14 Nov New File Structure in 2001
With version 2006, Intuit has change the file structure for the QuickBooks products to use a Sybase SQL data base. It is still not an “open API” but the SDK (software development kit) is still available to access much of the data by third party integrated applications. With the change in the underlying file structure, some changes in the size of the file will be noticed.
The following example is for illustrative purposes only using the sample file included with QuickBooks version 2005. Results may vary significantly from one file to another.
QBRA-2005: Ctrl+1, note file size of 6098 KB
QBRA-2005: File > Back Up, note back up size of 1673 KB (qbb is 28% of the qbw file)
QBRA-2006: Convert file from 2005 only, note file size of 10652 KB (58% larger than the same file in version 2005)
QBRA-2006: File > Back Up, note back up size of 7064 KB (qbb is 67% of the 2006 qbw file and 4.23 times larger than the 2005 back up)
While the file size has increased, the information provided from Intuit is that with the change in the data base structure, now bigger is not necessarily bad. With larger files it is still recommended that the client consider Enterprise Solutions since reports will generate 200% faster. Rather than the previous guideline of a file size of 100 MB for the desktop products and 250 MB for Enterprise Solutions, the new recommendation is that Enterprise Solutions is the most appropriate alternative if the file is growing at the rate of 50 MB per year, the client wants improved performance in multi-use mode, more granular permissions are desired, or a VPN (virtual private network) or QODBC requirements are present.