Guide to Fix QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer

Last Updated on August 23, 2024

Undoubtedly, QuickBooks is the best and the most commonly used accounting software worldwide. However, it requires numerous background services and processes to function efficiently. One of the critical QuickBooks services is QBCFMonitorService. This is referred to as QuickBooks Company File Monitoring Service, executed from the qbcfmonitorservice.exe file. Usually, you can find the file related to the service inside the “C:\Program Files\Common File\Intuit\QuickBooks” folder. “QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer” error message appears when a user tries to run QuickBooks Database Server Manager to set up multi-user mode. However, when you check the service status in the service window, you will find the service running without issues. You might need to apply multiple fixes to eliminate the “QBCFMonitorService Not Running” error message. Follow the complete article for more details on the causes and troubleshooting solutions to fix the error.

Has your QBCF Monitor service failed to start, troubling general business operations? Get in touch with our Support team at 1.855.738.2784  now and receive professional attention to the issue.

QBCFMonitorService not Running on this Computer Error- EXPLAINED

QBCFmonitorservice is a QuickBooks Desktop program file executed from the QBCFMonitorService.exe file from the QuickBooks installation directory. This process helps QuickBooks run in Multi-user mode and allows workstation computers to connect to the server’s company file.

When this process fails to run on your system, QuickBooks struggles to connect to the company file, triggering an error message that reads, “QBCFMonitorservice is not running on this computer.” This article will explain the causes of the error and provide some simple solutions for fixing it.

What Triggers QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer Error Message

QuickBooks could display the “QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer” message for several reasons. One of the major causes of errors related to QBCFMonitorService is Windows Defender and third-party firewall applications that restrain QuickBooks connection to the company file stored on the server. Check out some more reasons why the QBCF Monitor Service stopped working below:

1. QuickBooks installed on the server is not correctly set up to host company files in a multi-user environment.
2. For some reason, QBCFMonitorService is not running or has stopped on the server hosting the company file.
3. The QuickBooks Database Manager Service file (qbcfmonitorservice.exe) is deleted from the server.
4. You are using an outdated QuickBooks Database Server Manager version on your Windows computer and the server. (Install and Update QuickBooks Database Server Manager Now)
5. The firewall has blocked QuickBooks Database Server Manager, so the QBCF monitor service keeps stopping.
6. Windows registry errors can also be a reason for the QBCF monitor service to stop working.
7. QBCF Monitor Service failed to start because of a malicious attack by a virus or malware.
8. An installed program may conflict with the QBCF Monitor service, causing trouble when opening it.

NOTE: If under the event log, the QBCFMonitorService.exe application gives an error description, “The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception,” then Install the Latest QuickBooks Updates.

How to Eliminate QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer Error Message

Solution 1: Verify QuickBooks Multi-User Hosting Set up on the Server

You will obviously face issues accessing the file saved on the server if the hosting is disabled. We will verify the hosting setup and reconfigure it with the instructions below if required.

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop and click the File tab.
2. Move your mouse cursor over the Utilities option.
3. Select the option that says Host Multi-User Access.
   
4. Click Yes once you get the confirmation box on the screen.
5. Make sure you are activating hosting only on the server.
6. Make sure that the Multi-user Hosting is not running on any workstation computers.
7. To verify, open QuickBooks and go to the File tab.
8. If you see the option “Switch to Single-User mode,” it means QuickBooks is running in multi-user mode, and no further action is required.
9. If you see the  Switch to multi-user mode option, click it to enable hosting on the server.
10. Now, check all the workstations and ensure none is set to host the company file.

If reconfiguring the hosting does not help resolve the issue, follow the next troubleshooting solution and fix problems with QuickBooks Database Server Manager.

Step 2: Install the Updates of QuickBooks Database Manager Server

In contrast, an outdated QuickBooks Database Server Manager is a prominent reason you can’t access the company file. Follow the instructions below and refresh and update the database server manager to resolve the issue.

