Case Study · Testing and compliance · Access replacement
Replacing a split Access database
A UK testing and compliance consultancy ran its whole business on a split Access database and a half-finished low-code rebuild, and the one person who understood it was about to leave.
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The low-code rebuild didn't fail because low-code is bad. It failed because it swapped one person who understood the system for another. Whatever you replace Access with, make sure the knowledge ends up written down, not just moved.
Two systems, one nobody could change, and the knowledge about to leave
A split Access database had run the business for many years: quotes, projects, engineer scheduling, report tracking, invoicing, HR and health and safety.
Part of the operation had already been moved onto a low-code platform sitting on a cloud SQL Server database. Then the developer who built that left. So they had two systems, one nobody could change and one that only a single member of staff fully understood. And that person was leaving within a few weeks.
This project is running as I write, so it's a live example rather than a polished success story. We're not naming them, because the inside of a client's systems is theirs to talk about, not ours.
- Every PC had to find the back-end file at one fixed path on the C: drive, or nothing worked.
- Some screens were so slow over the network that the database copied results into local tables on each PC and read those instead.
- Staff holidays and sickness were recorded as bookings on a pretend internal job. Test equipment was set up as pretend employees, so it could be booked like a person.
- Nothing stopped an engineer being double-booked. The planner simply added up the days, and anyone who spotted a total above one knew to look.
- The financial year ran May to April, and some figures were cut off at two decimal places rather than rounded.
- Around 20 reports no longer worked at all, and several queries had specific years typed into them.
A whole business in one Access file
Quotes, projects, scheduling, invoicing, HR and health and safety, all in a split database that had grown for years.
A half-finished rebuild
Part of it had moved to a low-code platform, and the developer who built that had left.
One person who understood it
And they were leaving within a few weeks, taking the knowledge with them.
Rules hidden in odd places
Pretend jobs, pretend employees, a May to April year, figures cut off rather than rounded. Get any of it wrong and the new reports don't match the old ones.
Double-booking spotted by eye
Nothing in the system stopped an engineer being booked twice. People just knew to look.
Reports nobody trusted
Around 20 no longer worked, and several queries had specific years typed into them.
None of that is unusual. It's what years of sensible quick fixes look like. But every one of those rules had to be found and written down before we could rebuild it properly, and the knowledge was about to walk out of the door.
Write it all down first, then rebuild it properly
A standard PHP and MySQL web application they can hand to any PHP developer, built from a written understanding of the old system rather than a guess at it.
Read the whole Access system
Every table, form, report and saved query, rebuilt from the file itself into a written reference.
Agree the new system in fortnightly rounds
With the people who use it every day, so the hidden rules come out before anything is built on top of them.
Quoting first
Because it's the commercial heart of the business.
Jobs, scheduling and engineer allocation next
Being built now, with double-booking prevented by the system rather than spotted by eye.
What we're building and how
A system they own, and the knowledge written down.
The replacement is a standard PHP and MySQL web application. Nothing exotic, nothing locked to a vendor, and documented so any competent PHP developer could pick it up.
- A written reference of the whole Access system, with every query rebuilt from the file
- The new system agreed in fortnightly rounds with the people who use it
- Standard PHP and MySQL, on hosting the client controls
- Quoting rebuilt first, as the commercial heart of the business
- Jobs, scheduling and engineer allocation, with double-booking prevented by the system
- The hidden rules (financial year, rounding, pretend jobs) carried across on purpose, not by accident
A live project, not a finished one
Here's what's already changed, and what's coming.
The knowledge is written down
The whole Access system is documented in a written reference, so it no longer depends on one person.
Quoting went first
The commercial heart of the business, rebuilt before anything else.
No more double-booking by eye
Jobs and scheduling are being built so the system stops an engineer being booked twice.
Theirs to keep
Standard PHP and MySQL they can hand to any PHP developer.
What our clients say
19 clients. A few of their words.
A well-rounded team, ensuring a full suite of expertise & resource is always available. CDS Global have seen the successful completion of major projects over the years where Dev Partners' ability to grasp the underlying business needs to provide a future-proof solution has been invaluable.
We have worked with Jason & his team to develop our Shopify store, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. The design is clean, modern, and perfectly aligned with our brand identity, while the build is fast, responsive, and easy to manage on the backend. They clearly understood our vision and delivered a store we're genuinely proud of. Highly recommend to any brand looking for a top-quality Shopify partner.
After ongoing issues and delays with our previous developers, we brought in Rob & Jason at Dev Partners to take over all our websites and bespoke software. What a breath of fresh air, fully focused, excellent pre-launch designs and clear communication throughout. Highly recommended.
BPC Energy Ltd turned to Dev Partners for a complete turnkey solution, and they exceeded our expectations. The team handled everything from project management to development and support with real care and attention. They understood what we were aiming for, stayed on top of every detail, and always delivered on schedule with excellent quality.
Running on Access or spreadsheets?
If this sounds like your business, start here.
Free Access database or spreadsheet review
Sound like yours? Tell us what you have.
What the system does, roughly how many people use it, and what's making you think about replacing it. A copy of the file or a few screenshots helps, but isn't needed to start.
What we will cover:
- Whether to replace it, patch it or leave it
- The options that would fit, including off-the-shelf
- A rough cost and timescale if replacing makes sense
Rather talk now? Book a call or ring 01474 639 089.
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