Recommended (Default) Location to Store Company Files
To store your company files, you can use the recommended (default) location or choose another location. We recommend that you do not store your company files in the Program Files folder.
Note: To accommodate the Windows 8, 7 and Vista operating systems that limits the use of the Program Files folder to QuickBooks program files only. The Program Files folder is no longer a viable location to save data files. You may receive an error “You’ll need to provide administrator permission to copy to this folder” as Windows 8, 7 or Vista even if you are logged in as the administrator. This is because the Program Files folder is now a special folder that allows only certain types of files to be stored within it and this is the error that will appear.
If you already have a company file in the Program Files folder, QuickBooks assists you in moving your company files to a recommended location when you install QuickBooks and when you first open your company file.
Solution Description
Recommended (default) folder location used by QuickBooks for company files
As the default, QuickBooks uses the following locations when creating new company files or moving existing company files:
Windows 8/7/Vista: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\(Shared) Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
Note: Windows XP users see the folder as “Shared Documents” when browsing (clicking folders) but QuickBooks and Windows display the folder only as “Documents” in paths and addresses.