[ SOLUTIONS ] / [ VISUAL BASIC MODERNIZATION ]

Visual Basic 6 and Access, modernized without retraining the team.

Progressive migration of VB6 and Microsoft Access desktop applications to modern web apps, preserving the workflows users already know to minimize the learning curve. SQL Server database, historical data migrated, integration with current systems.

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[ THE PROBLEM ]

What happens today.

Many Italian SMEs have internal applications built in Visual Basic 6 or Microsoft Access between 1998 and 2008: specific ERPs, configurators, calculation tools, departmental apps. They still work, but: modern Windows barely supports them, remote users have to go through VPN, integration with web systems is impossible, and the programmers who wrote them have moved on.

Rewriting means redesigning with a web approach (real multi-user, access anywhere, integration with modern systems), while preserving the workflows users already know. The challenge is knowledge transfer: legacy apps contain undocumented business rules, discovered on the field over 15 years.

VB6 apps are not dead. They are just very tired, and they deserve a careful move.

[ HOW IT WORKS ]

The solution, broken into parts.

  • Logic reverse engineering

    We extract business rules from the old applications: forms, VB code, database queries, user workflows. We document what the software actually does (often different from what is written in the client's documents).

  • Web rewrite preserving UX

    We build web apps with UI familiar to legacy users: same flows, same logical screens, same shortcuts. Additions only where they improve (validation, undo, quick search). Learning curve of a few days.

  • Data migration + integration

    Migration of historical data from legacy Access/SQL Server to the new database. Integration with systems the old app could not talk to (ERP, e-commerce, production systems).

[ WHO IT'S FOR ]

The typical profiles who benefit.

  • SMEs with VB6/Access apps from the 2000s

    Internal custom applications built by an employee or external consultant years ago. Today they 'still work' but Windows 11 supports them poorly, no remote access, no decent backups.

  • Professional firms with departmental tools

    Accounting firms, consultants, technical studios with vertical VB6/Access tools: calculation, matter management, billing. Users know the tool perfectly; replacing it with commercial software would require complete retraining.

[ WHAT WE NEED ]

Transparency on what the client does.

Before we start we need a few accesses and decisions. All reasonable, no surprise asks.

  • Legacy system

    • Executable + VB6 source code (even fragmentary)
    • Production Access or SQL Server database
    • Key system users for discovery sessions

  • Constraints and priorities

    • List of essential vs nice-to-have features
    • Possible integrations with web systems to enable
    • Compliance constraints (GDPR, audit)
[ TIME AND COST ]

Indicative numbers, not quotes.

TIME
Typically 4-9 months depending on legacy complexity.
COST
Range €40,000-150,000 for medium applications. Simple cases (e.g. only Access database with a couple of forms) from €20,000.
MODEL
Fixed milestones. Parallel run of the legacy during the migration.

Indicative numbers. For an accurate quote, let's talk.

[ FREQUENTLY ASKED ]

Answers to the most common questions.

Can we keep using the legacy while you rewrite?

Yes. The VB6/Access legacy keeps running in parallel. We work on the web app without touching the production system. Only when the web app is ready and validated is cutover decided. The legacy stays as fallback for 6-12 months post-cutover.

Do we keep the same historical data?

Yes, all historical data is migrated with consistency checks. If there were past data-quality issues in the legacy, we can optionally do data cleaning during migration (e.g. duplicates, inconsistent formats). Decided together: what to preserve 1:1 and what to clean.

Does the old software still support Office 365 and Windows 11?

Visual Basic 6 has been officially deprecated by Microsoft since 2008. On Windows 11 it runs intermittently, and VB6 runtimes are no longer updated. Microsoft Access is still supported but with increasingly tight constraints. The migration is not urgent, but the breakage risk grows over time.

[ LET'S TALK ]

Recognize your case?

Write a couple of lines about your context. We'll reply within 24-48 hours with an initial assessment and a first orientation on time and cost.

Let's talk
[ RELATED SOLUTIONS ]
[ WHERE IT WORKS BEST ]
[ PARENT PILLAR ]
Legacy system modernization We turn obsolete systems into modern software. Without stopping your business.