Ah..!! Have you gotten stuck again? We know how icky it gets when you’re in full flow of your work and then you are abruptly interrupted with an error.  Well, don’t sweat! Your internet search has guided you to just the right place. Sagenext is an industry leader in QuickBooks cloud hosting and our QuickBooks support team is here to help you in troubleshooting the QuickBooks Error -6189, 816 when you see it in QuickBooks Desktop.

Your accounting data is absolutely safe, rather there is an issue with your multi-user network when you see the message “An error occurs when QuickBooks tried to access the company file (-6189, -816),”  therefore, don’t worry.

Follow these few, utterly simple steps to get your QuickBooks Desktop multi-user network up and running again in almost no time.

Step 1: Download and run QB Refresher

As the first and foremost step, you would have to Run the QBRefresher tool on the computer that you’re having trouble with. What the QBRefresher tool does is that – it closes all the background processes that might be causing the error. It also does a mini refresh of your program files.

  • First, carefully remember to finish any tasks you’re currently working on in QuickBooks before you start to run your downloaded QB refresher file.
  • Then just close all versions of QuickBooks Desktop that might be running on your computer.
  • Followed by that, just double-click the QBRefresher.exe file to run the program and then follow all the on-screen instructions that appear, after which QB refresher should run for about 30 seconds.
  • Once QBRefresher is finished running and setting up, open QuickBooks Desktop again.

Now, If you are still seeing Error -6189, 816, you would want to move on to Step 2.

Step 2: Restart your local systems and servers

Sometimes full resetting of your system is the answer to the error that’s occurring. Follow these steps in order to perform a reset.

  • To get started with this process, you first need to restart the server computer which is hosting your company files.
  • You then have to restart each workstation (all the other computer systems that are connected to the network, that do not host your company files).
  • After that, open QuickBooks Desktop on your server computer.
  • Followed by opening QuickBooks Desktop on each individual workstation.

Upon following these steps, If QuickBooks opens, you’re good to go. But in case you’re still seeing Error -6189, 816, then just move on to Step 3.

Step 3: Getting QuickBooks Database Server Manager installed on your server

If you host your application on your own network, QuickBooks Database Server Manager is an ideal solution that can help you in keeping your multi-user network stable.

  • In case you do not already have QuickBooks Database Server Manager on your server computer, the one hosting your company files,  then you can easily be downloaded. Also, the QuickBooks Database Server Manager doesn’t require a product license.
  • Once it’s installed, open the Windows Start Menu then search for and open  QuickBooks Database Server Manager.
  • Make sure that you update QuickBooks Database Service Manager to its latest version.
  • As the update finishes, restart your server computer and open QB Desktop on your server computer as well as on all the other workstations.

Important: Please note, that if QuickBooks Database Server Manager is installed on any one of your workstations, then make sure that, this particular workstation isn’t set to host your multi-user network.

Step 4: Transfer your company files to your local hard disk

If you still happen to see the Error -6189, 816 and your company file (.QBW) is currently stored on a removable drive or online, then follow these given steps in order to move your files:

You can move your file even if you don’t back it up (but we always suggest backing it up, to avoid any mishaps). Moving the entire folder will not affect your data in any way, but if some files are not carried over, you can just restore them.

  • Start by identifying the location of the file.
  • If your file is open: Press F2 (or Ctrl+1) on your keyboard, and check the precise location from the File Information section.
  • If the file is closed: Open QuickBooks Desktop, where you would be able to see the file path in the No Company Open window.
  • Then just navigate to the desired folder and after doing a right-click select “Copy”
  • Now, just paste the copied folder in your external device, be it a flash drive or a hard drive.
  • Copy the files to the local drive after plugging in your device to the new computer.
  • Now, just launch QuickBooks Desktop, then open your file and voila, you’re done!

A few Important practices to keep in mind

We stand by our promise of being available round-the-clock to attend to the needs of our customers and QuickBooks users, but it is always better to have safe practices when dealing with data, as it is very crucial for us. Let’s get to a few knacks:

  • You should store all the QuickBook files, including your company file on your server computer’s hard drive. Online file hosting services are always convenient, but we should never step back on extra security measures.
  • Refrain from storing files on removable or external drives, because USB flash drives and Network Attached Storage [NAS] devices aren’t primarily designed to run QuickBooks or multi-user networks.
  • Abstain yourself from encrypting your QuickBooks files or the hard drive that is storing those files as this can end up blocking your multi-user network connection.

We hope, our troubleshooting guide would have helped you in getting rid of the error, but for any further support or query feel free to reach out to our QuickBooks customer service phone number- +1-801-610-6141.  Our QuickBooks customer support is always up and running and earnest to solve your queries.