PROBLEM
When opening MYOB a dialog box appears with the cryptic messege: “Error: Something’s gone wrong and AccountRight needs to close”. Clicking the close button (X at the top right) allows you to just keep using MYOB AccountRight.
RESOLUTION
This problem is described on MYOB’s website, but, as is typical with MYOB, the solution provided is less than useless. If MYOB provided decent support for their products we might recommend them, but in their current form we can’t. As an aside, for a good accounting product that does provide great Australian based support have a look at SageOne.
In our experience this issue is caused by storing your MYOB AccountRight Library in a folder that is synced with a cloud storage service such as Microsoft OneDrive. This is common on Windows 8 and Windows 10 where the OneDrive can be activated through the setup process, with all Documents and Pictures stored in OneDrive automatically.
To solve the problem it isn’t just a matter of moving your MYOB file. In typical MYOB fashion, the solution to the problem must be complex, thus making it more difficult for people to actually do useful work. (I’m really hoping MYOB comes across this article and is inspired to lift their game.) The “Library” location needs to be moved to a location where it won’t be synced with the cloud file service, such as C:\Users\Public\MYOB. MYOB describe this process on in this support article. Follow the steps to move the Library and then move the files from the old location (usually C:\Users\[user]\Documents\MYOB\My AccountRight Files) to the new location.
The reason for the problem is that MYOB AccountRight ants exclusive access to the data files, but doesn’t enforce such access in Windows. As soon as MYOB AccountRight is opened it makes changes to the file, which OneDrive or other cloud based services try to sync, which MYOB AccountRight interprets as an unknown error and wants to exit.
Hopefully this article allows some people to keep using the software that they paid for. Just remember to choose an accounting package other than MYOB AccountRight the next time an upgrade is needed.
