IData files

Try it. I'm not sure if it will restore the complete return (Lacerte seems to have multiple files for a client). But it sounds like at least something would be better than nothing.

Ideally, you are doing regular backups and would restore from your back up.

Yes.  The *idata* folder contains all the various & sundry files you should need.

IF you have that *idata* folder/file on a flash drive (or where ever you DO have it..) just change the data path to THAT location & try.  Then you don't risk messing with the current, working idata folder.

I routinely (daily during filing season...) copy/paste all of my ?data folders to a flash drive.  The folder on the flash drive is 2019LacerteDataCopy, in that folder are subfolders by date (2.1.20. 2.2.20, etc.)  In each subfolder is cdata, idata, fdata, pdata, rdata,sdata.  Once a month, I create a new folder under 2019LacerteDataCopy (Feb, March, etc) and move all the daily copies there.

This flash drive is encrypted and is with me at all times.

I will then copy that back over to my NAS, and it's backed up by Carbonite.

I also do regular backups, but those take more time and slow the program down.  Copy/paste is quicker.