Viewing password protected PDF attachments in Reckon Accounts - Home & Business 2020

Hi, I am new to this forum and would appreciate if someone could provide direction to an issue I have occurring when viewing password protected PDF files attached to a transaction. For years, I have attached password protected files against transactions and have been able to enter the password to view the content. Of late, the viewer is not asking for the password (when attaching nor when trying to view) and only shows a grey screen. Attachments which are not password protected, display immediately and without problem. I can export the attachment and can open on my computer once the password is entered, so I assume the file is intact. My computer was previously using IE but recently changed to MS Edge as well as Google. I am using Win10. I also note that attachments from past years which previously could be viewed, no longer can be viewed (no option for password offered)

Any assistance appreciated.

Comments

Steve Cook

Install Adobe Reader. Then make it the default app for PDF files.

Mangalee

Hi Steve, thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately, I do have Adobe Reader DC installed and have checked for updates. It appears to be the latest. I have also rechecked that this app is the default for .pdf files. Still, I cannot get Reckon H&B 2020 viewer to ask for a password in order to display the attachment. It does not ask for a password when first attaching the file nor when trying to view. The transaction attachment screen opens and identifies the file attachment but the viewing screen is grey. For unprotected pdf files, they do display correctly. Previously with password protected files, when I clicked on the file it would open the transaction attachment screen and then prompt for password entry. The only update I can think of (other than Win10 updates) is a move from IE to Microsoft Edge. Unsure if this is related to my issue.

Any further assistance is appreciated.

regards

Rav

Hi @Mangalee

If you switch back to Internet Explorer and retry/test, does the PDF prompt for a password as it did previously? Or does it exhibit the same (new) behaviour?

Mangalee

Hi Rav - a recent MS update seems to have removed IE and replaced with Edge. Are you suggesting I download IE11 and reinstall ie delete Edge? thanks

Kris_Williams

internet Explorer may still be on your machine, type in search bar and look for it

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

Have you tried Google Chrome?

Also is it anything to do with the transaction password date? I haven't come across your situation before but just making suggestions from other similar issues.

Also have you tried googling your problem?

Mangalee

Hi Robyn, when you suggest Google Chrome, I'm unsure what you mean. I have Google Chrome, as wellas MS Edge and I've just downloaded IE11. Is there a setting within Reckon Accounts H&B2020 which I am supposed to set to point to one of these browsers? thanks

Mangalee

Hi Robyn - I have old transactions with password protected attachments which use to display (ie I was asked to enter the password at the time of attachment and then everytime I wanted to view the attachement). These now no longer work ie I don't get asked to enter a password. Additionally, I have new transactions whereby I have attached a password protected file but I am not being asked to enter the password when attaching. The viewer remains grey however the file does attach to the transaction. Unfortunately like all of the other password pdfs, I cannot view from within Reckon.

Appreciate if you can explain the link between the Reckon application and the external viewer (IE, Edge or Google). I'm clearly not understanding how these relate to the application for viewing PDFs.

thanks

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

I was unsure of the link to the internet browser myself, however noted that your ability to protect changed since you upgraded your computer (inlcuding the browsers).

I believe it's in connection with upgrading and the difference between what you had installed previoulsy and what you have installed now. Could also be the way you installed the program on the new computer & how you brought across the data file. Can you give me a bit more insight into how that process happened?

ie Did you back up a RKN backup or the 5 files in a backup? Did you restore the data file or only copy & paste the QDF data file?

Mangalee

Hi Robyn, just to clarify, I have not upgraded or changed my computer. The computer and applications are the same as has been for several years. The only changes I have made is moving from Reckon H&B 2019 to 2020 version. I have also undergone microsoft updates which included an update from internet explorer to MS Edge. Other than these I believe the system and applications have remained the same.

I do a daily RKN backup and I believe I restored when I went to the 2020 version by opening from a backed up file.

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

@Rav Are you able to please double check if there was a change in the handling of PDF attachments from H&B version 2019 to 2020 and in particular password protection of the attached PDF document please.

Thank you

Robyn Kelly

Rav

@Mangalee @Robyn Kelly (Partner) I've just checked in with the Personal Range product manager this morning who has confirmed there are haven't been any changes within the software itself to affect PDF functionality.

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

Thanks @Rav - can you please let me know whch file extension holds the PDF attachments - I'm wondering if @Mangalee has not brought that file across on the upgrade / restore process - is that possible? Or is it possible that the PDF application has had an update too?

Thank you

Robyn Kelly

Rav

Checking that with the support team @Robyn Kelly (Partner), will let you know.

In the meantime @Mangalee, can you please try this and see if it has any impact on the current behaviour you're experiencing. In Adobe Reader, go to Edit - Preferences - Security (Enhanced) - selected 'Off' for Protected View - Click OK

I can't say for certain that will be the solution but its a suggestion from the team.

Mangalee

Hi Robyn and Rav. Firstly thank you for all of your effort to try and resolve my issue. I have looked at Adobe Reader Security as suggested by Rav and can confirm the Protected View switch is already set to off.

Just to clarify further, the attachments are pdf payslip files which are generated by my employer and my wife's employer. We enter a payslip transaction into Reckon H&B2020 and then attach the file for future reference. In other words, we are not applying the password protection to the file, its already protected. Irrespective, as mentioned previously, we can no longer open similar file attachments from years back which were also password protected, and back then, could be opened. The same issue also now occurring for new transactions. For some reason we are no longer being requested the option of entering a password. regards

Mangalee

Hi again - just as an addition to my last message - When attaching the pdf protected file, we are not being asked to supply a password either at the time of initial attachment (so we can't see what we are attaching) nor when trying to view after the attachment has been made. regards

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

Thanks for further clarification. Rav will get back to us in regards to the file extension that those PDF's are stored in. Can you also re clarify the steps you took to restore the data file in the new 2020 version (once you upgraded). Did you only open it from the current location? Or did you restore a RKN file or did you restore a QDF file?

