QuickBooks Error Code 31 (SE_ERR_NOASSOC) is one of those errors that can show up in several different situations during installation, while updating, or simply when trying to open a payroll report in Excel. The name itself gives you a clue: “SE_ERR_NOASSOC” is a Windows error code that means no program is associated with the file type QuickBooks is trying to open in most cases, that’s the Excel file format for payroll reports.
It can also be triggered by a damaged Microsoft Office installation, a conflict with recently installed software or security programs, or a mismatch between QuickBooks report layouts and Excel. The good news is that it’s fixable through a straightforward set of steps. For immediate help, our QuickBooks Error Support team is available at +1-888-510-9198.
Read Also: What are the important tips for QuickBooks bank reconciliation?
What is QuickBooks Error Code 31?
This error mostly appears while opening payroll reports in Excel. Other occasions when this issue may crop up are when you install the software, update it, launch it, sync it, try to open it, delete or remove a file, export a file, print something, or import or add accounts on Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10. A malicious software, corruption in software, or hardware malfunctioning may trigger this error.
Another major reason behind the occurrence of this error may be the lack of affiliation in QuickBooks report layouts and Excel. A damaged Microsoft Office establishment may also cause Intuit QuickBooks Error Code 31.
Steps to Troubleshoot Intuit QuickBooks Error Code 31
This article is aimed to assist you fix QuickBooks Error Code 31. Here are the steps you can follow (in the given order) to resolve this issue.
- The very first step is to find out the reason of this error and that may be with computer equipment, windows, internet connection, security software, or with any third-party software.
- To start with, you can check if the Windows operating system is working properly. If your Windows OS is not updated, it may create issues.
- Remove all security software that you may have installed recently.
- Turn off the Firewall.
- Ensure that you haven’t opened any other application while you are trying to fix Intuit QuickBooks Error 31.
- In case the application was working fine lately with your security software, check if the security software is updated.
- Remove or uninstall and application or software that you have installed of late.
- Make use of Windows Explorer to explore the file where error message is found.
- Now, double-click the file where error message is found, and you will receive a prompt requesting you to choose a program to connect the file.
- Select Excel and click Ok to connect the format with Excel and you should be able to successfully open the payroll report.
Winding Up!
Steps 9 and 10 together using Windows Explorer to locate the file and then double-clicking it to manually set the program association resolve Error 31 for the vast majority of users since the root cause is almost always the missing Excel file association. Steps 1 through 8 are the diagnostic layer that rules out security software conflicts, OS issues, and competing applications before you get there.
If the error keeps coming back even after setting the Excel association, a damaged Microsoft Office installation is likely the next thing to investigate repairing Office through the Control Panel is usually the cleanest fix for that. Our QuickBooks Error Support team is available at +1-888-510-9198 around the clock if you need guidance.
FAQs Related to QuickBooks error 31:SE_ERR_NOASSOC
You can run QuickBooks install diagnostic tool to fix common install issues using the steps below:
Open QuickBooks tool hub and further choose installation issues.
2. You then have to choose QuickBooks install diagnostic tool
3. After the tool finishes, reboot the system and start QuickBooks and further open the data file.
You need to first move to bookkeeping and choose transactions. After that go for bank transactions. Also, choose update now link from the Let’s fix this bank connection banner. And perform the onscreen prompts to update the connection.
You can check for multiple host computers and stop hosting on all workstations.
1. The first step is to open QuickBooks.
2. And then, from the file menu, choose utilities tab.
3. Also, close QuickBooks.
4. Repeat the steps above on all workstations that do not host the company file.
5. The last step is to open QuickBooks try doing the task that caused the issue.
The first step is to move to the file menu and further hover over the utilities tab. You can also choose the rebuild data option. And perform the necessary fixes for the same.
Error 31 (SE_ERR_NOASSOC) appears when Windows can’t find a program associated with the file type it’s trying to open and since QuickBooks payroll reports are designed to open directly in Excel, if the .xls or .xlsx file type isn’t correctly associated with Microsoft Excel on your system, QuickBooks throws this error when it tries to hand the report over. Other file types within QuickBooks that don’t require external program associations won’t trigger this same error.
In many cases, yes particularly when the cause is a damaged Office installation rather than a simple file association issue. Repairing (or if necessary, reinstalling) Microsoft Office re-registers the Excel file associations with Windows and gives QuickBooks the correct path to launch the application. Before doing a full reinstall, try the Office Repair option first through Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change > Repair, as it’s a less disruptive fix.
Yes, absolutely some programs (particularly other office suites, PDF readers, or file management tools) can silently change default file associations during installation, setting themselves as the default for .xls or .xlsx files instead of Excel. When that happens, QuickBooks tries to open a payroll report in Excel but gets redirected to the wrong program, triggering Error 31. Steps 7 in the guide (remove recently installed software) and Step 10 (manually re-associate the file with Excel) together address this exact scenario.
Few other helpful articles:
QuickBooks File Doctor tool to Repair Damaged Company Files
Fix QuickBooks Unrecoverable Error
Steps to disable merchant services in QuickBooks desktop for MAC
