Here’s How To Fix QuickBooks Compile Error in Hidden Module

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QuickBooks is a highly advanced accounting application tailored for mid and small-sized businesses. It helps to manage the accounting and financial operations and can be integrated with Microsoft Office to expand its functionality for diverse purposes. However, you may encounter occasional issues when utilizing QB with MS Office, mainly after an update. One such error is a QuickBooks compile error in hidden module. QuickBooks mostly gives a compile error every time you perform any action that involves opening Excel because either the office update or QB update has some issues. The compile error in hidden module in QuickBooks can be observed while running Client Ready Reports, generating State W2 – e-file, or exporting payroll reports in QBDT. To understand why you face Excel compile error in hidden modules in QuickBooks Desktop and how to fix it, continue reading this blog.

What Are the Compile Errors In Hidden Module QuickBooks?

The QuickBooks compile error appears when a code in a document is incompatible with the application’s version or architecture. For example, if a code in a document is designed for 32-bit Microsoft Office applications but attempts to run on 64-bit Office, it may lead to this error. It is encountered while exporting Client Ready Payroll Reports in the application and is associated with an error message saying, “Compile error in hidden module: default report.” The compile errors in QB do not let you export to Excel from QuickBooks.

What are the Reasons Behind Excel Compile Error in Hidden Modules?

Before moving ahead with the solutions, let us see why you get the compile error in the hidden module while exporting to Excel in QuickBooks.

This could be due to one of the following reasons:

• Incompatibility between MS Office and QuickBooks can lead to this error.
• You might be using an outdated QuickBooks Desktop version or Excel.
• There are some incompatible add-ons in QB.
• You have not enabled or set up macros in Excel correctly.
• There is some corrupted data in the QB company file.
• Sometimes, antivirus applications on the system can also prevent the export of Client Ready Reports and lead to the compile error in the hidden module.

How Can You Troubleshoot QuickBooks Compile Error In Hidden Module Excel?

Follow the solutions given below to resolve the Compile Error in the Hidden Module and successfully run the Client-Ready Payroll report. These solutions will help you rectify any data damage issues with company files and fix the compatibility issues with QB and MS Office.

Solution 1: Run the Verify and Rebuild Utility in QuickBooks Desktop

You can run the Verify and Rebuild utility from QB Desktop to rectify any data damage issues in your company file that might be causing the compile error in the hidden module.

> Steps to Run the Verify Utility on the Company File Data 

• Open QuickBooks Desktop, go to the File menu, and select the Utilities option.
• Then, click the Verify Data option.
• It will then check your company file and will give any of the following results based on the detailed analysis:

1. QuickBooks detected no problem with your data: This means that your data has no issues, and you do not need to do anything else.
2. An error message: You can get a particular error message that you need to look for and resolve accordingly.
3. Your data has lost integrity: It means that your company file data is damaged, and you need to Rebuild the data to fix it.

> Steps to Run the Rebuild Utility on Company File Data

• Go to the File section, click Utilities, and then choose the Rebuild Data option.
• Then, QuickBooks will ask you to create a backup of your data before it rebuilds your company file. Click OK to create a backup before rebuilding.
• Select the location wherever you want to save the backup and click OK. Make sure not to replace any previous backup file; enter a new name and hit Save.
• Now, it will rebuild your data; once you get the Rebuild has completed message on the screen, select OK.
• Again, go to the File section, select Utilities, and then Verify Data. This step is done to check for additional data damage.

1. If the verify utility finds more damage, then fix it manually. Search for the errors in the qbwin.log and do the required troubleshooting.
2. If it does not find any error, then restore the recent backup. Go to the File section and click Open or Restore Company for this.

Try to perform the same task for which you got the QuickBooks compile error in hidden module. If the error persists, move on to the next solution.

Solution 2: Run Quick Fix My File and QuickBooks File Doctor From QB Tool Hub

These two utilities in QB Tool Hub, Quick Fix My File and QuickBooks File Doctor, also help to fix any data damage in the company files. You just need to download the QuickBooks Tool Hub application on the system to use these.

> Steps To Download And Install QB Tool Hub on the System

For a better experience, try using the Tool Hub application on Windows 10, 64-bit.

• Close the QuickBooks application and download the most recent version of QuickBooks Tool Hub. 
• Save the file somewhere you can locate easily afterward (like your Download folder or Windows desktop). Note: If the Tool Hub application is installed on the system, check its version. Go to the Home tab; the version will be written at the bottom.
• Now, open the exe file (QuickBooksToolHub.exe) that you have downloaded.
• Follow the instructions given on the screen to install it and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
• When the installation is completed, double-click the tool hub icon on the Desktop and open the tool hub.

