Question

Customer Letters not opening in Word

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
January 17, 2023
15 replies
0 views

I'm trying to create customer letters in QB Desktop and it says it's preparing the letters but word never opens up. I'm currently using Quickbooks Premier Non Profit 2020. I've tried many troubleshooting things, made sure all my settings were correct. I thought maybe it was the template but none of the templates are working.

Any ideas? Input would be appreciated! Thank you

QuickBooks Desktop

M

MMaxwell805

I am having the same problem. Trying to generate customer letters as I have in the past but Microsoft Word never opens. After choosing customers, letter template and entering name and title I hit "next." The hour glass pops up for a few seconds as it seems to be opening Word and generating the form letters but Word never opens nor does Quickbooks move on to the next step of envelopes.

L

LC Casper

I am having the same issue. I used this feature a week ago multiple times with no problems.Suggestions?

Rubielyn_J

Let's work things out so you can proceed in creating a customer letter, @FORDOF, @MMaxwell805, and @MMaxwell805.

Before anything else, may I ask if you received an error message when creating the customer letter? I appreciate any extra information you can give, and it will help us isolate the issue and provide the best solution.

Please be aware that QuickBooks Desktop 2018 to 2020 requires Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, 2016, or even Office 365 (includes 64-bit) when preparing letters. Also, you'll want to ensure that your QuickBooks Desktop is updated and compatible with your Word application.

Then, check the operating system you're using for QB 2020. Here's an article link you can open for your reference: System requirements for QuickBooks 2020 and Enterprise Solutions 20.0.

In the meantime, we can perform the Verify and Rebuild Data tool in your QBDT company. This helps identifies potential data issues within a company and then resolves most data integrity issues.

Here's how:

Choose Window then Close All.
Choose File then Utilities. Select Verify Data.
To rebuild, proceed to the File menu.
Choose Utilities then click Rebuild Data.
You will receive a warning message to back up your company file, press OK.
Select where you want to save your backup, then select OK at the bottom of the QuickBooks Desktop Backup window.
Click OK when you get the message "Rebuild has completed".

If the issue persists after running Verify and Rebuild Data, you can proceed to run QuickBooks Tool Hub to fix issues with QuickBooks Desktop: Repair your QuickBooks Desktop for Windows.

In addition, here's an article to help you in case you encounter issues sending your custom email templates in QBDT: Fix custom email template issues in QuickBooks Desktop.

If you need further assistance create customer letters, feel free to reply below. I'll gladly help you out again. Take care, and have a good one!

K

KS715

I'm having the same issue. I'm using Quickbooks Pro Plus 2022 and have Microsoft Home and Student 2021. I can edit and save the original letter template; however, when I try to create a customer estimate letter, it just spins when I click next instead of opening the word program. I read the suggestions and performed the 'verify' and 'rebuild data' tools within QuickBooks. I also just installed the Quickbooks update, then restarted my computer. I then tried to create the letter again, but it did the same thing. None of my customer letter templates open. Please help!

C

Cla23

Same Issue here, have been using this same feature for years and It suddenly dosn't work. Spent 1.5 hrs with tech support updating quickbooks and using the tool hub with no success. My other computer at a different location with a different version of quickbooks is having the same issue at the exact same time. excel works through quickbooks but just not word.

Daniela_A

We received similar cases about customer letters not opening in Microsoft Word, @Cla23.

Our engineers have been informed are already working on a resolution to address this issue. In the meantime, I recommend calling our phone support again so we can get your contact details. This way our engineers can add your account information to the list of affected users and attach your case to the INV-82335. Any progress will be communicated via email. Please follow these steps to get our contact information:

Open QuickBooks.
Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us.
Select Contact Us.
Give a brief description of your issue, then select Continue.
Sign in to your Intuit account and select Continue and then Continue with my account.
We'll email you a single use code. Enter your code and select Continue.
Select to chat with us or Have us call you.

Visit us again in the Community if you need anything else.

S

SJancc

Any update on this issue? I was able to create letters yesterday, and now today it does nothing. I can still get Word to open to Edit a letter template, but then when I try to create the letters, it doesn't work. I've updated QB, I've restarted my computer, I've run the QB Doctor Tool, etc, etc, etc. Nothing.

N

Nay Hoop

I am having the same issue. Glad to see it isn't me but not surprised it is a QB issue.

I followed the instructions in this message thread. Please don't respond to this message the same way as the other requests. I will not waste my time with a "chat". Been there done that. Don't have time.

I have been using QB for 20 years. This past year has been terrible with support.

I will just wait to see if there is any resolution on this thread. Until then, I will just do it the old-fashioned way.

