VBA Code Repair for Excell

Question

Trying to create a QuickBooks certified payroll report that is opened in Excel. We have been able to pull these reports until we updated QuickBooks today as requested by QuickBooks. The following error comes up:

Compile error in hidden module: cpInterview.

I need the correct VBA code in Excell to open these reports. Can you please provide a repair?!

Answer 1

This doesn't look like a “missing VBA code” problem. “Compile error in hidden module: cpInterview” likely means Excel is trying to load a QuickBooks/Intuit payroll add-in (or template macro module) that was compiled for a different Excel version, is missing a required library reference, or is being blocked after the QuickBooks update. Because the module is hidden, you cannot repair it by editing the workbook code directly in most cases.

After QuickBooks updates, a common cause is that the Certified Payroll Excel export template or the cpInterview add-in is incompatible with your current Office build (32-bit vs 64-bit Excel, or an Office update that broke a referenced library).

The actual repair is usually to stop Excel from loading the broken module and then reinstall or re-register the QuickBooks Excel export components.

First, try opening Excel without any QuickBooks add-ins loading, then re-save or regenerate the report from QuickBooks. You can also force Excel to open a file while disabling macros so the broken module does not compile:

Application.AutomationSecurity = msoAutomationSecurityForceDisable
Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\Path\YourReport.xlsm"

If the file opens with macros disabled, that confirms the problem is inside the QuickBooks macro module, not your workbook structure.

The actual fix is typically removing the QuickBooks add-in/template and reinstalling it or repairing Office references. In Excel, you'd go into VBA editor (Alt+F11), then Tools > References, and look for anything marked “MISSING”. If you see a missing library, unchecking it and repairing Office usually resolves the compile error.

If the issue started immediately after updating QuickBooks, reinstalling the QuickBooks Desktop Payroll components (or the Certified Payroll Excel reporting tool) might fix the issue.

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hth

Marcin