Migrate Your Legacy Microsoft Access Database to a Modern Web Application
Eliminate the 2GB file limit, stop VPN crashes, and give your remote team secure, multi-user access from any browser. We translate messy VBA into clean, scalable cloud software.
How Microsoft Access to web application migration works
Microsoft does not host an online version of Access. Access Web Apps were retired years ago. To move a Microsoft Access database to the web, we export your tables into SQL Server or PostgreSQL, rebuild forms and VBA as a browser app, run Access and the new system side by side, then cut over. Optional Canadian hosting keeps operational data in Canada when you need it. See also our help article on Access online and VPN lag.
Why teams leave Microsoft Access behind
The symptoms show up long before the file fully dies.
The 2GB death spiral
Access databases crash and lock up as they approach the 2GB limit. Temporary cleanup buys time. It does not raise the ceiling.
The remote work nightmare
Access was built for local networks. Running it over a VPN causes lag, lock waits, and database corruption.
The bus factor
The person who wrote the original VBA left years ago. When something breaks, nobody knows how to fix it safely.
Security risks
A shared .accdb on a network drive lacks modern role-based security, auditing, and the controls Canadian businesses expect today.
How to move MS Access to the cloud (the right way)
Hosting the file somewhere else is not the same as a web application. These workarounds still leave you with a desktop .accdb.
| Approach | Result |
|---|---|
| OneDrive or SharePoint | Microsoft warns against multi-user Access this way. Corruption risk stays high. |
| Remote Desktop / Citrix | Staff still use Access in a remote Windows session. The 2GB limit remains. |
| Azure VM with Access | The file moved to the cloud, but it is still a desktop database. |
| Real web application | Browser access, proper database, roles, backups, and no VPN file share. |
Microsoft Access vs a modern web app
Microsoft Access migration to web services changes the architecture, not just the hosting.
| Capability | Microsoft Access | Web application |
|---|---|---|
| Browser access | No | Yes |
| Concurrent users | Degrades long before the published 255 max | Designed for multi-user work |
| 2GB file limit | Hard ceiling on .accdb | No Access file ceiling |
| VPN file share | Often required for remote staff | Not required |
| Phone and Mac | Windows desktop only | Any modern browser |
| REST / APIs | No native path | Standard integrations |
| Microsoft 365 roles | Shared file password at best | Entra ID / Microsoft 365 roles |
| Backups and audit | Manual and fragile | Automated backups and login history |
What each Access piece becomes
| In Microsoft Access | In the web app |
|---|---|
| Tables | PostgreSQL or SQL Server tables |
| Relationships | Database foreign keys and constraints |
| Queries | Views, reports, and API endpoints |
| Forms and reports | Responsive web screens and dashboards |
| VBA and macros | Server-side business logic |
| Shared file password | Entra ID / Microsoft 365 role-based access |
Our modernization process
Business terms, not a pile of jargon.
Data migration
We move your tables to PostgreSQL or SQL Server with validation for zero data loss. Canadian hosting such as Azure Canada Central is available when you want operational data to stay in Canada.
Logic translation
Decades-old VBA macros and queries become modern backend APIs. Same business rules, cleaner structure, and easier maintenance for the next person on your team.
Web interface
Dated grey forms become a mobile-responsive web portal your staff can open from the office, home, or the field.
How we migrate Access to a web app
Step 1
Audit the Access database
We list tables, relationships, forms, reports, queries, macros, and VBA. Then we mark what to rebuild, replace, or retire.
Step 2
Back up and clean the data
We take a dated backup of the .accdb file and clean duplicates and obvious data quality issues before anything moves.
Step 3
Export the tables
Tables export to CSV or Excel with field names in the first row so the new database can map columns cleanly.
Step 4
Load a cloud database
Data lands in PostgreSQL or SQL Server with keys and relationships rebuilt. Canadian hosting is available when you need data residency.
Step 5
Rebuild forms and business logic
Screens become a responsive web portal. VBA rules become tested server APIs with the same business outcomes.
Step 6
Set roles with Microsoft 365
Shared file passwords go away. Staff sign in with Entra ID or Microsoft 365 and see only what their role allows.
