QuickBooks Desktop File Types and Extension – Overview

Published by John Smith at November 19, 2018

QuickBooks File Extension used in QuickBooks for Windows

For QuickBooks Windows, use the following file extensions

QuickBooks Working Files

EXTENSION NAME	THE FILE TYPE	DESCRIPTION
‘AIF’	This is the Accountant’s review copy (the import file)	The file is created when the Accountant’s copy is exported to import it to the user’s company file.
‘. BDB’	The Timer Back-up file	This is the backup file created when the user backs up time-data in ‘QuickBooks Pro Timer.’
‘.BMP’	The Windows Bitmap file	The files store/contain “bit-mapped images” used by QuickBooks
‘. BPW’	The Business Planner file.	This file is not backed up with the company file, In fact, you need to copy this backup separately.
‘. DES’	The Form design template file	You can create this file at the time of exporting a form design in the templates list in a like manner.
‘. DOC’	The Word Documents	These documents are used to “write letters” function/action.
‘. IIF’	The Intuit Interchange Format file	It lets you import & export lists/transactions via text files with an ‘. IIF’ ext. Using the ‘. IIF’ files are not recommended. Instead, QuickBooks SDK should be used to read and write data for QB and other apps.
‘. INI’	The Configuration file	This file lets you support “Online Banking.”
‘. LDB’	The MS Access file for Timer data.	This is an MS Access file required for the “*. TDB file”.
‘. LGB’	The Little Green Box	.The LGB file contains encrypted info related to user-names & passwords. The file is used when an SDK app is connected to a company file and has to be opened in an unattended mode. You require a user name and password to open the connection with the “Sybase server.”
‘. LMR’	The Loan Manager Data	The file is made by the “Loan Manager” and stores info related to loans. You have to separately copy this file to the backups, as it is not backed up with the company file.
‘. ND’	The QuickBooks Network Data File	This is a configuration file that allows access to the QuickBooks company file. Equally, you have to keep this file and ensure that it does not get deleted.
‘. NPC’	The Online Banking File (obsolete)	The file is an online banking format used by former QB versions and was superseded by “OFX” format. Financial institutions don’t support it in the long run.
‘. QBA’	The Accountant’s review copy (working copy)	The accountant usually restores a QBX file, and the file is given a.QBA extension.
‘. QBA.TLG’	The Transaction Log file (for the accountant’s review copy)	On the Whole, when you back-up the accountant’s review copy, QuickBooks initiates a log of transactions that continues form the last time you did a back-up. In either case, you might lose your data it can be recovered with the help of this “Transaction log file.”
‘. QBB’	The QuickBooks backup file	It is the QuickBooks Company backup file. In like manner, if you want to open the ‘. QBB’ file -navigate to File menu & click Restore.
‘. QBI’	The QuickBooks image file	The image file will hold transactions until the time you transfer them to the hard drive. The file stores the memory-resident changes to the data file. Once you close the company file, the “. QBI” file will be automatically deleted. If you encounter a QBI file when QuickBooks is not running, it probably means that QB crashed when you had a file open. Do not remove and keep the QBI file when the QBW file is open in QuickBooks.
‘. QBM’	QuickBooks Portable Company File (2006 v and above).	This file is smaller than the QBW or QBB file and contains all the data. In like manner, it doesn’t store the database indexing. The file is useful for transferring the data file via the internet as the data size is smaller than any other file type.
‘. QBO’	The Web Connect file.	The file is known as “Web Connect Online Banking download file.” You download this file from the bank while using the “Web connect method” for Online Banking.
‘. QBW’	QuickBooks for Windows company file	Moreover, it is a primary file type for the QuickBooks Company File.
‘. QBW.TLG’	The Transaction Log file (for the QuickBooks company file)	In the same way, you can retrieve lost data for the QuickBooks Company file from this file extension.
‘.QBW192.168.X.XXmta’	The Temporary Database File	This is a temporary file made by the “Database Manager” while opening the company file. The time you open the main file, the temporary file will be deleted.
‘. QBX’	The Accountant’s review copy (export file)	When you generate an “accountant’s review copy” of the QuickBooks Company file, QB generates an accountant’s review copy with a ‘.QBX’ extension.
‘. TDB’	The QuickBooks Pro Timer files.	In the QBTIMER directory, there is a “Time tracking data from the QuickBooks Timer.
‘Archive Copy XX/XX/200X ABC.QBW.’	The Archive copy of the data file	The file is made when you condense a data file in QB. In fact, a separate QBW file is made with the name “Archive Copy XX/XX/200X followed by the QBW file name. The file is an exact copy of the company file before condensing. You can use this file to view info that was present in the unmodified file.
‘CONNLOG.TXT’	The Connection Log file	This is the “Online Banking Connection log file” that has a log of each connection for the Online Banking.
‘DownloadQBXX folder.’	The Download folder	QuickBooks create this folder to store the updates that will download at the time of using “Update QuickBooks” function.
‘Images Folder’	The Images folder	It stores “ temporary copies’ of images used by QuickBooks.
‘Inet Folder’	The Inet	you are unable to use this file extension further. you can use this extension to store QB license information.
‘QBInstanceFinder’	The Instance Finder file	The file is no longer used by QB. You can delete the file, though it might again come up in some versions of QB.
‘QBrestor.TMP’	The Temp restores the file.	The file is made while restoring the QBB file that was deleted automatically during the restore process.
‘Qbwin.log’	The QuickBooks Log file.	The file is created/ updated when you run verify/ rebuild option. Additionally, it helps to find “Log Problems and situations corrected.” they both are equally important. you can store it in the QB Installation directory.
‘QuickBooks Letters Templates folder.’	The Letters Folder	The folder contains the ‘word document templates” for QuickBooks ‘ write letters function uniquely.
‘Temp1234.qbt’	The Temp rebuild file.	Once the rebuild gets finished, this file extension can be created during “Pass 1 of the rebuild” & is deleted altogether automatically.

QuickBooks Statement Writer Files

These include the following QuickBooks file extension –

*.QSM – QSW Statement file
*.QSS – QSW Appearance file
*.QST – QSW Template file

Also Read – Steps to Convert QuickBooks File from Mac to Window

Fixed Asset Manager Files

Given these points, including the QuickBooks file extensions –

*.Fx0 – Compressed FAM data file. Stores asset data
*.Fx1 – Stores system data
*.Mx0 – Header file
*.FPx – Stores report data
*.FXR – FAM backup sync log file
*.FIM – Stores CSV import data headers

QuickBooks file extension used in QuickBooks for Mac

For QuickBooks Mac, you can use the following QuickBooks file extension

*.QB2016 – QuickBooks 2016 for Mac company data file.
*.QBB – Windows compatible QuickBooks for Mac backup file.
*.QBMB- QuickBooks for Mac disk backup file. This is for QuickBooks for Mac 2012 and earlier.
*.DMG – QuickBooks for Mac 2013 and later use the Apple disk image to create backups.
*.plist- Preference files that store registration and any preferences set within QuickBooks.

For efficient and full utilization of the QuickBooks software, However, it is essential to know different QuickBooks file types that are available. In conclusion, if you face difficulty in understanding and using any of the above extensions, immediately get in touch at our QuickBooks Desktop Support Phone Number 1-888-502-0363.