Quick answer

QuickBooks Database Server Manager shares your company files with other computers on your network. It installs with QuickBooks Desktop, runs on the server as the QuickBooksDB service, writes the .ND file that workstations read, and scans the folders that hold your company files. Install it only on the computer that stores the files, scan every folder that contains a .QBW file, and let the scan repair firewall permissions automatically.

What QuickBooks Database Server Manager does

QuickBooks Database Server Manager is the tool that lets other computers reach a company file stored on one machine. Windows knows it as QBServerUtilityMgr.exe. It runs on the server — the computer that stores the .QBW — and manages the database service that serves the file to workstations over your network.

The tool also creates the .ND file (the network data file QuickBooks uses for multi-user access) in the same folder as each company file. That 1 KB text file records the server address and port QuickBooks should contact, which is why a damaged .ND stops a workstation from opening a healthy company file.

If only one person opens the file, you do not need the tool. It ships inside the QuickBooks Desktop installer and updates with QuickBooks Desktop.

TabWhat it showsWhat it is for
Scan FoldersFolders you added and the company files found inside themAdding folders and running scans
Monitored DrivesThe local drives Database Server Manager watchesAvoiding manual rescans when files move
Port MonitorThe port assigned to each QuickBooks versionChecking firewall exceptions and port renewal
SystemWhere the tool is installedConfirming version and install path
Database ServerLive service status and connected usersVerifying hosting is working

Before you install: server checklist

Back up the company-file folder first. Copy the entire folder that holds the .QBW and its support files to an external drive or another computer before you change network settings, services, or ports. Network changes are reversible; restoring the wrong snapshot over live data is not.

  • Identify the server. It must be the computer that stores the company files. Installing Database Server Manager on a workstation creates a second host and breaks multi-user access. On a peer-to-peer network, the host is whichever workstation stores the file.
  • Use an administrator account. Installation and service changes need Windows admin rights.
  • Close QuickBooks and other programs on the server before you run the installer.
  • Plan for one host per version. Hosting settings are stored per QuickBooks version.
  • Give the server a fixed address. Reserve a static IP or a DHCP reservation so the address recorded in the .ND file stays valid.

If you host more than one QuickBooks version, install the oldest version first and finish with the newest.

Common reasons Database Server Manager scans fail

  1. The QuickBooksDBXX service is stopped. Nothing is scanned or served while it is down, often after a Windows update or an unclean shutdown.
  2. The service account lacks folder permissions. The installer creates a Windows user such as QBDataServiceUser33, and it needs Full Control on the company-file folder to return scan results.
  3. The files sit on storage QuickBooks cannot host from. You cannot monitor mapped drives, and Intuit does not support Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices. Sync folders such as OneDrive lock files while they upload.
  4. The company file is open or locked. Close QuickBooks on the server and end lingering QBW32.exe processes in Task Manager.
  5. Firewall or antivirus interference. The database service needs inbound and outbound access, and a scan normally repairs those rules.
  6. Wrong folder or version. A folder with no .QBW in it, or one holding a different version's files, finishes empty.

How to install Database Server Manager on the server

1

Run the installer and choose a network install

Open the QuickBooks Desktop installer (Setup_QuickBooks.exe) on the server, enter your product and license numbers, and choose Custom or Network Options — not Express. Then pick the setup that matches the server:

  • I'll be using QuickBooks Desktop on this computer AND I'll be storing our company file here — installs the full program plus Database Server Manager. Intuit recommends this option.
  • I will NOT be using QuickBooks Desktop on this computer — installs Database Server Manager only, also called the Server Only option.

Select Next, then Install, and allow the installation when Windows prompts. Repeat for each version you host, oldest first.

2

Confirm the service and give the service account access

Open the Start menu, type services.msc, and find QuickBooksDBXX, where XX is the two-digit version number. QuickBooks 2024 uses QuickBooksDB34, for example. Set Startup type to Automatic, open the Recovery tab, and choose Restart the Service for the first, second, and subsequent failures. Start the service if it is not running.

Next, right-click the company-file folder, open Properties → Security → Edit, select the matching QBDataServiceUserXX account, and allow Full Control. On the Sharing tab, give the same account Full Control over the share. This one check resolves a large share of "the scan found no files" reports.

How to scan folders and monitor drives

3

Scan the folders that hold your company files

From the Windows Start menu, search for Database and open QuickBooks Database Server Manager. On the Scan Folders tab, select Browse, choose every folder that contains a .QBW file, and select OK. Then select Start Scan.

When the scan finishes, the folders appear under QuickBooks company files found and the files become available to workstations. You only need to scan a folder once.

4

Monitor the drives so you do not rescan later

Open the Monitored Drives tab and select the checkboxes for the local hard drives that hold company files. Monitoring tells Database Server Manager to watch those locations, so when someone moves a company file you do not have to rescan by hand.

