From clunky Access database to lightning-fast cloud system — without losing a decade of custom-built business logic. I moved a 900MB, 10–15 year old Access system to Azure SQL Server with secure MFA login, keeping the client’s familiar front-end exactly as it was with just a few hours’ downtime, and screens that used to take 20 seconds now load in a few seconds.
The Challenge
An established event management company had spent 10–15 years developing a highly bespoke Microsoft Access system around the way its business operates.
The database manages virtually the entire event lifecycle, including enquiries, quotations, job management, purchase orders, scheduling, contractor management, invoicing and payments.
With around 20–30 users and approximately 900MB of data, the Access back-end was becoming increasingly problematic. Files could grow significantly during normal use, while performance and reliability were becoming a concern. The company also needed to provide practical and secure remote access for its users.
Replacing the system was not an attractive option. Years of development had produced a highly specialised front-end, closely matched to the company’s day-to-day processes and containing a considerable amount of embedded business knowledge.
The Solution
I migrated the data from the Access back-end to Azure SQL Server, while retaining the existing Access front-end.
This allowed the company to preserve its investment in the application while moving the data onto a more scalable and reliable cloud platform.
The migration involved considerably more than simply moving the tables. Complex Access queries, particularly those supporting scheduling and diary management, performed poorly when run against a remote SQL database. These were analysed and selectively rewritten as optimised SQL views and stored procedures, alongside changes to VBA, forms and queries where required.
Security was also important. Microsoft Entra authentication with multi-factor authentication (MFA) was implemented, with particular attention paid to connection management so that the additional security did not compromise application performance.
Minimal Disruption
The migration process was rehearsed several times before the live changeover. As a result, the final data migration required only a few hours of downtime.
For users, almost nothing changed. The familiar Access application they had been using for years remained essentially identical, apart from a new login process.
The Result
The business now has its proven Access application running against a secure, cloud-hosted SQL back-end.
Reliability has improved, remote working is practical, and significant performance bottlenecks have been removed. Some screens that previously took around 20 seconds to load now appear within just a few seconds.
Most importantly, the company has been able to retain 10–15 years of investment in a highly specialised Access application rather than replacing it and starting again.
The system has now been running successfully for several months, with ongoing specialist support available when required.
