Error message when you try to enter a manual payroll in Accounting Professional or in Small Business Accounting 2006: "Connection failed"

When you try to enter a manual payroll in Microsoft Office Accounting Professional or in Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006, you receive the following error message:

This problem occurs when one or more of the following conditions are true:

• In Accounting Professional, the MSSMLBIZ service is stopped.
• In Small Business Accounting 2006, the MSSQL$MICROSOFTSMLBIZ service is stopped.
• The ManualPayrollCalculation.xlt file is corrupted.

To resolve this problem, use one or more of the following methods.

Method 1: Start the appropriate service

Note The instance of MSSMLBIZ is the instance of Microsoft SQL Server Express that is installed together with Accounting Express. The instance of MICROSOFTSMLBIZ is the instance of Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (also known as MSDE 2000) that is installed together with Small Business Accounting 2006.

1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
2. Use the appropriate method:
   • If you are using Accounting Professional, right-click SQL Server (MSSMLBIZ) in the Services dialog box, and then click Properties.
   • If you are using Small Business Accounting 2006, right-click MSSQL$MICROSOFTSMLBIZ in the Services dialog box, and then click Properties.
3. In the SQL Server (MSSMLBIZ) Properties dialog box or in the MSSQL$MICROSOFTSMLBIZ Properties dialog box, click the General tab, and then click Automatic in the Startup Type drop-down list.
4. Click Start to start the service.
   
   Note If Accounting Express or Small Business Accounting 2006 is running, click Exit on the File menu to exit.

Method 2: Delete the ManualPayrollCalculation.xlt file

1. Locate the ManualPayrollCalculation1.xlt file.
   
   Note By default, the ManualPayrollCalculation1.xlt file is in the following location:
   C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\Small Business Accounting
2. Right-click the ManualPayrollCalculation.xlt file, and then click Delete.