# How to Verify and Rebuild Data in QuickBooks Desktop > Run Verify Data to check a QuickBooks Desktop company file for damage and Rebuild Data to repair it, then read the results and fix errors that remain. - URL: https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/verify-rebuild-data/ - Section: QuickBooks Desktop Guides, Setup, users & reports - Applies to: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, Premier, Pro - Steps checked against: Intuit's QuickBooks Desktop help articles, updated August 2026 - Updated: 2026-10-20 **Short answer:** To verify and rebuild data in QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier or Enterprise, go to File > Utilities > Verify Data. If it says your data has lost integrity, switch to single-user mode and go to File > Utilities > Rebuild Data. Let QuickBooks save a backup first, then wait for the Rebuild has completed message. Run Verify Data again to confirm the repair worked. ## Before you start - Run Verify Data when QuickBooks shows an error or behaves oddly. Intuit's steps for moving Enterprise to a new version also verify the file first. - Rebuild Data needs single-user mode. Verify Data runs in multi-user mode, but others can't work while it runs. - Rebuild makes you back up the file first. Save the backup under a new name, and don't replace an existing backup. - If you use Assisted Payroll, Intuit says to contact it before you rebuild. - Allow time. QuickBooks may say it's not responding during a rebuild. If you can still move the mouse, it's working. We suggest keeping your own backups as well. See how to [back up and restore a QuickBooks Desktop company file](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/back-up-restore-company-file/). ## Step 1: Run Verify Data 1. Go to Window > Close All. 2. Go to File > Utilities > Verify Data. 3. Wait for the result. ### Read the result - QuickBooks detected no problems with your data: the file is clean. You don't need to do anything else. - Your data has lost integrity: QuickBooks found damage. Go to Step 2. If QuickBooks offers Rebuild Now or View Errors, Intuit says to select Rebuild Now. - Any other error message: search Intuit's support site for that exact message and follow its fix. ## Step 2: Run Rebuild Data 1. Make sure everyone else is out of the file, then go to File > Switch to Single-user Mode. 2. Go to File > Utilities > Rebuild Data. 3. When QuickBooks asks to back up the file first, select OK. 4. Choose where to save the backup, enter a new file name, and select Save. 5. Wait for the rebuild to run. QuickBooks may look stuck, but if the mouse moves, it's still working. 6. When you see Rebuild has completed, select OK. ## Step 3: Verify again 1. Go to File > Utilities > Verify Data. 2. If QuickBooks finds no problems, select OK and keep working. 3. If it still finds damage, rebuild again. Two or three rebuilds are normal, according to Intuit. If each verify shows different errors rather than the same ones again, you're making progress, because some problems clear only after others are fixed. If the first rebuild took more than two hours, Intuit says to contact support. ## Step 4: Read the details On Windows, QuickBooks writes messages from Verify, Rebuild and Condense Data to a log file called QBWin.log. Each QuickBooks version has its own log, and QuickBooks starts a new one each time it opens. ### See the last verify or rebuild 1. Open QuickBooks and your company file. 2. Press F2 to open Product Information. 3. Select Review last Verify / Rebuild. 4. Select Expand All to see any errors. ### Open QBWin.log 1. Press F2 or Ctrl+1 to open Product Information. 2. Press F3 or Ctrl+2 to open Tech Help, then select the Open File tab. 3. Select QBWin.log, then Open File. 4. Press Ctrl+F and search for Begin Verify to find the latest check. Not every line is a problem. Intuit says a message that a .LCK file can't be found isn't a sign of data damage. ## An item error you can fix by hand One error Intuit documents involves items on orders: LVL_ERROR--Error: Verify item history Target quantity on order mismatch. A rebuild alone can fix it. If it doesn't, Intuit's manual fix is: 1. In QBWin.log, find the error and note the order, item and quantity it names. 2. Open that order in QuickBooks. 3. Delete the item line shown in the log, not the whole order, and select Save & Close. 4. Reopen the order, add the item and quantity back, and select Save & Close. 5. Run Verify Data again. If the file verifies cleanly but inventory still doesn't agree with the balance sheet, see how to [fix an inventory valuation mismatch](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/fix-inventory-valuation-mismatch/). ## If errors remain after rebuilding Intuit's articles suggest these next steps: 1. Update QuickBooks to the latest release, then rebuild again. Repeat while the errors keep changing. 