“ I have been using QuickBooks for my business accounting needs for a long time now. But recently, I came across an additional feature in QuickBooks as the Point of Sale. When I read about it, I was amazed at how much it offered me in terms of Sales record maintenance, analyzing Sales patterns, Cash Drawers, etc. Instantly, I shifted to using it regularly and even got my Sales Team on board with it. But yesterday, one of my Sales Associates encountered something unusual while trying to access a product in QuickBooks Point of Sale. It displayed as QuickBooks Error 176103: Unable to activate the product while opening Point of Sale”
This is nothing new when it comes to QuickBooks and its errors. However, QuickBooks Error Code 176103 has a concise list of solutions provided by the software itself. You can relax as your struggle won’t last much longer now as we have compiled it all in this article. As you move forward, you will learn about what the QuickBooks POS 176103 error entails and how to solve it. Let’s get right into it.
Table of Contents
What Is QuickBooks Error 176103?
Generally, QuickBooks Error 176103 is referred to as the Point of Sale Error which appears when the product activation gets interrupted. This happens because the server verification of the sales license is incomplete due to a corrupt element or responsiveness issues owing to system failure. We will be discussing why the Error occurs before getting into the Solution steps of QuickBooks Point of Sale Error 176103.
Causes of QuickBooks Error 176103
By now, we have established the headline cause of the QuickBooks Error Code 176103 that it is a Point of Sales Error with an invalidated license for the given product. Now, we shall try to get into the reasons why this interruption happens in the following causes:
- The user is operating as an Administrator
- Inaccurate Validation Code is entered while Updating QuickBooks Point of Sale
- The Entitlement Files of QuickBooks Point of Sale are corrupt
- The older version Installation disk is not available while restoring QuickBooks Point of Sale
- System Date & Time are wrong
- Invalid License Number is used
Methods To Fix QuickBooks Error 176103
Starting below, we have compiled a list of solutions to help you get rid of the QuickBooks Error 176103 so that you can continue using the software without any interruptions. Take a look at the steps of QuickBooks POS 176103 Error and see what works for you:
Method 1: Adjust the System Date Settings
A discrepancy in the System Date and Time settings can be one reason for the QuickBooks Error 176103 to appear. To rectify the same, follow the instructions below:
- From the System Tray, Right Click on the displayed Date & Time
- Select the option to Change Date and Time
- Make the required changes accurately and save it
- Alternatively, From the Control Panel > Date & Time Settings
- Select the Date and Time preferences and save the changes
Method 2: Fill in the Validation Code Carefully
Keep in mind that usage of hyphens, underscores and space areas is unacceptable while entering the Validation Code. This deems the Validation Code invalid and causes the QuickBooks Error 176103 to pop up on the screen.
Method 3: Delete the Files in the Intuit Entitlement Folder
Clearing the Entitlement Folder would help in getting rid of any Files that are misbehaving or are corrupted. Hence, the Error 176103 QuickBooks should also disappear once the Entitlement Folder is empty. Here’s how you can do it:
- Access the Intuit Entitlement Folder C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v8
- Select All the Files in this folder and Command the Delete option to clear the folder completely
- End all the open Windows and Restart your system. Try the Point of Sale License registration once again to see if it works fine.
Read More : QuickBooks Update Error 404
Method 4: Disclose all the Hidden Files and Folders
Further, as a solution to QuickBooks Error 176103, you can try disclosing all the Hidden files and folders. There are different ways to perform this action in accordance with the Windows OS version installed in the system:
For Windows 10, 8, 8.1:
- Open the Search Box and type Folder
- Browse the Folder options > View
- Click on the Show Hidden Files and Folders option
- Undo the mark against the Hide protected operating system files and Hide extensions for known file types.
- Apply the changes and Click OK
For Windows 7 and Vista:
- In the Start Menu, Open Windows Explorer
- Next, Click on Organize > Folder and Search Options
- Click on View > Show Hidden Files and Folders
- Now, Unhide the protected Operating Files. Click Yes to save the changes
Method 5: Perform a Clean Uninstall and Reinstall of QuickBooks Point of Sale
Uninstalling and Reinstalling QuickBooks Point of Sale is done to reset all the settings and start over the software so that any glitches that were found earlier are cleared this time around. It is a comprehensive solution with various steps. Therefore, we suggest you perform these steps carefully and stay with us through every step, keeping in mind the following things:
Key Reminders to Perform Clean Install for QuickBooks Point of Sale
- Upgrade your Windows OS to the latest version and keep your Administrator login credentials handy
- Backup your Point of Sale Data Files before uninstalling the software
- Install a duplicate QuickBooks Point of Sale Desktop
- Keep your system free of any other running programs to ensure efficiency
- Note down your License Number and Product Code
Step 1: Delete QuickBooks POS from the system
- Open Control Panel > Programs & Features
- Select QuickBooks Point of Sale within the Installed Programs and Command Uninstall list.
- Next, follow the instructions as displayed and complete the process
Step 2: Delete and Rename the QuickBooks Point of Sales Folders
Before you start, try to remember the location and the name of the folder while you rename them for later convenience. Below listed are the Folders to be renamed by selecting each folder, Pressing F2 and renaming with the prefix OLD:
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intuit\Entitlement Client\v8
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Intuit\QuickBooks POS XX
- C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale 18.0
- C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks POS XX
Every time the QuickBooks Point of Sale is installed, an automatic QuickBooks Point of Sale Database Server User account is created by the system which also needs to be deleted before reinstalling the software. Here’s how:
- Visit the Control Panel > User Account
- Select the option to Manage User accounts and Continue
- Now, Select and Delete the User account that needs to be deleted
- Confirm the deletion and restart the application
Step 3: Reinstalling QBs Point of Sale
- Install the latest version of QuickBooks Point of Sale and launch the program
- Double Click the Point of Sale File
- Cancel the existing files if any of them pop up during Install
- Follow the instructions as displayed to Finish the Installation Process
- Enter the License Number and Product Code without hyphens, underscores and spaces
- Choose the mode of QuickBooks point of Sale in the system – Single user or QuickBooks Multi user as per your requirements
- Restart the Computer and start working on the Fresh QuickBooks Point of Sale without the QuickBooks Error 176103
QuickBooks Point of Sale : How it Works and How to Activate?
QuickBooks Point of Sale is an efficient software introduced by QuickBooks for their users. It keeps track of the Sales of each of the listed products and helps analyze trends as to what is working and what is not. The sales patterns further help in maintaining the Inventory of these products as required. In case, a product is performing well in the market, an alert is sent so that the restock of the product can be planned. It is a very easy to use software with great utility for the users.
As a result, a whole lot of small to midsize businesses rely on QuickBooks Point of Sale to keep the Sales record. You can activate your Point of Sale account by filling the Registration form that appears when you apply for it.
Conclusion
In the above article, we have explored QuickBooks Error 176103, its meaning, causes and the solutions. We hope that the suggested solutions were useful to you and you come back again for any technical needs. If not, do give us feedback and contact our team who will patiently guide you through any problems that you may be facing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can you use QuickBooks as a POS system?
Ans. Absolutely. QuickBooks can easily be used as Point of Sales integration on the QuickBooks Desktop itself. It is suitable with Windows 10 tablets as well and offers various features such as Barcode Scanners, Pin pads, Receipt Printers, Cash Drawers etc.
Q2. Can you use QuickBooks for free?
Ans. Yes, you can try out a QuickBooks Account for free for the first 30 days after which there is a subscription fee that needs to be paid.