How to Resolve QuickBooks Error 3140?

QuickBooks is a state-of-the-art software that has made a name for itself in accounting. As one of the most powerful applications, it offers its users numerous benefits, such as improved inventory, scalability, and additional features for easy and fast accounting.

Since it is software, technical difficulties may sometimes occur, especially if the program code needs to be corrected or more accurate data is entered. QuickBooks error 3140 is an example of a standard error. These 3140 error messages can occur at any point in the installation process.

When you are working, the Intuit QuickBooks application is active. The 3140 error occurs when Windows is booting up, shutting down, or using the Windows operating system.

To monitor your expenses more efficiently, you can import and upload invoices from an Excel spreadsheet or text file directly into the QuickBooks business file. For example, this issue can occur when entering sales orders or invoices. 

If you face this problem, please read the full article for detailed troubleshooting information.

Factors contributing to QuickBooks error 3140

Runtime issues, like error 3140, can occur for several reasons. Although this error can occur at any time, there are certain conditions under which it happens more often than others. Below are possible causes of QuickBooks error 3140:

• The software was downloaded and installed incorrectly.
• The program download was corrupted on your system.
• Malware or viruses are attacking due to your system’s firewall protection.
• If the QuickBooks Company file was accidentally deleted.
• Changes to the Windows registry can cause corruption.
• If you use special characters in invoices or product names.
• The data in a QuickBooks file has been corrupted.
• Incorrectly entered control code in QuickBooks.
• In multi-user mode, QuickBooks cannot access the company file stored on the server.

Understand the Causes of Error 3140 in QuickBooks

Below you will find the symptoms of QuickBooks error 3140:

• If you run the same software repeatedly, you will get an error.
• The computer freezes repeatedly, or the peripherals do not respond appropriately.
• The performance of the system is inadequate.
• The system’s Windows crashes repeatedly.

Status Code 3140: An invalid reference to the QuickBooks AR / AP account “###### –

This happens when the receivables and payables in Point of Sale are linked to the wrong accounts. The error message you receive indicates the incorrect setting.

• The document incorrectly references the QuickBooks AR account “###### – #########” This transaction requires the use of the “Accounts Receivable” account.
• The invoice incorrectly references the QuickBooks AP account “###### – #########.” The account that needs to be used for this transaction is Accounts Payable.
• First, start QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale.
• From the File menu, select Preferences.
• Then select Company.
• Select Accounts from the Financials section.
• Once you have confirmed that the accounts are linked to Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, click Save.
• Finally, perform the financial transactions.

Status message 3140: The article non-inventory has an invalid reference to the QuickBooks account “###### – #########.” QuickBooks error message: The expense account is invalid.

This happens when the item account is inactive or destroyed in QuickBooks Finance or when the item account is mapped incorrectly in Point of Sale.

• In QuickBooks Finance, select Chart of Accounts from the Lists menu.
• Click Account at the bottom, and then click View Inactive Accounts.
• If it is inactive, an X will appear next to the name.
• If you right-click the account, click the X button or choose Make Account Active from the menu.
• Perform another money exchange action.

How to fix QuickBooks Error 3140 Accounting Software?

Given below are the troubleshooting methods to resolve QuickBooks Error 3140.

Fix 1: Clean up the junk files first.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to remove junk files from your system:

• First, press the Start or Windows key on your keyboard.
• In the search box.
• Type CMD
• Press the Ctrl and Shift keys on your keyboard simultaneously, then click the Enter key immediately.
• Press the Yes button when the pop-up window appears in front of you.
• A black screen will appear.
• Type “cleanmgr” on the screen and press Enter on the computer to launch CMD.
• The disk cleanup dialog box appears. Select the check box for disk cleanup.
• Click the button OK, once completed.

Fix 2: Install the latest system updates.

To install the latest system updates, perform the following steps:

• Press Start or Windows logo.
• In the search box, Type update. 
• Press Enter.
• When a pop-up dialog box appears in front of you, 
• Click the Install Updates button if an update is available.

Fix 3: Update the system driver.

You can update the system drivers with Windows Update by following the instructions below:

• From the Start menu, select Settings to access the settings page.
• From the list of options on the configuration screen, select Update, and Security.
• Navigate to the Windows Update option and left-click on it to select it.
• You can now check for updates if they are available.

Troubleshooting 4: Create a backup of the QuickBooks-related registry entry

Follow these steps to create a backup of a QuickBooks-related registry entry. Registry files are essential. If any of them a corrupted or damaged, QuickBooks error 3140 might occur.

• Press the start or window key on the keyboard.
• Type the command option in the search area, then press Enter.
• Quickly hit the enter button.
• When the pop-up dialog box appears in front of you, 
• Click the Yes to give authorization.
• The dark box with the blinking cursor will appear on the screen.
• Type Regedit on the screen and press Enter.
• The user selects the error associated with the key in the registry editor. It will assist you in creating a backup.
• After you have performed the previous steps, you can click the Export option in the File menu.
• You can save a folder by selecting it in the Save list.
• You will now need to name your backup file by clicking the Backup File Name button.
• Ensure the Specified Branches option is checked in the Export Area field.
• Select the option to save the file with the .reg extension.
• Now, you can quickly create a backup of your registry entry.

Conclusion
We hope that the information in this post helped you to fix QuickBooks error 3140. However, in rare cases, the user cannot fix the problem. In such cases, you should always seek the help of experts. They will fix the issue in a few minutes so that you can complete your task quickly and successfully.

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