Import errors

QuickBooks error OL-222: what it means and how to fix it

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac shows error OL-222 after a .qbo import: what Intuit says causes it, the fixes it lists and how to check the file.

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On this page
  1. The OL-222 message
  2. What Intuit says to check and do
  3. Related OL errors on Windows
  4. Check the file itself
  5. If your bank only gives you a PDF
  6. Sources

In QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, error OL-222 appears after you try to import a .qbo file from your bank. Intuit's article on it, written for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, says it means the .qbo file format is wrong or the list of financial institutions in QuickBooks needs an update (Intuit (opens in a new tab)). Check the file with the free QBO file validator, then work through the fixes below.

The OL-222 message

Intuit gives the message as (Intuit (opens in a new tab)):

"QuickBooks was not able to complete your request. Please contact your financial institution. (OL-222)"

The official article is for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. We found no Intuit article on OL-222 for QuickBooks Desktop for Windows. Intuit's Windows article on OL errors, covered below, deals with other codes.

On a Mac, you import a Web Connect file from Banking, then Downloaded Transactions, then Import File, and pick the .qbo file (Intuit (opens in a new tab)).

Check a QBO, QFX or OFX file

See whether a bank file is well formed before you import it: dates, amounts, transaction IDs and the account block. Free, no account, nothing stored.

Open the file checker Convert a PDF statement

What Intuit says to check and do

Intuit's Mac article starts with two checks before you troubleshoot, then gives the fix (Intuit (opens in a new tab)):

  1. Before you troubleshoot: update QuickBooks Desktop to the latest release.
  2. Before you troubleshoot: confirm the file type. Check that the file you downloaded from your bank is a .qbo file.
  3. The fix: update the financial institution list. Intuit's article has you drag the new fidir.txt file you saved on the desktop into the resources folder. Follow the article for the earlier steps and the folder locations.

Updating may mean a new version. QuickBooks Desktop 2023, including Mac Plus, was discontinued after May 31, 2026 (Intuit (opens in a new tab)). On a discontinued version you can't download transactions, and Intuit says uploading transactions is discontinued too. Existing QuickBooks Desktop Plus subscribers receive version 2024 at no extra cost as part of their annual plan.

Intuit's Windows article on OL and OLSU bank feeds errors covers codes such as OL-202, OL-221, OL-301 and OL-393 (Intuit (opens in a new tab)). The causes it lists include:

  • Your bank's information isn't updated in the Financial Institutions Directory (FiDir) in QuickBooks.
  • The file from your bank isn't compatible with QuickBooks.
  • QuickBooks only opens downloaded transactions in a .qbo file. If your bank uses a different extension, QuickBooks can't open the file.

On Windows, Web Connect files are imported from Banking, then Bank Feeds, then Import Web Connect Files (Intuit (opens in a new tab)). Importing one requires you to sign in to your Intuit Account within QuickBooks Desktop, and an import cannot be undone, so back up the company file first (Intuit (opens in a new tab)).

If QuickBooks says it is unable to verify the financial institution instead, see QuickBooks unable to verify the financial institution.

Check the file itself

A wrong .qbo format is one of the two causes Intuit gives for OL-222 (Intuit (opens in a new tab)). You can check the file before importing it again:

  • The QBO file validator checks the OFX header, sign-on, statement and account blocks, currency, period, ledger balance, and each transaction's date, amount, type, FITID uniqueness and payee name length. For each failed check it lists the affected transaction numbers.
  • The QBO viewer shows the account, period, ledger balance and every transaction in a table, so you can see whether the file holds what you expect.

Both read the file in memory and do not keep it. Passing these checks does not mean QuickBooks will accept the file: an outdated financial institution list is a separate cause, and Intuit also lists updating QuickBooks Desktop as a fix. For background on the format, see QBO file.

If your bank only gives you a PDF

StatementLoom can build a .qbo file from a text PDF statement, not a scan (PDF to QBO). It checks that the opening balance plus every transaction equals the closing balance, and allows the download only once that check passes. QBO downloads need a free account. The free converter gives Excel or CSV without one. That does not guarantee QuickBooks will import the file, so check it with the validator first.

Sources

Tools for this

Frequently asked questions

What causes QuickBooks error OL-222?

Intuit's article for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac says the .qbo file format is wrong or the list of financial institutions in QuickBooks needs an update.

How do I fix error OL-222?

Intuit's article first has you update QuickBooks Desktop and confirm the bank file is a .qbo file, then replace the fidir.txt file in the resources folder.

Is there an official OL-222 article for QuickBooks Desktop for Windows?

The official OL-222 article is for QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. Intuit's Windows article on OL errors covers other codes.

Does a file that passes a QBO validator always import?

No. A validator checks the file's structure, but an outdated financial institution list is a separate cause, and Intuit also lists updating QuickBooks Desktop as a fix.

Check a QBO, QFX or OFX file

See whether a bank file is well formed before you import it: dates, amounts, transaction IDs and the account block. Free, no account, nothing stored.

Open the file checker Convert a PDF statement