Have an old stock/accounting program written in Delphi? You're not alone: thousands of SMEs in Turkey run on 2000s Delphi apps. We modernized MS Access + Delphi legacy in our Pharmacy Stock project; here is the roadmap.
Inventory First
What exists: is there source code, which database (Access/Paradox/Firebird?), how many users, which modules are critical? Without code, reverse engineering runs from screenshots and DB schema.
Three Modernization Paths
1) In-place improvement: Delphi version upgraded, database moved to SQL. Cheapest and fastest, but the ceiling is known.2) Web migration: Business logic preserved, UI becomes modern web; access from anywhere. The ideal balance for most SMEs.3) Rewrite from scratch: Cleanest if processes change too; but the most expensive and risky path.
Data Migration Is the Critical Step
Old data never moves uncleaned: duplicate records, broken dates, inconsistent stock. Migration rehearsals run, counters kept; go-live is usually planned for a weekend.
Risk Management
Parallel run (old + new system together for a while) is the safest method. Training and a simple user guide matter as much as the technical work.
Cost Reality
In-place improvement fits small budgets, web migration medium ones. Net figures come after scope analysis — start with a free discovery call.
FAQ
My Access database is huge, can it move? Yes; with staged migration and index optimization.
Any references? Pharmacy stock tracking system: our portfolio.