You cannot monitor mapped drives. If your files live on a network location, keep them on a drive physically installed in the server and share the folder instead.

Firewall auto-repair and ports

5

Let the scan repair firewall permissions

QuickBooks Database Server Manager repairs firewall permissions automatically during a scan. The scan opens the ports the database service needs and creates the matching Windows Firewall rules for you.

To confirm the port, open the Port Monitor tab and note the number for your version. QuickBooks Desktop 2019 and later use port 8019 plus a dynamic port assigned at installation; older releases used fixed ranges such as 8019, 56728, 55378-55382 for 2018. If you select Renew to change a dynamic port, return to Scan Folders and select Scan Now so the firewall rules are reset. Renewal is only available on 2019 and later.

Verify the .ND file and hosting details

6

Check the .ND file and the server details

Open the folder that holds the company file. You should see a companion file named like YourCompany.qbw.nd. It is about 1 KB and opens in Notepad: it lists the server IP address, server name, QuickBooks version, port, and a hosting flag (1 for on, 2 for off). A file moved without its .ND, or an .ND pointing at an old IP address, is a classic multi-user failure.

If the file is missing or stale, close QuickBooks, rename the old one to .NDOLD, and rescan the folder — the scan recreates it. Opening the company file locally once also generates it. In QuickBooks, press F2 or Ctrl + 1 to open Product Information and confirm the server name and IP address QuickBooks is using.

Troubleshooting a scan that fails or finds nothing

7

Repair a failed or empty scan

Work through these checks in order:

  • Restart QuickBooksDBXX in services.msc and confirm it is set to Automatic.
  • Recheck that QBDataServiceUserXX has Full Control on the folder and on the share.
  • Close QuickBooks, end any lingering QBW32.exe process, and rescan.
  • Rename the .ND file to .NDOLD and rescan so a fresh one is generated.
  • Move the company files off NAS, mapped drives, or sync folders to a local disk in the server.
  • Open QuickBooks Tool Hub → Network Issues → QuickBooks Database Server Manager and run the scan from there.
  • Add QuickBooks folders and executables to your antivirus exclusions if scans keep getting interrupted.

Related error codes such as H202 and H505 almost always mean a workstation cannot reach this service, so repair the scan before you touch the workstations. If files still will not open from other computers, work through multi-user not working checks next.

Why NAS and cloud drives are not supported

Intuit states plainly that QuickBooks Database Server Manager does not support devices like Network Attached Storage (NAS). The database service needs to control file locking on a local NTFS volume, and NAS firmware often implements SMB locking differently. The symptom is a scan that finishes but produces files workstations still cannot open, or error 6000 at open time.

Consumer sync folders are just as risky. OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive lock files while they upload, and QuickBooks needs exclusive access while it writes. Intuit's performance guidance says to store company files on a physical computer, not a service like Dropbox.

Use a local drive in the server or a standard Windows file share, and connect workstations with the UNC path (\\Server\Share\CompanyFile.qbw) rather than a mapped drive letter. For off-site access, use an authorized QuickBooks hosting provider or a terminal server, not a sync folder.

Verify the fix

  1. Open Database Server Manager and confirm the Database Server tab shows the service running and the expected connections.
  2. On each workstation, open QuickBooks and select File → Switch to Multi-user Mode.
  3. Press F2 on a workstation and confirm the server details match the server.
  4. Create a test transaction from a second computer, then delete it.
  5. Make a fresh backup and note the scan date.

Prevention

  • Keep the server powered on and logged in; the Windows account that set up hosting must stay signed in for continuous access.
  • Reserve its IP address so the .ND files never point at an address the server no longer owns.
  • Monitor local drives instead of rescanning every time a file moves.
  • Rescan after moving or restoring company files.
  • Install QuickBooks updates on a schedule you can support, then confirm the service and scan.
  • Keep one host per version, and document which computer hosts in your multi-user setup notes.

Frequently asked questions

Do workstations need Database Server Manager installed?

No. Install it only on the server, the computer that stores the company files. Workstations need QuickBooks Desktop and access to the shared folder; a second copy of the tool creates a second host and errors such as H101 and H505.

Why does my scan find no company files?

The usual reasons are a folder on a mapped, NAS, or sync location; missing Full Control for the QBDataServiceUserXX account; a stopped QuickBooksDBXX service; or a folder with no .QBW file. Check those four in order.

Does QuickBooks need to be open for hosting to work?

No. Once hosting is on, the QuickBooksDBXX service serves the file in the background. The server must stay on and the Windows user who set up hosting must remain logged in, but QuickBooks itself can be closed.

Can I store my company file on a NAS?

No. Database Server Manager does not support NAS devices, and mapped drives cannot be monitored. Keep the file on a local disk in a Windows computer or a supported file share.

Sources & further reading