If this is a valid database that is damaged" Simply Accounting repair message
Simply Accounting cannot open your company database because it appears damaged, and offers a built-in repair or a restore from backup.
You are seeing this message:
If this is a valid database that is damaged, Simply Accounting can try to repair it, or you may restore a backup of this database.
In plain terms, the program has looked at your company file, decided it cannot open it as-is, and is offering you two ways forward: let it attempt a repair, or go back to a backup. The message sounds calm, but it usually means the database has real structural damage. The built-in repair succeeds only in milder cases.
Why this happens
A Simply Accounting database is a set of tightly linked tables. If the links or the data inside them become inconsistent, the program refuses to open the file rather than risk corrupting it further. Common triggers include a power loss or forced shutdown while the file was open, a network drop during a save, a failing drive, or a copy made while the database was in use. Sometimes the file is simply incomplete: a backup that did not finish, or a transfer that was interrupted.
Try the built-in repair first
If you have a current backup, the repair option is safe to try. It is the least invasive step, and when the damage is minor it can restore the file to a working state. Make a copy of the damaged file before you begin, so nothing you do can make the original worse. If the repair finishes and the file opens, check your balances and recent transactions before trusting it fully.
Restore from a backup
If the repair fails, or if it succeeds but the numbers look wrong, restoring your most recent backup is the next safest step. You will lose anything entered after that backup was made, so pick the newest one you trust. If you are not sure how far back your backups go, check your backup location before you overwrite anything.
When the file needs professional attention
If there is no usable backup, or the backup is old enough that re-entering the gap is impractical, the damaged database itself becomes the only source of the missing data. That is the situation our engineers handle: recovering the data directly from a damaged Simply Accounting or Sage 50 database. We work on a copy, so your original stays untouched, and we can tell you after a free evaluation what is recoverable before you commit to anything. See our Simply Accounting database repair service for what that involves.
A useful next step
Before you try anything else, copy the damaged file and any backups you have to a safe location. That single step protects your options. Then, if the built-in repair does not get you a clean, balanced file, send us the copy for a free evaluation: we will assess the damage and quote the recovery with no obligation.