In many companies, an important process runs on an Excel workbook or an Access database with VBA. Costing, quotations, inspection records, bills of materials. It was quick to build and worked well for a long time. But now too much depends on it. We turn it into a stable application that several people can use safely.
How to tell that VBA is reaching its limits
- Only one person understands the macros, and they are on holiday when something goes wrong.
- Several colleagues work in the file at the same time, and data gets lost.
- There are many copies of the workbook, and nobody knows which one is current.
- The Access database is getting slow or approaching the 2 GB limit.
- Your IT department wants to block macros because they are a security risk.
What is changing at Microsoft
- Macros from the internet. Since 2022, Office has blocked macros in files from the internet by default. Anyone who sends workbooks by email notices this.
- VBScript is being phased out. Microsoft is gradually removing VBScript from Windows. From around 2027, it is set to no longer be enabled by default. This affects VBA projects that call .vbs files or use regular expressions via VBScript.
- 64-bit Office. Office is now installed as a 64-bit version by default. Older VBA projects with Windows API calls only run there after adaptation.
Where things are heading
- Your own application with a database. A desktop application in C# and .NET with SQL Server, MariaDB or PostgreSQL. Several people work at the same time, with access rights and logging.
- Web application. When colleagues work at several locations or on the move, everything runs in the browser.
- Excel stays, the logic moves. If your team is attached to Excel, Excel remains the user interface. Calculations and data run in an add-in and a database, tested and version-controlled.
If ready-made standard software is a better fit, we will tell you so.
Our approach
- Inventory. We look at macros, formulas, forms, queries and data and talk to the users.
- Clarify processes. We write down clearly what the workbook does today. This often reveals detours and hidden errors.
- Data migration. Data from Excel and Access is checked and moved to the new database.
- New application. The logic is created in C# with automated tests. We compare the results with those of the old solution.
- Rollout. We train the users and support the launch.
Getting started: the Modernisation Check
In the Modernisation Check, we analyse your Excel or Access solution, propose a target architecture and calculate when the port will pay off. You receive an analysis report with target architecture, cost-benefit analysis and phased plan. The Modernisation Check costs a fixed price of €3,490 plus VAT. If you then commission the follow-up project, we credit 50% of the package price.
Request package Book in the shop
Frequently asked questions about VBA migration
Can we keep using Excel for reporting?
Yes. The new application exports to Excel or feeds the data directly into your reports.
What happens to our Access data?
We transfer it to the new database and use a reconciliation to check that everything has arrived completely.
Is it also worthwhile for small solutions?
Not always. Sometimes it is enough to tidy up and secure the macros. We will tell you after the inventory.
Get in touch
Briefly describe what your Excel or Access solution does today. We will get back to you quickly and advise you without obligation. Call +49 761 28522110 or use the contact form.
kununu