If your bank connection keeps breaking with the message "there were problems with the account at your financial institution," it's usually because the list QuickBooks uses to talk to banks (the financial institution directory) is out of date, or there's a login snag with your browser during setup. Here's how to work through it, step by step, for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac.
Before you start
Quickly confirm these basics. They clear up a good chunk of connection issues on their own:
- You've backed up your company file.
- Your computer has an active internet connection.
- You're on the latest release of QuickBooks.
- You can log in to your bank's website with no issues.
- Your bank hasn't reported a server outage.
- Your account number and routing number in QuickBooks are correct.
Step 1: Refresh the financial institution list
This list is supposed to update automatically with each release, but sometimes it doesn't refresh the way it should. That's often what's behind a connection that keeps dropping after an update.
- Go to File, then Close Company.
- Press Command + 1 to open the Product Information window.
- Select the Logging tab, then select Delete FiDir.
- Close and reopen QuickBooks.
- Open your company file, go to Banking, then Online Banking Setup, and reconnect your account.
If the connection still drops, move on to step 2.
Step 2: Switch to Chrome if you're hitting login errors during setup
Chrome tends to work more reliably with banks during bank feed setup than other browsers.
- Go to the Apple menu, then select System Settings.
- Select Desktop & Dock.
- Set your default web browser to Google Chrome.
- Open your company file, select Banking, then Online Banking Setup, and try connecting again.
Step 3: Test with a new company file to narrow down the cause
If it's only happening in specific company files, this step tells you whether the problem lives with your bank's servers or with the account setup itself.
- Go to File, select New Company, and create a test file.
- Add the account that's been giving you trouble to the Chart of Accounts.
- Set up online banking for that account, then download transactions.
If the download fails here too, the issue is on your bank's end, so head to step 4. If it works, here's how to rebuild the account in your original file:
- In the Chart of Accounts, edit the problem account and add an asterisk to the end of its name.
- Under Online Settings, set Download transactions to Not Enabled, then select OK.
- Create a new account using the original name, without the asterisk.
- Close and reopen the company file, set up online banking on the new account, and download transactions.
- Once that works, merge the old account into the new one.
Step 4: Loop in your bank or QuickBooks Support
Some connections need a hand from your bank or from a support expert who can dig into the account itself.
- Call your bank and ask for someone familiar with QuickBooks Bank Feeds, and confirm your account is activated for the service you need. All US and Canadian banks that support QuickBooks Online Banking have an escalation path called the Online Connectivity Group.
- If none of the steps above resolve it, collect your bank feed logs so a support expert can troubleshoot with you:
- Go to Help, then Product Information (Command + 1), select the Logging tab, and turn on Enable OFX Logging.
- Repeat whatever steps caused the error.
- Go to File, then Close Company.
- Open Product Information again, go to the Logging tab, and select Collect All Logs. You'll get a zip file on your desktop to share with support.
Bouncing between disconnects and reconnects over and over is frustrating, especially once you've already ruled out the obvious stuff. Working through these steps in order usually narrows it down to something you can fix directly, or gets it into the right hands if it's on your bank's side.
Resource: Fix online banking issues in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