1. Follow the link and check out the latest release of the QuickBooks Database Server Manager for your QuickBooks version.
2. QuickBooks 2022 R16_35
3. QuickBooks 2023 R13_35
4. QuickBooks 2024 R8_31
5. Now, proceed with the installation if you do not have the latest updates and patches installed.
6. Once the latest version is installed, launch QuickBooks, go to the Help tab, and click Update QuickBooks.
   
7. Checkmark all the QuickBooks features and releases under the Update Now tab.
8. Click the Get Updates option and wait until the application downloads all available updates.
9. Make sure to restart the server and workstations after installing the QuickBooks updates.

If this didn’t help fix the QuickBooks 2022 server not running problem, jump to the next solution.

Step 3: Set up QuickBooks Database Manager Service

QuickBooks Database Server Manager must be set up to run automatically. Every time you restart your Windows, QuickBooks Database Server Manager will stop working if it is not set to run automatically. We will try to reconfigure the database server manager service with the instructions below and see if this resolves the error.

1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard and type services.msc in the Run box.
   
2. Finally, click OK or hit Enter.
3. Search for the QuickBooks DBXX service in the list of services so that we can change its properties.
4. If you find the service status as stopped, right-click the service and select Properties.
5. Under the General tab, change the Startup Type to Automatic from Manual.
6. Go to the Log On tab and select Local System Account from This Account.
7. Move to the Recovery tab, and from the drop-down list of the first failure, second failure, and subsequent failure, select Restart the Service.
8. Finally, click Apply and OK.

Retry accessing the company file to see if this solution eliminates the ‘QBCFMonitorService Not Running’ error message. If not, follow the solution below to fix issues with the Windows and third-party firewall installed on your system.

Step 4: Configure Windows & Third-Party Firewall

For detailed instructions on configuring Windows Firewall and assigning proper ports to QuickBooks, follow our guide: Fix Windows Firewall Is Blocking QuickBooks Issue through Easy Steps.

IMPORTANT: After reinstalling QuickBooks Database Manager, ensure the server computer and the workstations can communicate. You can do this by sending a ping command to the server computer.

1. Go to the server computer and open the command prompt by running the CMD command using the Run dialog box.
2. Type IPConfig, press Enter, and you will get the IP address of the server computer.
3. Now go to the workstation affected by the error and open the command prompt window.
4. Type PING (Server’s IP address) and press Enter to check the connectivity.
5. After you run the above command, your workstation will send four data packets to the server to verify whether it receives all of them.
6. If the server receives all four data packets, it will send the status back to you.
7. Finally, if the status shows you a packet loss, there are issues in the network configuration that you will need to fix.

Follow the article How to Ping a Computer for more info.

Step 5: End QuickBooks and QBCF Monitoring Service

Restart the QBCF Monitoring Service with the following steps:

1. Begin by exiting the QuickBooks application.
2. Hold the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys together to launch the Task Manager.
3. Move the cursor to the Processes tab.
4. Right-click the QBCF Monitoring Service in the list and choose the option that says End Task.
5. Hit the ‘Yes’ option to confirm the changes and move forward.
6. Now, open the QB application to see if the QBCF Monitoring Service starts working again.

Solution 6: Run QuickBooks as a System Administrator

You need access to the system administrator account to run crucial program operations. You can also perform the same if your user account has admin-level access. If you are not currently logged in as a system administrator, or your user account does not have the required admin rights, follow our guide on How to Create or Add a User with Administrator Rights on Windows. Once created, log in with this admin account and retry accessing the company file to check if the error is resolved.

On the contrary, if you are still having problems accessing the company file on the server and if QuickBooks is still displaying QBCFMonitorService Not Running On This Computer, you might need to reinstall the complete QuickBooks Desktop application using the QuickBooks Clean Install Tool. If you don’t feel comfortable implementing the troubleshooting solutions mentioned in this article, you can always reach us at our Number, 1.855.738.2784, for immediate help and support.

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Edward Martin

Edward Martin is a Technical Content Writer for our leading Accounting firm. He has over 10 years of experience in QuickBooks and Xero. He has also worked with Sage, FreshBooks, and many other software platforms. Edward’s passion for clarity, accuracy, and innovation is evident in his writing. He is well versed in how to simplify complex technical concepts and turn them into easy-to-understand content for our readers.