How to change the bank ID in a QBO file
- Drop the .qbo or .qfx file QuickBooks or Quicken refused. The page shows its current bank code (INTU.BID), the FI block with the bank's ORG and FID, the account and the number of transactions.
- Choose the new code: 3000, the code in Wells Fargo's own Web Connect files; the code from an older file your bank issued that did import; or one you type.
- Download the fixed file. Only the bank code tags change: every transaction, ID and amount stays byte for byte as it was.
- Import it: in QuickBooks Desktop, File → Utilities → Import → Web Connect Files; in QuickBooks Online, Bank transactions → Upload from file; in Quicken, File → File Import → Web Connect.
What the bank ID is, and why QuickBooks checks it
Every Web Connect file carries an INTU.BID tag in its sign-on block: a number that names the bank on Intuit's list of financial institutions. QuickBooks and Quicken look the number up before importing, and each bank on the list is allowed for particular account types. When the number is missing, the import stops with "Missing bid data". When it is not on the list, or not allowed for that kind of account, QuickBooks says:
"QuickBooks is unable to verify the Financial Institution information for this download."
Trying again later rarely helps: a file with a code QuickBooks does not accept is refused every time. The code is only a label for the bank: you still choose which of your own accounts the transactions go into, and changing it does not connect to any bank.
Which bank ID to use
3000 is the code in Wells Fargo's own Web Connect files. ProperSoft's help pages say QuickBooks accepts it for checking, savings and credit card accounts alike; the import may show the bank as "Wells Fargo", which is cosmetic. Sonomir's own converters write the same code. It has not yet been tested in a QuickBooks import by Sonomir.
An older file from your bank is the safest source when you have one: a download that imported correctly before carries a code QuickBooks accepted for that account. Choose "Copy from a file that imported" and drop it; the page reads its code and FI block.
A code from a forum or your bank's support can be typed in. In early 2019, a widely shared Intuit community thread reported Chase credit card downloads failing with the "unable to verify" message after Chase's code changed to 10898, and people fixed the files by editing the code to 2430. Codes change over time, so treat any code you read about as something to try, not a guarantee.
Errors this page shows, and what to do
- "This file has no sign-on block": it is not a Web Connect file, or it is damaged. Open it in the QBO file viewer to see what it is.
- "A bank ID is digits only": Intuit's codes are numbers, such as 3000. Remove spaces and letters.
- "The older file has no INTU.BID": that file carries no code to copy, so it would be refused too. Use 3000 or type one.
- QuickBooks still refuses the fixed file: try 3000 if you used another code, import through File → Utilities → Import rather than by double-clicking, and update QuickBooks. If the file was made by a converter, check it in the viewer for missing FITIDs or a cut-short download, which a new code cannot fix.
How this compares
Where another tool is the better choice, it says so.
A text editor
Better thereFree, already installed, and fine for one quick edit if you know the tag to change.
Better hereChanges only the code, keeps the file's encoding and line endings exactly, adds a missing tag in the right place, and copies the code from an older file for you.
ProperSoft ProperConvert
Better thereDesktop software with a bank look-up, so you can pick your real bank from a list, and it also converts between many formats.
Better hereFree, nothing to install, and the file never leaves the page, for the one job of fixing a refused file.
Your questions, answered.
What does "Missing bid data" mean in QuickBooks?
The file has no INTU.BID tag, the bank code QuickBooks needs before it will import a Web Connect file. Add one here; the transactions are not changed.
How do I fix "QuickBooks is unable to verify the Financial Institution information for this download"?
QuickBooks did not accept the bank code for this account. Change it to 3000 or to the code from an older file of yours that imported, then import through File → Utilities → Import → Web Connect Files.
Is it safe to edit the bank ID?
Yes: it is a label for the bank, not a connection. The transactions, amounts and IDs are left exactly as they were, and you choose your own account during the import. Keep the original file in case you want to try a different code.
Can I edit INTU.BID in Notepad instead?
Yes, if you are careful: find <INTU.BID> in the sign-on block and change the number after it. Some editors change the line endings or encoding when saving, which can make QuickBooks refuse the file for another reason; this page changes only the code.
Does it work for QFX files and Quicken?
Yes. QFX files carry the same INTU.BID tag and Quicken checks it the same way. Quicken's support says it does not support QFX files made by third-party conversion software, so a converted file may still be refused.
Is the file uploaded?
No. The file is read and rewritten in your browser, on your device. Nothing is sent to Sonomir or anyone else.