Step 7
Parallel run and cut over
Access stays live while we validate counts and workflows. After a short side-by-side window, the web app becomes the system of record.
Why IT Real Simple
We are a Canadian IT consultancy founded in 2009. We do not hand you a locked-in platform and walk away.
Fits Microsoft 365
The new app can use Entra ID and Microsoft 365 so sign-in matches how your company already works.
Canadian data options
We can host in a Canadian region and design access, audit, and retention to support PIPEDA obligations. We do not claim a PIPEDA certification we do not hold.
You own the system
Source, data, and documentation stay with you. No mystery monthly seat tax for every new user.
Parallel cutover
Access keeps running until your team signs off. We plan a short overlap so go-live is calm, not chaotic.
Canada-wide delivery
Remote delivery across Canada, with local roots in Barrington Passage and service areas in Calgary and Fort St. John.
Tied to real IT support
After launch you can keep us for hosting and managed IT, or run the stack in your own Azure tenant.
We can run it after go-live
After the rebuild we can host the database, the web application, the domain name, and the secured environment for you. That includes HTTPS, backups, and updates so the move stays simple and low stress. Canadian region hosting is available when you need it.
- ✓Database hosting (PostgreSQL or SQL Server)
- ✓Web application hosting
- ✓Domain name setup and renewal help
- ✓Secured environment with HTTPS and backups
VBA to Web App Conversion Cost
Get a planning range in minutes. Small databases are our best fit.
Related reading: VBA conversion cost guide · Is Access being discontinued? · Is there an online version of Access?
What Our Clients Say
Real feedback from businesses we've helped
Google Reviews
Ready for a free legacy system audit?
Tell us what the Access app does today. We will map a safe path to a secure web application.
Microsoft Access to web app FAQs
Straight answers for Canadian businesses leaving desktop Access.
Is there an online version of Microsoft Access?+
Microsoft does not sell or host an online version of Access. Access is a Windows desktop app. Access Web Apps stopped accepting new builds in June 2017 and remaining web apps were shut down by April 2018. To put the system on the web you rebuild it as a cloud web application.
Can I put my Access database on OneDrive or SharePoint for remote staff?+
Not reliably for more than one person. Microsoft advises against opening a shared Access file from OneDrive or SharePoint because sync conflicts and corruption are common. Remote Desktop still leaves you with the same fragile .accdb file.
Why is Access so slow over VPN?+
Access expects a fast local network share. Over a VPN every form open and record save waits on file locks across a slower link, so the app feels laggy and corruption risk goes up. A browser web app removes that VPN file share path.
Do Access forms, reports, and VBA migrate automatically?+
No. Tables and data move to a proper database. Forms, reports, queries, macros, and VBA are rebuilt as web screens and server logic. That rebuild is the real work of the project.
How much does VBA to web app conversion cost?+
Small Microsoft Access databases often start in the $2,500 to $6,000 CAD planning range. More forms, heavier VBA, or system integrations raise the range. Use the estimator on this page for a planning band, then confirm in a free audit.
Can you fix an Access database that hit the 2GB limit?+
Yes. The lasting fix is moving data off the .accdb file into SQL Server or PostgreSQL and rebuilding the front end as a web app. Temporary cleanup can buy time, but the 2GB ceiling stays if you keep the Access file as the back end.
How long does migration take, and can Access stay running?+
Small jobs often take 2 to 5 weeks. Larger apps take longer. We keep Access running while we build, run both systems side by side for a short validation window, then cut over when your team is ready.
Can people use the new app on a phone or Mac?+
Yes. The rebuilt system runs in a modern browser on Windows, Mac, tablets, and phones. You do not need Access installed on every device.
Can the new web app be hosted in Canada?+
Yes. We can host the database and application in a Canadian region such as Azure Canada Central when you want operational data to stay in Canada. We design access, audit, and retention to support PIPEDA obligations.
Do we have to host the new app ourselves?+
No. After the rebuild we can host the database, web application, domain name, and secured environment for you, including HTTPS, backups, and updates. You can also host in your own Microsoft 365 or Azure tenant if that fits better.