In today’s online economy, many small to medium-sized businesses have found QuickBooks to be a vital part of their everyday operations. However, like any sophisticated software, it is not without its problems. Now and then, it runs into an error that, left unresolved, can seriously mess with your business workflow. Of all the errors QuickBooks might throw at you, one of the most common—and one that frankly doesn’t have a lot of great solutions out there—is an error notification that reads something like this: “QuickBooks found errors when parsing the provided XML data.”
While the message might make you believe that QuickBooks isn’t all that well-equipped to read XML (and you might not be all that far from the truth, given some accounts of the problem), the issue is actually much more complex than that. It’s really about the accounting software’s ability to read your financial data in a way that makes sense to it. As investigative journalism into the problem has shown, the issue really isn’t limited to XML files but is much more broad. It affects other types of files as well that are integral to the operation of the program.
What Is “QuickBooks Found Errors” in Context of “Parsing the Supplied XML”?
On seeing the notification “QuickBooks found errors” linked to the parsing of a supplied XML file, you can be fairly certain that QuickBooks cannot read the data it needs to read, cannot understand the meaning of the data it is reading, or cannot perform the operations it is supposed to perform using the data in the file.
XML, which stands for Extensible Markup Language, is a way of storing data such that it can be moved (or migrated) from one place to another, read, and used (or operated upon) once it gets to where it’s supposed to go. Structure is everything when it comes to XML files; if what is supposed to be inside an XML file is even slightly off, the XML file is no good. QuickBooks uses XML files with a high level of confidence, so if it says an XML file has errors, the file’s certain to have them.
Common Causes of QuickBooks Found Errors in Parsing the Supplied XML
1. Invalid XML Format
Sometimes, the “QuickBooks Found Errors” message appears because the XML file is simply not formatted correctly. Parsing is a delicate task that requires precise conditions to be met in order for the expected outcome (in this case, a successful parsed XML file) to occur. A small mistake, like a missing closing tag or an improperly nested element, can set in motion a sequence of unfortunate events that leads to the failure of QuickBooks parsing the supplied XML.
2. Data Integrity Problems
Parsing errors often originate from the XML file being filled with unsuitable or damaged data. This situation can occur if a third-party system, or an individual, has been less-than-perfect in the creation of an XML file. Sometimes, when data are transferred between systems, format inconsistencies arise that applications like QuickBooks find difficult to manage.
3. Incompatible XML Versions
QuickBooks might expect XML data to be the correct schema or version. If the XML file is made with a version that is newer or older than what QuickBooks can work with, the software might not be able to read it correctly. An XML version that is not in sync with external systems—meaning the same XML file could be read by another program—could cause QuickBooks to make a bumble through a parsing error.
4. Poor XML Encoding
Sometimes, the issue may lie with how the XML file is encoded. If the file is encoded with a character set that QuickBooks doesn’t support, or if there are special characters in it that QuickBooks can’t deal with, you might see parsing errors. This is a problem that often arises when XML files are downloaded or shared all over the globe, between different places that use different encoding standards.
5. Missing Tags or Data Elements
QuickBooks depends on particular tags and elements in the XML file to map and comprehend the incoming data. If vital tags are absent or if they are mismatched to QuickBooks’ data structure, the file will be misread. This frequently occurs with handcrafted XML files and those from third-party services that simply don’t conform to QuickBooks’ data expectations.
How to Resolve “QuickBooks Found Errors” While Parsing the Supplied XML
Understanding the fundamental causes behind the “QuickBooks Found Errors” message for problematic XML files enables us to tackle the real issue with effective solutions. In the following section, we will explore these solutions step by step to ensure that your QuickBooks application can easily and effectively parse and process your XML files without generating the “Found Errors” message.
1. Verify the XML Format
The way to start solving this issue is to look at the format of the XML file. Ensure that the file conforms to simple XML structure and has all the necessary opening and closing tags. There are a number of online services and XML validators you can use to check if the file is well-formed. If the file doesn’t pass their tests, it has structural errors that must be resolved before it can be imported again.
2. Use XML Formatting Tools
Should you be without experience in XML formatting, make use of an XML editor or formatter to resolve any syntax or structural matters in short order. These beneficial tools will locate and point out for you any errors found within your document, such as missing tags or incorrectly nested elements, and will assist you in correcting those matters so that your XML document becomes properly formatted.
3. Validate Data Integrity
If the XML file has been transferred from another system, it is essential to validate that the data within the file is not corrupted or incomplete. To do this, one might need to compare the data in the XML file with the source system to ensure all elements are intact and correct. If a third-party application has been used to generate the XML file, one should consider reaching out to their support team for assistance in ensuring the integrity of the data.
4. Check the Compatibility of XML different Versions
When there is a possibility that the XML file is created from a version that is not compatible, check to ensure that the data is formatted in a way that matches what QuickBooks can read. Although QuickBooks is able to read a number of different versions of XML, you would still prefer to check this first. If your external application does not produce an XML file in a version that QuickBooks can handle, your options are to update that application, disable it, try a different one, or work with some different settings in the application you were already using.
5. Properly Encode the Files
If the problem stems from encoding, you need to make sure your XML file is in a compatible format. QuickBooks supports UTF-8 encoding, so if your file is in a different format — like ISO8859-1 or Windows-1252 — you need to convert it to UTF-8 using one of the many methods available.
Most modern text editors and XML tools can do the conversion fairly easily. If you use Notepad++, for instance, you can use the “Encoding” menu to do the conversion. Use the compatible method you’re most comfortable with, re-import your XML file, and see if the failure message changes.
6. Check That All Tags and Elements Are Present
If the missing tags or data elements are the cause of the error, scrutinize the XML schema or QuickBooks to see if there are any paltry discrepancies.
If you are importing the data, make sure the XML file you are using contains all of the fields and values it needs to import correctly (like customer IDs, transaction dates, and amounts). If the file is short on any of these, you will need to adjust the output from the external system that you are using to generate the XML file or add the content it should have to read it well.
7. Use the QuickBooks Repair Tool
If you’ve verified the structure and encoding of the XML file but are still seeing errors, it might be time to utilize the built-in repair tools that QuickBooks offers. QuickBooks provides several troubleshooting tools that can automatically detect and resolve minor software problems. Using these repair tools may help with issues related to corrupted QuickBooks files or database inconsistencies that sometimes lead to parsing errors.
Conclusion
Encountering “Errors Found in QuickBooks” when attempting to parse the requested XML file can be quite frustrating. With a little forethought, however, we can often sidestep these errors and the headaches associated with them. In this guide, we will explain the common causes of these parsing errors and their straightforward solutions. And we won’t have any issue if our talk turns quite technical along the way!
You can cut down on the likelihood of future errors by doing three things on a regular basis: validating the structure and content of your XML files; ensuring the external systems you work with are compatible with QuickBooks; and using the built-in troubleshooting tools that QuickBooks provides. If you are not using the tools and techniques that QuickBooks suggests, there is a pretty good chance that the structure and content of your XML files are not what QuickBooks expects, which could lead to the kind of error you saw earlier.
Check out: How To Troubleshoot QuickBooks Script Error?