Top 20 Tally Prime Errors and How to Fix Them Yourself

Tally Prime is dependable, but like any Software it throws errors at the worst possible moment, usually on voucher entry day. The good news: most common errors have Simple fixes you can do yourself without calling a technician. Bookmark this page. When an error appears, find its number here and follow the steps.

One rule before anything else: if your data matters, take a backup first (press Alt+Y then B, or copy the data folder). A five second backup beats a week of regret.

Quick reference table

#	Error message	One line cause
1	Licensing server not started	License service stopped
2	Company not opening / hangs	Corrupt or oversized data
3	Exit codes / crashes on startup	Damaged installation files
4	Out of memory	Low RAM allocation
5	Data path not found	Wrong folder setting
6	Access denied on network	Sharing permissions
7	Another user has locked	Simultaneous edit conflict
8	Cannot export to Excel	Missing or blocked Office
9	Printing blank pages	Driver or margin issue
10	Bank reconciliation mismatch	Uncleared entries or dates
11	Slow performance	Oversized data, WiFi host
12	Voucher date error	Date beyond allowed period
13	Balance does not match	Pending transactions or wrong period
14	Backup failed	Insufficient disk space or bad drive
15	Activation error	Serial or network issue
16	Gateway of Tally frozen	Background process stuck
17	Sound/symbol garbled (font issue)	Font file missing
18	Duplicate ledger names	Careless entry, no real fix needed
19	Cannot delete company	Folder permission problem
20	Update fails repeatedly	Old version conflict

Now the fixes, grouped so similar problems sit together.

Licensing and activation errors

1. “Licensing server not started”

This appears when the Tally license service stops running. Press Windows key, search Services, find TallyPrime Server or the licensing service, right click and choose Start. Then reopen Tally.

15. Activation error during setup

Check three things: internet connection, correct serial number, and whether another PC holds the active license (a license lives on one machine at a time). If reactivating after a PC change, reset the license first through F1 Help, then Settings, then License.

Data and company problems

2. Company will not open or freezes

Close Tally fully. Go to your data folder, find that company’s numbered folder, and rename any file with a .TS extension (these are temporary files). Reopen Tally. In most cases the company loads normally.

If it still hangs, restore from your most recent backup rather than forcing it open repeatedly.

5. “Data path not found”

Your client computer lost track of where the data lives. On the company screen press F12, check the data path, and make sure it matches the shared network path exactly. This often breaks after a router change because the host’s IP address moved. Our multi user setup guide explains stable path settings.

6. “Access denied” on a network setup

Windows permissions changed, often after a Windows update. Redo the sharing settings on the host machine: full control under both the Sharing tab and the Security tab for network users.

7. “Another user has locked this…”

Someone is entering the same record simultaneously. Wait a few seconds; Tally releases locks automatically. If it persists for hours, ask all users to save and close Tally once, which clears stale locks.

19. Cannot delete a company

Right-click issues aside, this is usually folder permission again. Run Tally as administrator once (right click icon, Run as administrator), then delete the company.

12. “Date is out of range” or voucher date errors

Your books have a beginning-of-year date set. Either enter within the allowed range or extend the financial year period through Company Features (F11). Common in April when people keep typing last year’s dates.

Performance and stability

4. Out of memory errors

Close other heavy programs, especially browsers with twenty tabs. If it recurs daily on one machine, that PC needs more RAM. For the whole office seeing slowness, see number 11.

11. Overall slow performance

Three usual culprits: data size grown over years, host computer connected by WiFi, or antivirus scanning every Tally action. Move the host to an ethernet cable, add the Tally folder to antivirus exclusions, and split very old company data into new yearly companies.

3. Crashes or exit codes on startup

A damaged install. Uninstall, restart the PC, download a fresh installer from the official site, reinstall. Your data survives because it lives in a separate folder, but back up anyway before uninstalling.

16. Gateway of Tally frozen

Open Task Manager, end all Tally processes, relaunch. If it happens weekly, check the hard drive health; failing drives cause exactly this behavior.

Reports, printing and exports

8. Cannot export to Excel

Tally needs Microsoft Excel installed to create .xlsx files. If Office is present but export still fails, try exporting as CSV instead, or repair your Office installation.

9. Printing comes out blank

Almost always the printer driver, not Tally. Print a test page from Windows. If that works, inside Tally press Ctrl+P, open print configuration, and switch the driver type between GDI and standard. Also check margins are not pushing content off the page.

10. Bank reconciliation does not match

Usually caused by bank charges entered late, cheques still uncleared, or dates entered in the wrong month. Match statement lines one by one, enter missing bank charges as payment vouchers, then reconcile again. Small mismatches are normal mid-month.

13. Trial balance or reports do not match expectations

Before panicking, confirm you are viewing the right period and the right company. Half of report scares come from looking at last year’s figures. Then check for vouchers marked optional or cancelled.

Housekeeping issues

14. Backup failed

Free disk space on the destination drive, or try a different USB drive. Also confirm you can actually write to the backup location; external drives formatted oddly sometimes reject writes.

17. Garbled characters or missing fonts

Reinstalling Tally restores its font files. If only certain languages break, install the relevant language support through Windows settings.

18. Duplicate ledgers everywhere

Not an error, just messy books. Use Display More Reports, Statements of Accounts to review ledgers, merge duplicates carefully, and set stricter naming rules for staff.

20. Update keeps failing

Uninstall completely, restart, install the newest version fresh. Old partial updates leave conflicting files behind.

When to call a professional

DIY fixes cover most situations, but stop and get help if:

Tally reports actual data corruption messages
Numbers in reports look wrong even after checking periods
You suspect a hard drive failure
Multiple users face repeated lock conflicts daily

At that point continued poking risks making things worse. Proper data recovery tools exist, but they belong in experienced hands.

FAQ

Will fixing these errors delete my data?

The steps above are designed not to touch data. Still, backup before starting anything. That habit alone prevents most disasters.

Why do I keep getting the same error every week?

Recurring errors usually point to a root cause: aging hardware, WiFi networking, or skipped updates. Fix the foundation, not just the symptom each time.

Is it safe to rename .TS files?

Yes. They are temporary files Tally recreates automatically.

Can old ERP 9 data cause these errors?

Sometimes. Migrated data carries quirks forward. If errors cluster around migrated companies, consider a clean re-entry of opening balances.

Final word

Most Tally Prime errors are smaller than they look. Work through this list calmly, always with a fresh backup behind you, and you will solve nine out of ten problems without outside help.

Stuck on an error that refuses to budge? Proper Way Solution handles Tally troubleshooting and data recovery for businesses across Bangladesh, usually same day.