For teams using Microsoft Access business tools
Your Access tool: fix it and keep using it, or move it to the web?
Choose the version, VBA, the number of screens and reports and more, and see a guide to the way forward that suits your tool. We tell you which fits: fixing it and keeping it, moving it to the web, or replacing it.
Does one of these apply?
- End of support for Access 2016, 2019 and 2021
- The person who built it moving on
- A move to Microsoft 365 or 64-bit
Free, multiple choice, about 3 minutes
You can print the result or save it as a PDF and use it as it is to explain the matter to your manager or IT.
End of support for Access
- Access 2013 and earlier: support has already ended.
- Access 2016 and 2019: support ended on October 14, 2025.
- Access 2021: support ended on October 13, 2026.
- Access in Microsoft 365 is not affected by these dates (it keeps receiving updates).
After the end of support, your tools keep working. However, newly found weaknesses (vulnerabilities) are no longer fixed.
Source: Microsoft lifecycle information (as of October 2026)
Microsoft information 1(opens in a new tab)Microsoft information 2(opens in a new tab)Does this sound familiar?
- It stopped working after moving to Microsoft 365, to 64-bit, or to a new PC
- The person who built it has moved on, and nobody can fix it
- It is slow, the file breaks, or several people cannot use it at once
- It cannot be used from outside the office or from home
- There is a lot of copying into Excel and totalling by hand
- You are asked to keep records of who saw or changed what, and to manage permissions
Risks of leaving it as it is
Even if nothing goes wrong right away, the following can happen.
Business stops
If the tool stops working after an Office update or a PC replacement, the work that relies on it stops too.
It keeps running on an unsupported version
Business data keeps being handled on a version whose weaknesses are no longer fixed.
Dependence on one person
Without someone who understands how it works, you can decide neither to fix it nor to retire it.
Data management
Copies easily spread to personal PCs and USB drives. If the shared folder is encrypted by ransomware and there is no backup, the Access data becomes unusable at the same time.
Whichever way you choose, it matters to be able to manage permissions, records and backups.
There are three ways forward
Which one fits depends on how the tool is used. The free web check shows which one fits as a guide, and we decide together in a consultation.
Fix it and keep using it
We fix your current Access tool so that it works again.
Fits when
- What needs fixing is clear, such as 64-bit support
- Few people use it
- It has a limited set of functions
- It will be used for a short time
Move it to the web
We rebuild it as a web system used in the browser.
Fits when
- Many people or several sites use it
- You want to use it from a browser or a smartphone
- Permissions and records must be managed (internal control)
- You want to add functions later
Replace it with an off-the-shelf service
We help you switch to a commercial cloud service or similar.
Fits when
- Standard work that every company has
- The functions of an off-the-shelf service are enough
We also take on "fix it and keep using it" work, such as 64-bit support, ourselves.
From relying on one person to being supported by a team
Your Access today, and what can be built when moving to the web
Some things are easy to miss even when a tool is used only inside the company. They come from how Access tools are built, not from how people use them.
| Item | Access today | What can be built when moving to the web |
|---|---|---|
| Who can fix it | Access todayWhen the author moves or leaves, nobody may be able to fix it. | What can be built when moving to the webWe who build it also provide the upkeep to keep fixing it. |
| Taking data out | Access todayCopying the file takes all the data with it. | What can be built when moving to the webWhat each person can see on screen can be set per person. |
| Records | Access todayWho saw or changed what is not kept unless it is built in. | What can be built when moving to the webWho saw or changed what, and when, can be recorded. |
| People who left or moved | Access todayIt depends on the shared folder's permissions. Copies already taken cannot be stopped. | What can be built when moving to the webTheir accounts can be stopped. |
| Backups | Access todayCopying by hand can miss some. | What can be built when moving to the webIt can be built to back up automatically at set intervals. |
| When a weakness is found | Access todayVersions whose support has ended (2021 and earlier) get no fixes. Access in Microsoft 365 keeps getting updates. | What can be built when moving to the webIt needs to keep being fixed. |
Moving to the web does not by itself make it better protected. We set the rules for permissions, records and backups with you during the move. The same things are decided when fixing the tool to keep using it, or when replacing it with a ready-made service.
From closing it off to deciding how to protect it
A web system does not have to be open to the internet
A web system is one you use in a browser. Where it can be reached from is decided separately from how it is built.
Today
Used only inside the company
It is used from a shared folder in the office or from certain PCs.
One possible setup after the move
Used only from the company network
As today, it can be reached only from the company network. The screens open in a browser.
One possible setup after the move
Also used from outside (home or other sites)
Only people who pass sign-in with a company account and a second check of who they are (multi-factor authentication) reach the system.
Which setup to use is decided with you, after we hear your company's rules.
Four things to decide when moving to the web
We decide how to protect it together with how to build it.
Where it can be reached from
Only from the company network, or from outside as well.
How people sign in
Whether to use company accounts and multi-factor authentication.
Permissions, records and backups
Who may do what, what is recorded and how to restore.
Who keeps fixing it when a weakness is found, and how
We who build it also provide the upkeep to keep fixing it. We decide with you how much you leave to us.
For IT departments: we explain where it can be reached from, sign-in, permissions, records, backups and how it is fixed after the move, along the items your review checks.
You can also talk about how to protect it in the free 30-minute online consultation.
From the free web check to completion
The free web check gives a first guide; a consultation and an inventory show what is in the tool, and then we decide the way forward together.