Note: If you can not find the Tool Hub icon, then search for it in the Windows Start Menu and select the program.

> Steps to Run Quick Fix My File

• Go to the Company File Issues tab from the tool hub and select the Quick Fix My File option.
• Hit OK when it completes the process and launch the QB application.
• If the application displays the QuickBooks compile error in hidden module, proceed to run the file doctor.

> Steps to Run QuickBooks File Doctor

• From the QB Tool Hub application, go to the Company File Issues tab.
• Then, select the Run QuickBooks File Doctor option. The File Doctor tool may take up to a minute to open. Note: If the QB File Doctor does not open, then search for it and open it manually.
• Now, in the File Doctor, you need to select the company file from the drop-down menu. If you do not see your company file listed there, then hit the Browse and Search button to find it.
• Then, select the Check your file option (the middle one) and hit Continue.
• After this, you need to enter the QuickBooks admin password and hit Next.
• The File Doctor tool will then scan your file for any damage; it may take up to 10-15 minutes, depending on your file size. You may get a “scan was unsuccessful message” even if it fixes the issue. However, do not worry; just open QB and the company file after the scan finishes and check again for the compile error. If the compile error persists, move to the next solution.

Solution 3: Ensure the QuickBooks Desktop is Up-to-date

Here’s how you can keep the QuickBooks Desktop application up to date:

•  After logging into QB Desktop, press the F2 or Ctrl+ 1 key to check the current version and release. The current release numbers for each version of QBDT are as follows: QuickBooks 2023 R3_172, QuickBooks 2022 R7_20, QuickBooks 2021 R12_7, and QuickBooks 2020 R16_25.
• To update the QuickBooks Desktop, go to the Help menu and click Update QuickBooks Desktop.
• After this, select the Update Now option and click Get Updates.
• Once done, you need to close and reopen QB Desktop.
• Now, choose Yes when it asks you to install the update.
• At the end, restart the desktop once the installation finishes.

Solution 4: Check for QuickBooks System Requirements

Each version of QB Desktop works best with some specific versions of Microsoft Office. Therefore, if the system requirements for the application are not met, it can give way to QuickBooks compile error in hidden module.

Go through the below-given section to check the system requirements for different versions of QB.

MS Office Requirements for QuickBooks Desktop 2021

QB Desktop 2021 is compatible with the following MS Office applications:

• Office 2019.
• Office 2016 (including Outlook 2016), both 32 and 64-bit.
• Office 2013 and 365 (including Outlook 2013) both on 32 and 64-bit. Microsoft 365 is only supported if installed locally and not the web version.
• Microsoft Outlook 2016-2019, Microsoft Outlook with Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Outlook.com, other SMTP-supporting email clients for emailing estimates, invoices, and other forms.
• Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for preparing letters.
• Microsoft Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for exporting reports.
• Outlook 2019  (32-bit), 2016, or 2013 is needed for Contact Synchronization with Microsoft Outlook. Note: The Contact Sync feature doesn’t work with the MSBusiness Contact Manager Outlook plug-in and thus can cause duplicate records.

MS Office Requirements for QuickBooks Desktop 2022

QB Desktop 2022 is compatible with the following MS Office applications:

• MS Office 2019.
• MS Office 2016 (including Outlook 2016), both 32 and 64-bit.
• MS Office 2013 and 365 (including Outlook 2013), both 32 and 64-bit. Note: MS 365 is only supported if installed locally and not the web version.
• Microsoft Outlook 2016-2019, Microsoft Outlook with Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, and other SMTP-supporting email clients for emailing estimates, invoices, and other forms.
• Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for preparing letters.
• Microsoft Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for exporting reports.
• Microsoft Outlook requires Outlook 2019  (32-bit), 2016, or 2013 for contact synchronization with Microsoft Outlook.

MS Office Requirements for QuickBooks Desktop 2023

QB Desktop 2023 is compatible with the following MS Office applications:

• MS Office 2021.
• MS Office 2019.
• MS Office 2016 (including Outlook 2016), both 32 and 64-bit.
• MS Office 2013 and 365 (including Outlook 2013), both 32 and 64-bit. Note: Microsoft 365 is only supported when locally installed and not the web version.
• Microsoft Outlook 2016-2021, Microsoft Outlook with Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com, and other SMTP-supporting email clients for emailing estimates, invoices, and other forms.
• Microsoft Word 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for preparing letters.
• Microsoft Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 (includes 64-bit) for exporting reports.
• Microsoft Outlook requires Outlook 2021, 2019  (32 and 64-bit), 2016, or 2013 for contact synchronization.

If your Microsoft version is incompatible with QuickBooks, you must upgrade it.