S

SirielJeaB

Nay Hoop, we appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns in this Community thread. I can see how the tasks you have to finish have been affected by this unusual behavior you are experiencing.

We have received reports about the inability to open Word when creating customer letters. Our engineers are doing their best to resolve this issue as soon as possible. In the meantime, I recommend contacting our live support team to be added to the list of affected users and for the engineers to get some details for their ongoing investigation about the Windows and Office versions your computer is running. You'll also receive updates directly from our engineers.

Once everything's good, you may want to learn how to keep your QuickBooks up-to-date to have the most recent features and product improvements. Please refer to this article: Update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release.

This is not the kind of experience we want you to have, Nay Hoop. Get back to us if there is anything you need help about any QuickBooks-related concerns. We are always here to assist you. Stay safe!

J

joannelj

Also having the same problem. Using Desktop Enterprise Platinum 23, and Word Home and Student 2021. Still works with excel, but doesn't work when I try to create collection letters. The box that says it is creating letters shows for a few minutes, and then nothing happens.

MaryLandT

I appreciate you taking the time to join this thread, joannelj.

There's an open investigation (INV-82335) about Microsoft Word not populating when creating a customer letter in QuickBooks Desktop. I'll let you contact our QuickBooks Desktop Live Team so they can add your account to the investigation. That way, you'll receive updates via email once fixed.

Here's how to get a call or chat with them.

Open QuickBooks.
Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us.
Select Contact Us.
Give a brief description of your issue, then select Continue.
Sign in to your Intuit account and select Continue and then Continue with my account.
- If you don't already have an account, make sure to Create a new account.
We'll email you a single-use code. Enter your code and select Continue.
- If you have more than one account, select the account you want to use and then Continue.
Choose to chat with us or Have us call you.

I'm adding this article in case you need to personalize emails to customers: Create custom email templates in QuickBooks Desktop. It includes screenshots so you know what buttons or items to click.

I want to make sure all your QuickBooks concerns are answered. Please don't hesitate to post here in the Community forum and we're always around to help you. Take care and enjoy the rest of the day.

M

MH142

I have the same problem.

S

smckelvry

I just got off with QB chat & they said there is still no fix for this. 3 plus weeks of this being an issue seems like a long time for a 'quick repair'

B

Bivent

Same problem here, just spent 40+ minutes on phone with support but no fixes yet (call eventually dropped while on hold)

Like every one else I've been through all the steps, what a waste of time!

Using:
Quickbooks Desktop Pro Plus 2022 Release R7P (64 bit)&
Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365) Version 2301 (Build 16026.20200 Click to Run)i.e. latest versions of current software.

J

jpivec

What I find interesting, is even though they know of this problem, they want to walk you through 40+ minutes of stupid stuff that will not fix the problem.

B

Bivent

After spending a useless amount of time on the phone with tech support until the call dropped out (no call back), today, I get an email from Quickbooks, Their Solution:

"One workaround we have seen success with is creating a new Windows user. This issue seems to mainly impact the primary admin user of the computer, so creating a new Windows user could help".

Do the people at Intuit even know how the real world works? (probably a bit harsh)

Creating a new account is not as simple as they make it seem, you have to deal with file and folder permissions and how Quickbooks interacts with Office as well, not something for the faint hearted.

I did like the "concern" they had for the issues I believe they caused quoting message:
"We understand the frustration of not having this function as expected and the importance of getting this resolved as quickly as possible. Please know that we are working to identify the cause and will provide updates if more information becomes available via email. Thank you for your continued patience regarding this issue"

I live in hope of a real solution.

J

jpivec

Tried creating a new Windows user. Had no affect. Really, the fact that QuickBooks support has no idea what is going on and makes suggestions which will not fix the problem. I am so glad that they switched us all to a subscription model so that we can experience how incompetent their support is.

Here is a suggestion, call your programmers, and let them know that Quickbooks no longer can open Word to do batch letters. Tell them you have a lot of customers who after 4 weeks are considering cancelling their subscription and choosing another accounting package.

In the meantime, let the rest of customer support know that this issue hasn't been resolved and stop wasting everyone's time with your incompetence.

D

dhilldjh

I am having the same issue. We went through all of the steps of repairing the database, and verifying versions. I spent hours on the phone with QB support. This was working until sometime in January. We finally tried each of the versions of word we had licenses for: Office Home and Business 2021, 2019, and 2016. When we got back to Office 2013, QB Generate Letters would work again. QB would not generate Letters in any version after Office 2013. We could edit the templates in any version but couldn't use them in versions after Office 2013.

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