .TLG file to restore all data, excluding transactions carried out in the last few hours.

Before Delving into the solutions for recovering lost data using ADR, it's important to note a few critical details:

• The ADR feature is accessible in QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise Editions for Windows but not in Accountant Editions.
• QuickBooks cannot generate an ADR file that exceeds 1.5 Gigabytes.

Pro Tip: If you intend to recover data from a corrupted backup file that exceeds 1.5 GB, you may want to explore using a QuickBooks data recovery tool designed to repair and recover backup files of varying sizes.

Additionally, it is advisable to ensure that you have the latest updates installed for your QuickBooks Desktop to facilitate a smooth data recovery process.

Recovering QuickBooks Data Using the Auto Data Recovery Tool: Two Method

Method 1 – Recover Recent Transactions with .TLG and .QBW.adr Files

To recover recent transactions using the Auto Data Recovery (ADR) tool, follow these steps:

• Create a new folder named "QBTest" on your Windows desktop.
• Now, navigate to the folder where your QuickBooks company file is stored.

Note: If you're uncertain about the file's location, you can find it by accessing the "Product Information" screen and selecting the "No Company Open Window."

• Once you've identified your company file's folder, search for the .tlg (Transaction Log) file, which usually shares the same name as your company file. If you cannot locate a file with the .tlg extension, follow these steps to reveal file extensions:
  • Open File Explorer by pressing 'Windows+E' on your keyboard.
  • In the File Explorer window, click on "Organize" and select "Folder and search options."

Note: For Windows 10, 8.1 & 8 systems, click "View" and choose "File name extension."

• Click "Apply" and then click "OK."
• Copy your company file's Transaction Log (.TLG) and paste it into the "QBTest" folder you created in Step 1.
• Access the QuickBooksAutoDataRecovery folder, which is located in the same directory as your company (QBW) file.
• Copy and paste the .QBW.adr file into the "QBTest" folder, ensuring that both the .TLG and .QBW.adr files are present in the "QBTest" folder.

• To finalize the process, right-click on the .QBW.adr file within the "QBTest" folder and choose "Rename."
• To complete the procedure, remove the ".adr" extension from the newly renamed .QBW.adr file

Method 2 – Recover Transactions Using Copied Company and Transaction Log Files

To recover transactions using copied company and transaction log files, follow these steps:

• Open QuickBooks and access the company file saved in the "QBTest" folder.
• Use your account register to ensure all your transactions are present.
• Check the integrity of the recovered file's data by clicking on "File," then "Utilities," and finally selecting "Verify Data."
• If the copied company file in the "QBTest" folder contains the needed data, move the corrupted company file (QBW) to a different location. Then, save the copied QBW file from the "QBTest" folder to the original site.

Now, let's recover all transactions except those from the last 12 hours using the .QBW.adr and .TLG.adr files:

• Start by creating a new folder on your desktop, "QBTest" or a name of your choice.
• Navigate to the folder where the original QBW file is stored and search for the "QuickBooksAutoDataRecovery" folder.
• In the "QuickBooksAutoDataRecovery" folder, locate the .TLG.adr and .QBW.adr files share the same name as your company file. For example, if your company file is named "MyCompanyName.QBW," search for "MyCompanyName.QBW.adr" and "MyCompanyName.TLG.adr."

Note: If you cannot locate the .QBW.adr and .TLG.adr files, it's possible that your files are hidden, and you'll need to reveal file extensions.

• Copy and paste the .TLG.adr and .QBW.adr files into the "QBTest" folder.
• In the "QBTest" folder, remove the ".adr" extension from the end of the Transaction Log and Company file names.
• Open QuickBooks and access your company file, which is now located in the "QBTest" folder. Verify all transactions using your account register.
• Use the "Verify Data" utility to confirm the accuracy of the data in the recovered file. To open this utility, click on "File," then hover over "Utilities," and select "Verify Data."
• If the copy of the company file (i.e., the recovered file) contains all the necessary data, move the damaged QBW file to a different location and save the copy of the QBW file from the "QBTest" folder to its original location.

Exploring Additional Data Recovery Options for QuickBooks

In cases where the QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery feature falls short of recovering lost data, you can turn to SMB Repair for QuickBooks Software. This software provides a comprehensive solution to repair severely corrupted company files (QBW) and backup files (QBB). It can recover all the data from these damaged files with just a few clicks. The software supports QuickBooks versions 2021, 2020, 2019, and earlier versions.

Steps to Retrieve Lost Data using SMB Repair for QuickBooks Software

• Launch the software to open its main interface, providing options to either 'Browse' or 'Find' the corrupted QuickBooks QBW file.
• After selecting the repaired file, click 'Scan.'
• A 'Scan Log' dialog box will appear, presenting details of present and deleted items within the Company, Customers, Vendors, and Employees sections. Click 'OK.'
• The software will preview the recoverable Company file data from your QBW file. Access the respective tabs to review the recoverable data for Customers, Vendors, and Employees. Once you've verified the integrity of the recoverable data in the preview window, click 'Save' to store the recovered file.
• In the 'Save File' window, click 'Browse' to choose a location for saving the new company file containing all the recovered data. Alternatively, you can opt for a QuickBooks backup file (QBB) to enhance data recovery.
• Finalize the process by clicking the 'Save' button. The recovered file will be saved at the designated location.

Final Word

Auto Data Recovery, an integrated feature in QuickBooks Desktop, provides a swift solution for retrieving lost or damaged data from QB files. This feature relies on a Transaction Log (.TLG) file and a backup copy of the Company file (.QBW) to restore recent transactions. In cases where the original.TLG file is unavailable; a combination of the.TLG file copy and .QBW file can be used to recover all data except for the most recent transactions. It's worth noting that ADR requires a copy of your company file and cannot retrieve data from QBB files exceeding 1.5 GB.

For a more versatile and comprehensive data recovery option, consider utilizing SMB Repair for QuickBooks Software. This purpose-built tool can recover data from corrupted QBW and QBB files, ensuring a reliable data retrieval process regardless of their size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Intuit QuickBooks Data Recovery Service?