Solution 5: Repair MS Office to fix the Compile Error in the Hidden Module

The QuickBooks compile error in hidden module can stem from the issues in the MS Office. Let us se how to repair the Microsoft Office. 

The steps to access the repair tool vary depending on the Operating systems you’re using.

• Right-click the Start button in the lower left corner and choose the Apps and Features option on the pop-up menu.

• Now, select the Microsoft Office product you want to repair and hit Modify.

Note: This will repair the entire Office suite, even if you only need to repair only one application like Excel. So, if you use a standalone app, then search for that application by name.

• The repair options depend on the copy of the Office version you use, which is either a Click-to-run or MSI-based install. Follow the steps as per your installation type:
• For Click-to-run Type:

1. You will get a window saying, How would you like to repair your Office Programs? 
2. Select the Online Repair option followed by Repair to get everything fixed.
3. You will also see the Quick Repair option here, but it only detects and repairs the corrupted files.

• For MSI-based Type:

1. In the Change your Installation window, click Repair and then Continue.
2. After this, follow the instructions mentioned on the screen to complete the repair process.

Once done, restart your system and launch QuickBooks Desktop again. Check if the QB hidden module compile error is fixed. 

Solution 6: Toggle Windows User Account Controls (UAC) Settings

When you enable and disable the Windows UAC settings, it resets anything that might be blocking the Excel export feature, which consequently can fix the Compile Error in the Hidden Module. The below-given steps work for Windows 7, 8, and 10 users.

• Open the Windows Start menu and search for the User Account Control Settings.
• Then, open the User Account Control Settings from the results.
• Here, select and move the slider to the Never Notify option and hit OK.
• Lastly, restart the system and open the QB Desktop app. Check if the QuickBooks Desktop compile error in hidden module is resolved.

Solution 7: Reinstall QuickBooks and Excel

If repairing the MS Excel or updating the QB Desktop did not resolve the issue, you need to re-install the QuickBooks application and Excel on the system. 

But here’s what you need to do first – 

• First, re-install QuickBooks Desktop.  
• Now, go back to the QB and try exporting a report or performing the same task for which you get the error. 
• If you still get the compile error, you need to uninstall and reinstall MS Excel.
• Once done, remember to restart the system, launch QuickBooks, and check if the issue is fixed.

If the above methods did not resolve the QuickBooks Excel compile error in the hidden module, one needs to try the advanced troubleshooting methods mentioned below. You can also consider taking the help of a QB expert.

Advanced Troubleshooting Solutions to Fix Compile Errors in Hidden Module Excel QuickBooks

The compile error occurs in MS Excel or Word if a compilation error exists in the VBA code inside a protected module. It does not expose the specific compilation error because the module is protected. So, follow the below given advanced solutions to fix the Excel compile error in QuickBooks.

Solution 1: Unprotect the VBA Code Module

• If you have access to the VBA code in the document or project, then you need to unprotect the module and run the code again to check for the specific error.
• If you do not have access to the VBA code in the document, then you need to contact the document author and get the code in the hidden module updated.

Solution 2: Reregister OCX files with the Command Prompt

The compile error can be a result of a Windows update; hence, you can try registering a mscomctl.ocx file to fix it. Here’s how you can register it:

• Press the Windows and X keys on the keyboard and choose the Command Prompt option to run it as an admin.
• Now, if you are using a 32-bit Windows system, type in the following command: regsvr32 -u c:windowssystem32mscomctl.ocx and 

regsvr32 c:windowssystem32mscomctl.ocx

• If you use a 64-bit Windows computer, then provide the following command: regsvr32 -u c:windowssyswow64mscomctl.ocx and 

regsvr32 c:windowssyswow64mscomctl.ocx

Solution 3: Update or Uninstall the Norton Antivirus Software From the System

If you have installed Norton Antivirus on the system, then it might also lead to the compile error in the hidden module. So, to fix it, you must first try to update it. You can check for its updates by pressing the Update Me Now button after opening the Norton dashboard. You can also right-click the Norton Antivirus system tray icon and choose the Norton LiveUpdate option.

If updating the Norton Antivirus does not fix the issue, here’s how you can uninstall it.

• Press the Windows and R keys to open the Run window on the screen.
• Then, type the command appwiz.cpl in the Run window and hit OK.
• Now, from the list of installed applications, choose Norton Antivirus software and click the Uninstall button. Give confirmation to remove the software from the system.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the solutions mentioned above will help you easily resolve the QuickBooks compile error in hidden module error. If you find yourself stuck somewhere, we recommend you connect with our experts at Asquare Cloud Hosting. Dial +1(855)-738-0359 now and speak to our ProAdvisor.