Mangalee

Hi Robyn, I cannot exactly recall the process I followed however I'm fairly certain I completed a backup under the 2019 version and then installed via the RKN file once the 2020 version was installed. I would have opened the file from the backup location. Hope this helps. thanks

Mangalee

Hello Robyn / Rav - just following up to see if there has been any progress regarding my issue. thanks

Rav

Hi @Mangalee, apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

I checked in with our team for Robyn's query around the file type. Our Product Manager has advised PDF's are stored as attachments in the same folder where the file itself is saved.

There is another element that he brought forward which is ensuring that you create and restore from a 'normal' backup as opposed to the compressed .rkn backup method. The reasoning is .rkn backups do not retain and bring across attachments.

Mangalee

Hi Rav & Robyn, I can confirm that Reckon is saving attachments into an 'Attach' subfolder connected to the folder where the .rkn file is being stored. I can also confirm that I could locate a number of the password protected attachments within the folder and could open these by providing the password. The unprotected attachments could also be opened. The issue therefore still seems to lie with Reckon H&B2020 application not permitting me to view a password protected pdf from within the application. Outside the application I can open, provide a password and view.

I do question Rav's comment relating to how I restored (2nd paragraph) as I believe I did restore from an .RKN file. Please note that I have been able to go back and view (unprotected pdfs) attachments which are several years old and they work fine from within the application. In other words, whatever I used to restore seems to have brought across the attachments.

Thanks and appreciate your ongoing assistance.

regards

Mangalee

Hi Rav & Robyn, just following up on my last post to see if you may have any other suggestions I could try. As mentioned, the attachments are available from within the application and I can click on and open unprotected attachments. Its just the protected ones which don't allow me to enter a password in order to open. Appreciate any other directions either of you or others may be able to offer. thanks

Mangalee

Hi again, just confirming that whilst I am not being asked to enter a password into the protected PDF when first attaching to a transaction, the attachment does occur. When I click on the attachment icon on the transaction, it opens the viewer but does not ask me for a password ie the view screen remains greyed. If I click on export from within the viewer, I can export the file to my desktop. When I open the file from the desktop, Adobe correctly asks for a password and the file correctly opens ie external to Reckon application. So the attachment is working correctly and the export is also working correctly. Its just the viewer is not asking for a password when trying to open from within H&B2020.

Can someone please tell me whether Reckon H&B2020 uses Adobe to view PDFs or does H&B2020 have its own reader? Unsure why the prior suggestion from RAV (22 Oct) required me to check Adobe Reader settings. Appreciate if someone could please clarify for me how .PDF files are handled within H&B2020 when trying to view. thanks

Robyn Kelly (Partner)

Hi Mangalee

@Rav will need to answer your query above, sorry. I'm not sure if it is either a change in the Adobe or other PDF program causing the problem or if H&B 2020 had a change in the way it opens the PDF's.

On a side note there is now a H&B version 2021. I don't know if that will solve the problem (potentially not), however - recommend resotring a QDF file, not a RKN file to do this if you are going to try.

Mangalee

thanks Robyn for your update. regards

GillianCreamer

I am using H&B 2020 and have had similar problems lately. Not so much password protected pdfs but ordinary ones. I first noticed that pdfs which I had saved in my dropbox were no longer opening as they used to. They used to open in Chrome if I double clicked on them. I have now been able to open them but only directly in Acrobat Reader DC. But pdfs of invoices for example that I have attached to transactions in H&B as a "file", no longer open or save the way they used to. Previously saved ones from "file" just produce the dark grey blank page that you have described, ones saved from "scanner" display okay.

Mangalee

Hi Gillian, yes something appears to have changed but I can't seem to identify what is the cause. If I click on a PDF attached to a transaction it will display in the H&B2020 viewer only if it is not password protected. Protected PDFs only show as grey in the viewer and there is no request to enter the password either when first attaching or when trying to view later on.

I can open these PDF files both password protected and unprotected in both Chrome, Edge and Adobe. Its just the password protected files from within H&B2020 for which I am having an issue. thanks

GillianCreamer

As mentioned above, the only attached PDF's that will open now are ones that are scanned in within H&B. If I try to attach a PDF that is saved on my PC or in my Dropox, it shows that something is attached but it won't open, just the dark grey blank page.

Very frustrating because this was a major feature that I use a lot.

Did you figure out a fix?

Rav

Hi all,

I just ran a test on my Personal Plus 2019 installation.

I created a PDF and added a password to it using an online PDF password protection service. I don't have access to Adobe at the moment so can't do the same thing there but also wanted to exclude it for the purposes of this test.

I added a transaction to a bank account in Personal Plus and attached the password protected PDF which was saved on a local destination on my desktop.

After attaching it asked for the password as per the screenshot below which I entered.

After the password was accepted, the preview was then generated as you'll see in the screenshot below.

The same process occurs when opening the PDF by clicking the attachment icon on the transaction.

I have confirmed with our Personal Range product manager that there have been no changes with any functionality or processes in this area in the Personal Range including the new/current 2021 version.

GillianCreamer

Just discovered a new anomaly with attached PDFs. When clicking on the attachment in a transaction and the Transaction Attachments box opens with the dark grey blank page, if I then click on Print but don't go through with the printing, just click cancel, then the PDF becomes viewable instead of the dark grey blank page. Quite strange, but it is a work around. Don't know if this would work for password protected PDFs.