The error message "Cannot connect to QuickBooks. An exception occurred! Type:UTFDataFormatException, Message:invalid byte (') of a 1-byte sequence. SAXParseException…" is indicating that there was a problem when trying to establish a connection to the Halo Accounts Integrator:
The sync tools throws an error as it logs an invalid ASCII character (special character) somewhere in your data. This could be in your customer name, company name, address, etc.
A common example is the curved quote (’) in the company name of the customer in QuickBooks. This will be used as an example. The log below shows the error to be a curved single quote. (’). There is a very minute difference between the closing quote and the straight quote ('). The easiest way to fix this issue is to look for single quotes, delete, and then just put a new single quote from the keyboard, to take the correct ASCII.
Use the following steps to see the records with the incorrect quote.
- Log in to QuickBooks as Admin
- Open Preferences from the Edit menu
- Select Integrated Applications in the list on the left
- Click the Company Preferences tab
- Select HaloPSA and/or QuickbooksConnector and/or Halo Accounts Integrator in the list and click Properties
- Check the Allow this application to access Social Security Numbers, customer credit card information, and other personal data option and click OK to close the properties window
- Click OK to close the Preferences window
- Switch back to QuickbooksConnector and/or Halo Accounts Integrator and Synchronize again
- You will no longer see the error instead you will see the data to be exported, but with a question mark in the names where the invalid character is present
- Open the record where the character is seen and edit the customers with this invalid character
- You have to fix these records and then import to match for an account in HaloPSA
- If you import the data with the question mark, new items will be created in HaloPSA as there is no existing data to match with HaloPSA
Note: when authorizing the change, they will need to click 'Learn more…' to allow for typing 'yes' to authorize.