2. Run QuickBooks File Doctor. Open the QuickBooks Tool Hub, select Company File Issues, then Run QuickBooks File Doctor. 3. Back up the file, then fix the remaining errors by hand. In Verify Results, select Expand All, then See Online Article for each error. 4. Restore a recent backup. Intuit says not to replace your current company file. You'll need to re-enter work done since the backup. 5. Contact Intuit support. Its Data Services team can use Auto Data Recovery on errors the rebuild can't fix. Intuit says it needs at least 48 hours, and fees may apply. Intuit says errors such as Verify Primary: Duplicate transaction number often follow QuickBooks closing unexpectedly, a power outage or a server failure. For the update step, see how to [update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/update-quickbooks-desktop/). ### Errors Intuit calls unrecoverable If any of these errors remain after the steps above, Intuit says to restore an older file or create a new one: - -14113, 0 - -6150, 1006 - C=44 - Database disk image is malformed - Warning, no such table:schemaHistory ## Where QuickBooks Desktop leaves the work to you - Nothing runs Verify Data on a schedule. Someone has to run it and read the result. - Rebuild needs everyone out of the file, so in a busy office it's after-hours work. - Errors that remain point to Intuit articles, but applying each fix is manual. - A restore brings back only what the backup holds. Work entered since then has to be keyed again. - Keeping recent backups you can restore is your job. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What's the difference between Verify Data and Rebuild Data? Verify Data checks the company file for damage. Rebuild Data repairs the damage it can, after making a backup. ### Can I run Rebuild Data in multi-user mode? No, Rebuild Data needs single-user mode. Verify Data runs in multi-user mode, but others can't work while it runs. ### Do I need a backup before I rebuild? Yes, QuickBooks asks you to back up the file before it rebuilds. Save it under a new name so you don't replace another backup. ### How long does Rebuild Data take? It can take a while, and QuickBooks may look frozen while it runs. If the first rebuild took more than two hours, Intuit says to contact support. ### Why does Verify Data still find errors after a rebuild? Some issues only clear after others are fixed, so Intuit says two or three rebuilds are common. If the same errors keep looping, try File Doctor, the error's Intuit article, or a backup. ### Where can I see the Verify Data results? Press F2 in QuickBooks and select Review last Verify / Rebuild. For full detail, open QBWin.log from the Tech Help window. ## Sources - [Intuit: Verify and rebuild data in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/damaged-data/verify-rebuild-data-quickbooks-desktop/L30pINADU_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Fix data damage on QuickBooks Desktop company file](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/damaged-data/fix-data-damage-quickbooks-desktop-company-file/L0JwZv4iw_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Resolve potential data issues in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/damaged-data/resolve-potential-data-issues-quickbooks-desktop/L0VSmlulL_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Features available and tasks you can perform in single or multi-user mode in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/features-available-tasks-perform-single-multi-user/L2OQW4SYg_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Find QBWin.log or QuickBooks.log files](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/data-systems/find-qbwin-log-quickbooks-log-files/L9j1NCsjM_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Fix QBWin.log errors](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/manage-customers/fix-qbwin-log-errors/L13zYwW2e_US_en_US) - [Intuit: QBWin.log: LVL_ERROR--Error: Verify item history target quantity on order mismatch error](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/update-products/qbwin-log-lvl-error-error-verify-item-history/L10sDo3WT_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Error message: connection has been lost in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/uninstall-products/error-message-connection-lost/L2zCuPmBc_US_en_US) - [Intuit: How to fix Error H202 and H505](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/multi-user-mode/fix-error-h202-h505/L6yKdQ6s9_US_en_US) - [Intuit: Update QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise to the latest version](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/install-products/update-quickbooks-desktop-enterprise-latest/L7HvXPpR2_US_en_US)