First
Free web check (Access, about 3 minutes)
Answer multiple-choice questions to see right away a guide to the recommended way forward (fix, move to the web or replace) and the issue to tackle first.
STEP 1
Inventory
In a 30-minute online consultation, we ask about the number of tools and how they are used. Where needed, we take the files and check the screens and reports, the VBA, and what they connect to. If checking the files costs anything, we tell you beforehand.
STEP 2
Deciding the approach
We decide whether to fix, move to the web or replace, and in what scope and order.
STEP 3
Migration
We carry out the chosen approach. How to move the data and the switch-over date are decided in advance.
STEP 4
AX
After moving to the web, we add AI where it helps.
For example, AI can be used to help with input, totals, or drafting answers to questions from within the company. We decide together where to use it after checking the work and the data. You can start by trying it on a small scale.
Fix it or move it to the web? If you are unsure, talk to us
You can also apply for the free 30-minute online consultation by phone or email.
- Phone
- 03-5427-3663
Department: DX Services Division,
Hours: weekdays 9:30-18:00 (JST)
Which Access tools we cover
You can consult us about a single tool.
- .mdb and .accdb files (also when only .accde or .mde files are left)
- From older versions to Microsoft 365
- With little VBA or with a lot
- Linked to SQL Server or other databases, or to other systems
- Tools used by a single department
Migrating a core system such as AS/400 or ACOS?
Migrating AS/400 (IBM i), NEC ACOS and other systems, and the free web check for each system, are covered on the AX Migration page.
Frequently asked questions
We have no specification documents. Can we still consult you?
Yes. You can consult us without specifications. We look at the screens, reports and VBA to find out what the tool does.
Is it secure to move a tool we used only inside the company to the web?
That is a fair concern. A web system also carries a risk: when a weakness (vulnerability) is found in software it uses, that weakness can be exploited until it is fixed. So when we decide the approach, we decide with you where the system can be reached from (only on your internal network, or from outside the office as well), how people sign in, and how permissions, records and backups are managed. After the move, we who build it also provide the upkeep to keep fixing weaknesses when they are found; how much you leave to us is discussed with the approach. Note also that versions of Access whose support has ended get no fixes when weaknesses are found.
Can we move to the web without making it usable from outside?
A setup used only from the company network is also possible. Where it can be reached from is decided after we hear your company's rules.
Can you explain things for our IT department's review?
Yes. We ask what your review checks (where it can be reached from, sign-in, permissions, records, backups, how it is fixed after the move and so on) and explain along those items. Engineers join when needed.
We only have an .accde (.mde) file.
We check the file and tell you what can be done. From an .accde (.mde) file the table data can usually be taken out, but the VBA code and the design of forms and reports cannot. The tool is then rebuilt by checking how its screens behave.
Can we move only part of it to the web?
Yes. You can move the most used functions first and keep using the rest in your current Access tool.
What does the cost depend on?
It depends on the number of screens and reports, the amount of VBA, the links to other systems and databases, and the amount and state of the data. We give you an estimate after checking the contents. The free web check and the 30-minute online consultation cost nothing.
How long does it take?
It depends on the size of the tool and the approach. We tell you after checking the contents, together with the approach.
Can we keep using our current Access tool during the work?
In most cases you can keep using your current Access until the switch-over day. There may be times, such as when the data is moved, when we ask you to hold off on input. We agree on the schedule with you in advance.
Can a single department of a large company consult you?
Yes. We take on a single tool of a single department.
Can we consult you if the tool holds personal data?
Yes. We first ask what kind of data it holds and decide with you how the data is handled. The detailed questions of the free web check also let you choose the kinds of data it holds.
Can I answer if I am not in IT?
Yes. All questions are multiple choice and you can choose "I don't know". Detailed questions are optional.
How does the consultation work?
It is a free 30-minute online consultation as a rule. Engineers join when needed. You can apply from the result of the free web check, or by phone or email.
Why you can rely on us
Security
Specifications, source code and other materials you entrust to us are processed in a secure environment where they are not used as training data.
Scope
You can consult us on every way forward: fixing it, moving it to the web or replacing it. We take on a single tool of a single department.
DX-certified company
Software Agency System Co., Ltd. is certified under the DX Certification program of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
PrivacyMark
Software Agency System Co., Ltd. holds the PrivacyMark (certification number 10822550, conforming to JIS Q 15001:2023).
ISMS (ISO/IEC 27001)
Design and development of AX migration carried out at our head office are within the scope of our ISMS certification (certificate number IS609954): business system development at the head office.
After the move
We who build it also provide the upkeep to keep fixing weaknesses when they are found.
Free web check (Access)
Just answer multiple-choice questions about your Access tool. In about 3 minutes you see a guide to the recommended way forward (fix, move to the web or replace), how hard and how urgent the migration is, and which issue to tackle first. Enter your company name and contact details at the end and the result is shown right away (it can be printed or saved as a PDF). No pushy sales.
- Multiple choice, about 3 minutes
- Migration difficulty
- Priority challenge
STEP 1 / 5Upkeep and version
Please answer every question not marked as optional. You can choose "I don't know".
For a system other than Access, go back with “Back” and choose it there.
Start by checking the Access tool you use.
Fix it, move it to the web, or replace it. Before deciding, why not find out the current state of your tool?
Free, multiple choice, about 3 minutes
- Phone
- 03-5427-3663
Department: DX Services Division,
Hours: weekdays 9:30-18:00 (JST)
Microsoft and Access are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.