The verdict in three sentences
An ageing Access database whose macros only one employee understands carries a downtime risk you can put a number on: 5 days of revenue if it breaks or that person leaves. For a typical Dublin SME (15 tables, 120,000 rows, 10 to 25 users), migrating to a web application costs between EUR 20,000 and 50,000 excluding VAT and ships in 6 to 10 weeks. The right order is simple: map the data and business rules first, rebuild second, then run both systems in parallel for two weeks.
Why your Access database has become an operational risk
Access has served companies well: fast data entry, queries, printed reports. But in 2026, a database built in 2008 stacks up three weaknesses. A shared .accdb file on a file server struggles beyond 5 to 10 simultaneous users and corrupts during network drops. VBA macros are documented nowhere, and the person who wrote them is often close to retirement. Finally, remote access goes through a VPN or remote desktop, which shuts out travelling sales staff and shop-floor tablets.
The operations or finance manager has to quantify this risk to win over the board. A simple method: multiply daily revenue by the number of days needed to rebuild the database in an emergency. For an SME with EUR 5 million annual revenue (about EUR 22,000 per working day), 5 days of downtime means EUR 110,000 of revenue at risk.
| Risk indicator | Typical Access setup | After web migration |
|---|---|---|
| Reliable simultaneous users | 5 to 10 | 50 and more |
| Out-of-office access | VPN or remote desktop | Browser, mobile, tablet |
| Backup | Manual file copy | Automatic, daily, encrypted |
| Change history | None | Per-user audit log |
| Dependency on one person | Very high | Documented, versioned code |
| Recovery time after failure | 2 to 5 days | Under 4 hours |
2026 budget for an Access migration in Dublin
Price depends less on row count than on the complexity of the business rules hidden in forms and macros. 120,000 rows transfer in minutes; it is the 40 nested queries and invoicing reports that consume the budget. Dublin day rates run roughly 20 to 25 % above Lyon, which explains the higher range.
| Item | Simple scope (8 to 10 tables) | Standard scope (15 tables) | Complex scope (25+ tables) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data audit and mapping | EUR 2,500 | EUR 4,500 | EUR 7,500 |
| PostgreSQL data model | EUR 2,000 | EUR 3,500 | EUR 6,000 |
| Screens, forms and permissions | EUR 8,000 | EUR 15,000 | EUR 23,000 |
| Rebuilt reports and exports | EUR 2,500 | EUR 5,000 | EUR 7,500 |
| Data migration and cleansing | EUR 2,000 | EUR 3,000 | EUR 3,500 |
| Acceptance testing and training | EUR 3,000 | EUR 4,000 | EUR 2,500 |
| Indicative total | EUR 20,000 | EUR 35,000 | EUR 50,000 |
These are 2026 ballpark figures for Irish SMEs, excluding VAT. Add hosting of EUR 50 to 180 per month depending on redundancy, and maintenance of EUR 200 to 500 per month.
The method in 6 to 10 weeks
The migration runs in four phases. Weeks 1 and 2: file audit, inventory of tables, relationships, queries and macros, interviews with the 3 to 5 key users. Weeks 3 to 7: build the web application (PostgreSQL, responsive interface, roles and permissions), with a demo every two weeks. Week 8: test migration of the 120,000 rows, checks for duplicates and empty fields, which usually affect 3 to 8 % of records. Weeks 9 and 10: parallel running, comparison of outputs, then final cutover on a Monday morning.
The biggest time saver: freeze the Access database during the audit. Every new macro added mid-project adds one to two days of work on average.
Mini case study
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Aoife, operations manager at an electrical supplies distributor in Ballymount, Dublin, runs customers, quotes, stock and orders in a 2008 Access database. Scope: 15 tables, 120,000 rows, 14 users, 6 printed reports. Approved budget: EUR 34,000 excluding VAT over 9 weeks, plus EUR 110 per month for hosting.
The return: the team lost about 6 hours a week to re-keying and waiting for file locks, i.e. 6 × 46 weeks × EUR 42 loaded hourly cost = EUR 11,592 per year. Adding the avoided downtime risk (EUR 110,000 of revenue at risk), the board signed off in a single meeting. Productivity gains alone pay the project back in under 3 years, before counting mobile access for sales staff.
FAQ
Can we keep Access as the front end and only migrate the data?
Yes, by linking Access to a SQL Server or PostgreSQL back end, for EUR 5,000 to 10,000. It is a useful interim step, but it keeps the macro dependency and offers no mobile access.
How long is the business interrupted during cutover?
Usually less than half a day. The final migration of 120,000 rows takes under an hour, and 2 weeks of parallel running secure the transition.
What happens to the VBA macros?
Each one is read and translated into server-side business rules. On a typical database, 30 to 50 % of macros turn out to be unused and are simply dropped.
Is the web app GDPR compliant?
It can be, far more easily than Access: EU hosting, role-based rights, access logs and automatic purging. Budget EUR 1,200 to 2,500 to formalise the record of processing and retention periods.
Who owns the code?
Your company, with source code delivered to a Git repository in your name. That removes the single-person dependency that started the whole problem.
Let's scope your project. Send us your table list and user count: we will price the scope, between EUR 20,000 and 50,000, with a 6 to 10 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
