When you connect Sage Expense Management with QuickBooks Desktop, the integration relies on a QuickBooks Web Connector (.QWC) file and an integration password generated during setup.
If the company file path changes, the file is lost, or another administrator needs access, you can regenerate the .QWC file and password directly from the Integrations section.
This article explains how to regenerate the integration file and reconnect it in QuickBooks Web Connector.
Before You Begin
Complete the following checks in order before setting up or reconnecting the QuickBooks integration.
Install and update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release.
If you plan to upgrade your QuickBooks Desktop version, complete the upgrade before setting up the integration, since upgrades may require regenerating the
.QWCfile later.
Download and install the QuickBooks Web Connector version compatible with your QuickBooks Desktop version.
Ensure Web Connector is installed in the same environment where QuickBooks Desktop and the company file are located.
If QuickBooks is hosted (for example on Right Networks), install Web Connector inside the hosted session, not on your local machine.
Confirm that your hosting plan supports Web Connector and third-party integrations.
Close all QuickBooks windows and any existing Web Connector sessions.
Open QuickBooks Desktop as Admin.
Switch QuickBooks to Single-user Mode.
Open only the company file you want to integrate.
Enable third-party integrations in QuickBooks.
Navigate to Edit > Preferences > Integrated Applications > Company Preferences.
Ensure integrations are allowed.
Launch QuickBooks Web Connector as Admin once QuickBooks is fully open and idle.
Ensure the
.QWCintegration file is stored on the same system where QuickBooks Desktop and Web Connector run.For easier management, keep the
.QWCfile in the same folder as the company file.
When to use each option while regenerating the QWC file
When regenerating the QuickBooks Web Connector file, you can either reuse the existing company file path or provide a new one. The correct option depends on whether the QuickBooks company file location has changed.
Use existing company file path | Use new company file path |
The QuickBooks company file location has not changed and you only need to regenerate the .QWC file or password. | The QuickBooks company file location has changed, so the integration must point to the new path. |
- The | - The company file was moved to a new folder or directory |
Note:
You can only reconnect a Sage Expense Management account to the same QuickBooks Desktop company file that was previously connected.
Regenerating the
.QWCfile does not allow connecting to a different QuickBooks company file. Attempting to do so may result in Web Connector errors.If you need to connect Sage Expense Management to a different QuickBooks company file, the integration must be fully reset. Contact [email protected] for assistance.
Remove existing Web Connector entry before re-adding the integration
If you are regenerating the .QWC file and adding it again on the same machine, remove the existing integration entry before adding the new file. If the previous connection is not removed, QuickBooks may treat the regenerated file as a duplicate and return errors.
There are two required steps.
Step 1: Remove the app from Web Connector
Important: Do not skip this step. If the app is deleted from QuickBooks preferences first, it may remain stuck in Web Connector.
Open QuickBooks Desktop.
Sign in to the company file as Admin.
Go to File > Manage Web Apps.
Select the Sage Expense Management app.
Select Remove.
Once the confirmation screen appears indicating the app is removed, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Remove the app from QuickBooks preferences
Go to Edit > Preferences.
Select Integrated Applications.
Open the Company Preferences tab.
Select the Sage Expense Management app.
Select Remove, then click OK.
Open Web Connector and go to Connected Apps.
If the app still appears in the list, select Remove next to it.
After completing these steps, you can proceed with adding the regenerated .QWC file.
Note:
If you are intentionally installing the integration across multiple instances (for example across different environments), you may continue using the same .QWC file and credentials. In this case, ensure that only one sync runs at a time.
Regenerate the QWC file using the existing company file path
Use this option when the QuickBooks company file location has not changed, but you need to regenerate the integration file or password.
Steps
Log in to Sage Expense Management as an Admin.
Navigate to Integrations > Configuration > QWC file tab.
Review the Current company file path displayed.
Under Regenerate QWC file > Choose your next step, select Use existing company file path.
Review the prerequisites and select Mark as done once completed.
Click Continue.
The .QWC file will download automatically.
Add the file in Web Connector
Open QuickBooks Web Connector and follow the steps mentioned here.
Enter the integration password shown in Sage Expense Management.
Click Update Selected in Web Connector.
Return to Sage Expense Management and select Mark as done.
This initiates the connection between Sage Expense Management and QuickBooks Desktop.
Note:
You may encounter the QBWC1039 error: “Unique OwnerID/FileID pair value required” when adding the integration file again on the same computer, even if the previous connection was removed.
If this error occurs, update the OwnerID and FileID values in the .QWC file by following the steps outlined in the QuickBooks Web Connector Error Resolution Guide, and then add the application again to complete the connection.
Regenerate the QWC file using the new company file path
Use this option when the QuickBooks company file has been moved, renamed, or replaced.
Steps
Log in to Sage Expense Management as an Admin.
Navigate to Integrations > Configuration > QWC file tab.
Review the Current company file path displayed.
Under Regenerate QWC file > Choose your next step, select Use new company file path.
Review the prerequisites and select Mark as done.
Click Continue.
Enter the QuickBooks company file path.
Click Download.
Click Next.
The .QWC file will download automatically.
Note:
If you are unsure how to locate your company file path, refer to the steps in this guide before entering the path.
Add the file in Web Connector
Open QuickBooks Web Connector and follow the steps mentioned here.
Enter the integration password shown in Sage Expense Management.
Click Update Selected in Web Connector.
Return to Sage Expense Management and select Mark as done.
This initiates the connection between Sage Expense Management and QuickBooks Desktop.
Important note:
If you are replacing an existing connection Remove the existing integration from QuickBooks Web Connector
Additional resources for troubleshooting
If you encounter issues during setup, refer to the following guides:
FAQs
Will regenerating the QWC file affect my integration configuration?
No. Regenerating the .QWC file only refreshes the Web Connector connection. Existing integration settings remain unchanged.
Can I connect Sage Expense Management to a different QuickBooks company file using regeneration?
No. Regenerating the .QWC file only reconnects Sage Expense Management to the same QuickBooks company file that was previously connected.
If you attempt to connect to a different company file, the integration may fail or produce Web Connector errors.
If you need to connect Sage Expense Management to a different QuickBooks company file, the integration must be fully reset. Contact [email protected] for assistance.
Why do I see errors like “Error connecting to QuickBooks” or “Maximum connection retries exceeded”?
You may encounter messages such as:
Error connecting to QuickBooks
Received another company file
Could not start QuickBooks
Maximum connection retries exceeded
These errors usually occur when QuickBooks and Web Connector are not running in the expected state. Common causes include:
QuickBooks Desktop is not running, not fully initialized, or is stuck in the background.
QuickBooks is opened with a different company file than the one expected by the integration.
Another QuickBooks session or user already has a different company file open.
QuickBooks is running in multi-user mode, or a modal prompt (login, update, restore, certificate) is blocking startup.
Web Connector and QuickBooks are not running with the same permission level (Admin vs non-Admin).
For detailed troubleshooting steps and fixes for these errors, refer to the QuickBooks Web Connector (QBWC) Error Resolution Guide.
Contact support
If you continue to face issues, reach out to us at [email protected].