The verdict in three sentences
Replacing a critical Access database or Excel workbook with a custom web application costs between EUR 12,000 and 35,000 excl. VAT (about USD 13,000 to 38,000) in 2026 for an SME, over 6 to 12 weeks. The hardest part is not the screens but migrating 15 years of data, which must be cleaned, deduplicated and verified before cutover. The risk of staying put can be priced: a corrupted file with no usable backup often costs more than the migration itself.
Why the homegrown tool becomes a risk
The office manager of an SME works in an Access database created in 2009 by an employee who has since left. Quotes, customers, stock and invoicing all run through it. The file is 1.8 GB, close to Access's 2 GB limit, supports only two simultaneous users without locking, and runs on a Windows PC nobody dares to update.
| Warning sign | Concrete risk | Estimated cost if it happens |
|---|---|---|
| File close to 2 GB | Corruption, unreadable database | EUR 5,000 to 20,000 in recovery and downtime |
| Single author, gone | Nobody can edit the queries | Blocked at every change |
| Shared over a network folder | Overwrites, locks, duplicates | 2 to 5 hours lost per week |
| No per-user permissions | Data leak or deletion | Privacy incident (PIPEDA in Canada, GDPR in the EU) |
| No remote access | Remote staff and sales blocked | Re-entry and delayed quotes |
| Office 2010 or outdated VBA | Breaks at the next update | Sudden tool outage |
What the migration costs, item by item
| Item | Content | Indicative 2026 budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Audit of the existing database | Tables, queries, macros, hidden rules | EUR 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Data model and cleanup | Duplicates, free-text fields, normalisation | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 |
| Data migration (15 years) | Migration scripts, consistency checks | EUR 2,500 to 7,000 |
| Business screens | Customers, quotes, stock, invoicing | EUR 4,000 to 12,000 |
| Users and permissions | Roles, change log | EUR 1,000 to 3,000 |
| Exports and dashboards | Excel, PDF, monthly KPIs | EUR 1,000 to 3,000 |
| Hosting and backups | Local-region server, daily backup | EUR 40 to 150 per month |
A simple database with 8 to 12 tables stays around EUR 12,000 excl. VAT. A 40-table database with VBA macros and invoicing climbs to EUR 35,000 excl. VAT.
The four-step method
- Audit (1 to 2 weeks): inventory of tables and calculation rules, often hidden in macros.
- Build (3 to 7 weeks): web app delivered module by module, tested on a copy of the real data.
- Parallel run (1 to 2 weeks): the team works in the new tool while the old one stays read-only for comparison.
- Cutover and archiving: final export, total checks (customer count, revenue per year), archive of the old file.
| Option | Upfront cost | Annual cost | Business fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep and repair Access | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 | Growing risk | Complete but fragile |
| Standard management software | EUR 0 to 3,000 | EUR 50 to 90 per user per month | Partial |
| Low-code tool (Airtable, Power Apps) | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 | EUR 20 to 45 per user per month | Good up to a certain volume |
| Custom web application | EUR 12,000 to 35,000 | EUR 1,500 to 4,000 | Complete and durable |
Mini case study
Sandrine, office manager of a 14-person trading SME, estimates the Access database costs five people 4 hours a week: locks, re-entry, manual exports. That is 5 x 4 x 46 weeks = 920 hours a year, or EUR 32,200 at EUR 35 per loaded hour. The migration, quoted at EUR 24,000 excl. VAT, cuts these losses by 80%, saving EUR 25,760 a year. With EUR 2,500 a year for maintenance and hosting, the project pays back in just over a year, not counting the avoided risk of a corrupted database. A Toronto firm of the same size sees the same order of magnitude in CAD.
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FAQ
Will we lose data during the migration?
Not if the migration is tested on a copy and validated with total checks. We compare at least 10 indicators (record counts, amounts per year) before cutover.
Can we keep Excel for some uses?
Yes, the app can export and import Excel files. Teams keep their analysis sheets, now fed with reliable data.
How long is the business interrupted?
Cutover usually happens on a Friday evening, with 4 to 8 hours of downtime. The parallel run in the previous weeks limits surprises.
Can our VBA macros be carried over?
Their logic is rewritten in the application. Allow EUR 500 to 1,500 per complex macro, depending on how many rules it contains.
Do we need an on-premise server?
No, local-region hosting at EUR 40 to 150 a month is enough, with daily backups kept for 30 days and secure access from any device.
Let's scope your project. Send us an anonymised copy of your Access database or Excel workbook for an audit and a quote between EUR 12,000 and 35,000 excl. VAT, with a 6 to 12 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.
