QuickBooks 2005: The Missing Manual

Deleting Files

Although QuickBooks lets you delete transactions (which is risky because doing so makes it easier for people to embezzle), the program doesn't provide a command for deleting company files. If someone else has taken responsibility for your non-profit's accounting or you want to get rid of a practice file you no longer use, it's easy enough to delete QuickBooks files using operating system commands. But you have some housekeeping to do to remove all references to that file from QuickBooks. A company that you delete still appears in the list of previously opened files, as demonstrated in Figure 7-9, but QuickBooks won't be able to find the file if you choose that entry. Here's how you eliminate those stale entries.

1. If you use Microsoft Windows, use Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder that contains your QuickBooks company files. On a Mac, use Finder.

2. Right-click the company file that you want to delete.

   What you look for depends on how you've set up your folder view. If your folder shows the full names of your files, look for a file with a .qbw file extension, such as DoubleTrouble,Inc.qbw. If the folder includes a Name column and a Type column, the type you want is "QuickBooks Company File".

   .qbx file extensions represent accountant's copies. Files with .qbb file extensions are backup copies of your company files. If you delete the company file, go ahead and delete the backup and accountant's copies as well.

3. On the shortcut menu, choose Delete.

   QuickBooks displays ...