Migrating a VM-locked Access 2000 database to Azure with a 10x faster Next.js website

The challenge

This client's entire crew booking operation ran on a native Access 2000 database, technology old enough that it would only run inside a virtual machine, with no way for their public-facing website to connect to it directly.

The interface itself hadn't kept pace with how the business actually worked. Staff needed an intuitive way to manage bookings, crew availability and day-to-day processing, but the old system offered none of the modern menu-driven usability a growing business needed.

Because the Access database was isolated on a VM, the client's existing WordPress website couldn't access live booking or crew data at all, meaning information had to be managed separately across the database and the website rather than in one connected system.

A wide range of tasks that should have been automatic, including generating Crew Diaries, producing Availability Lists, sending emails and running End of Day processing, were still being done manually, adding ongoing admin work on top of an already outdated system.

Our approach

1. 01

   Migrating the database to Azure SQL Server

   We migrated the client's data off the VM-locked Access 2000 database and onto Azure SQL Server, giving them a modern, cloud-based back end that both the internal system and the public website could connect to.

2. 02

   Rebuilding the front end on the OEG Access framework

   We rewrote the front end using the OEG Access framework, replacing the old interface with an intuitive, menu-driven forms system built around how the client's staff actually work day to day.

3. 03

   Building the Excel-style Bookings form

   We built the core Bookings form as an Excel-style grid giving staff a 180-day forward booking outlook, alongside improved navigation, sorting and filtering across the system's other entities.

4. 04

   Automating manual crew processes

   We automated a range of previously manual tasks, including the creation of Crew Diaries, generation of Availability Lists, email generation and End of Day processing, removing repetitive admin work from the daily workflow.

5. 05

   Rebuilding the website in Next.js

   We rewrote the client's existing WordPress website in Next.js with a direct, seamless connection to the Azure SQL Server database, migrating all existing website assets across and building a crew portal so crew members could access relevant information online.

6. 06

   Adding a website management portal to Access

   We built a website management portal directly into the Access front end, so staff could manage website content from within the same system they already used for bookings, rather than switching between separate tools.

The outcome

The client's database now runs on Azure SQL Server instead of a VM-locked Access 2000 file, giving them a modern, scalable back end that both their internal system and their website can connect to directly.

Their website, rebuilt in Next.js with a proper database connection, now loads 10 times faster than the previous WordPress site, and is built on a more scalable foundation that can grow with the business rather than working around the limitations of the old platform.

Tasks that used to be done manually, including Crew Diaries, Availability Lists, emails and End of Day processing, now run automatically, and the new Excel-style Bookings form gives staff a full 180-day forward view of bookings at a glance, with significantly improved navigation, sorting and filtering throughout the system.