The verdict in three sentences
A legacy desktop ERP built 15 years ago in Microsoft Access, Delphi or a similar tool by a contractor who has since retired is an operational risk, not just a technical one: one crash or one tax change can stop invoicing. Rewriting it as a web application on PostgreSQL costs, as a 2026 ballpark, CAD 75,000 to 220,000 depending on screen count, preceded by a CAD 7,000 to 15,000 audit and accompanied by CAD 12,000 to 30,000 of data migration. Projects succeed when split into phases over 6 to 12 months, with 1 to 2 months of parallel running.
Why the status quo is becoming dangerous
The IT manager of a distribution SME in Saint-Laurent or Anjou knows the picture. The software handles purchasing, inventory, invoicing and customer pricing. It works, but nobody understands the source code any more, workstations are stuck on an old Windows version, remote access relies on a fragile remote desktop, and every change takes weeks.
Three deadlines push the decision. Québec's Law 25 on privacy, fully in force since September 2023, requires access controls, incident logs and privacy impact assessments that an old Access file can hardly provide. The departure of the original developer removes the only person able to fix a failure. And sales reps want stock and pricing on their phones at customer sites, in French and English.
| Option | 2026 indicative cost | Timeline | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status quo with a freelance Access or Delphi developer | CAD 90 to 140 per hour on demand | Immediate | Dependence on a scarce skill |
| Move to an off-the-shelf ERP (Acumatica, Business Central, Odoo) | CAD 50,000 to 180,000 plus licences | 4 to 9 months | Losing specific business rules |
| Phased custom web rewrite | CAD 75,000 to 220,000 | 6 to 12 months | Scope creep if the audit is rushed |
| Low-code wrapper around the old database | CAD 30,000 to 90,000 | 3 to 6 months | Keeps the legacy data model and its flaws |
| Big-bang full rewrite | Near the top of the range | 9 to 15 months | Long tunnel, risky cutover |
How the budget breaks down
The audit and mapping step is the best-value part of the project. It lists screens, printed reports, scheduled jobs, pricing rules and database tables, then classifies each function: keep, simplify or drop. In a 15-year-old system, 20 to 30% of screens are no longer used.
| Item | 2026 ballpark (CAD) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Audit, mapping, phase plan | 7,000 to 15,000 | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Phase 1: master data, items, customers, pricing | 18,000 to 45,000 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Phase 2: purchasing, inventory, counts | 22,000 to 65,000 | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Phase 3: sales, invoicing, taxes (GST and QST) | 22,000 to 70,000 | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Phase 4: reporting, mobile for sales reps | 12,000 to 40,000 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Data migration to PostgreSQL | 12,000 to 30,000 | Ongoing, per phase |
| Parallel running and training | Included or 4,000 to 12,000 | 1 to 2 months |
The total range depends mostly on the number of screens actually rebuilt: around 40 for a simple SME, 120 for a multi-warehouse distributor with customer and volume pricing. Data migration is often underestimated: duplicate customers, fields used for something else, 15 years of history to clean.
At Kolonell, exact scope and pricing are set in the quote after the audit. Maintenance follows three plans: 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 53, 114 or 183).
Reducing risk during cutover
Three rules prevent bad surprises. Deliver by functional phases, each going live while the old software keeps running for the rest. Synchronise data between the legacy database and PostgreSQL during the transition through an ODBC bridge. Keep 1 to 2 months of parallel running on invoicing, with daily reconciliation of totals, before switching off the old module.
Mini case study
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Marc, IT manager of a 45-employee building supplies distributor in Montréal, commissions an audit for CAD 11,000. Result: 95 screens, 28 of them unused, so 67 to rebuild. Rewrite quote: CAD 135,000, data migration CAD 20,000, for CAD 166,000 in total over 10 months.
Estimated annual gains: avoided ad hoc legacy support, 140 hours at CAD 120, so CAD 16,800; 25 minutes saved per day for 12 sales and admin staff over 230 days, so 1,150 hours at CAD 45 loaded, about CAD 51,750; workstations and remote desktop licences saved, CAD 6,000. Total: about CAD 74,550 a year, for a payback of roughly 27 months, before counting the outage risk removed.
FAQ
Can we reuse the old source code to go faster?
If you have it, it helps the audit understand pricing rules, but it is not converted automatically. Get it from the original developer before they leave; it cuts audit time by 20 to 30%.
How long do both systems run side by side?
Throughout the project, phase by phase, then 1 to 2 months fully in parallel on invoicing. The sync bridge costs CAD 4,000 to 12,000 and is removed at the end.
Why PostgreSQL rather than SQL Server?
It is open source, with no per-core licence, robust beyond tens of millions of rows and offered by every Canadian cloud region. You are no longer tied to a vendor.
Will the new app support French and English?
Yes, interface languages are part of the scope and set in the quote. Bill 96 requires French to be at least as prominent in software used by employees in Québec, so plan for it from phase 1.
What if the audit reveals a larger scope?
The phase plan lets you decide: rebuild the 60 to 70% of vital functions first, then schedule or drop the rest. Budget stays under control phase by phase.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your current software, its users and your deadlines, and we will propose an audit followed by a phased rewrite plan over six to twelve months. 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.
