Legacy modernisation
Replace the old system before it fails, without losing your history
Your business may still depend on software built years ago in Access, FoxPro, Delphi or a spreadsheet that became a database. It works, until it does not. We move you to a modern cloud system, carefully, with your data and history intact.
The old system
- Desktop software on one office PC
- Original developer no longer available
- Reports exported and fixed up in Excel
- Remote staff phone the office for information
The modern system
- Secure cloud system, available anywhere
- Documented, maintained and supported
- Reports and dashboards built in
- Staff use it on any device, in the field
01
The problem
Old systems often hold years of hard-won knowledge about how your business works. The goal of modernisation is to keep that knowledge and lose the risk. We treat the old system as a specification to learn from, not something to throw away.
- The system runs on one old computer, and everyone is nervous about what happens when that computer dies.
- The developer who built it has retired, moved on or cannot be reached, and nobody else understands it.
- It only works in the office, so staff cannot use it from home, on site or on a phone.
- Getting information out of it for a report means exporting, copying and cleaning data by hand.
02
What we build
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A modern replacement
A secure, cloud-based system that does what the old one did (the parts you still need) and works from any device.
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Careful data migration
Your historical records moved across, cleaned up and checked against the old system, so you do not lose years of history.
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Reverse engineering the old logic
We work out what the old system actually does, including the rules nobody wrote down, before anything is switched off.
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Phased cut-over
Old and new can run side by side while your team moves across, so the business never depends on a single big switch-over day.
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Connections to modern tools
Once your data is in a modern system, it can finally connect to your accounting, CRM and reporting tools.
03
Typical deliverables
- An assessment of the current system and the risks it carries
- A documented map of what the old system does
- The new cloud-based system, built in phases
- Migrated and validated historical data
- A cut-over plan agreed with your team
- Training and documentation for the new system
04
What changes for your business
Every project is different. These are the kinds of results this work is designed to deliver.
- The business no longer depends on one old machine or one unavailable developer.
- Staff can use the system from anywhere, on any device.
- Your history is preserved and easier to search and report on.
- You have a modern platform that can connect to other tools and grow with you.
Common questions
Our original developer has disappeared. Can you still help?
Yes. This is common. We can usually work out what the system does from the application, the database and the people who use it every day, even without the original developer or source code.
Which old systems can you replace?
We regularly see Microsoft Access databases, FoxPro and Delphi applications, old desktop software and Excel workbooks that have grown into databases. If your system is something else, ask us.
Will we lose our historical data?
No. Migrating your history is a core part of the project. We validate the migrated data against the old system before cut-over.
Do we have to stop using the old system straight away?
No. We usually run the old and new systems side by side for a period, so your team can move over gradually and nothing is lost.
Why not just keep the old system running?
If it still meets your needs and the risk is acceptable, that can be the right call for now. The process review will help you weigh the risk of it failing against the cost of replacing it.
Other services
Not sure where to start?
Book a free process review. We will look at one process that costs you time and tell you honestly what we would do about it.