Integration Hub · Legacy Rescue

Modernise old systems and harden prototypes — without the big-bang cutover.

Audit, extract and rebuild only what matters. Old Access databases, unsupported custom apps, no-code prototypes and AI-built MVPs that work locally but won't ship — all rescued on a production stack with the data and the workflow preserved.

You don't need to replace everything in one risky weekend. You need a clear-eyed audit, a staged plan, and a team that will tell you honestly when the legacy system is fine and when it really needs to go.

Legacy Software & App Rescue Hub is the engagement that gives you that. Fixed-price audit. Fixed-price rebuild stages. The old system keeps running until the new one is proven.

  • Honest Audit recommendation — same price either way
  • Parallel Old + new run side-by-side through transition
  • Yours Code, hosting, documentation, full ownership
  • AU-wide Perth-based · servicing Australia
  • Fixed Audit and rebuild — both fixed-price
  • Access · SQL · No-code · AI-built Sources we rescue from
The difference an honest rescue makes

Real outcomes, by solving real legacy and prototype problems

  • Modernise without a big-bang cutover
    The Access database from 2008 still runs the business — nobody wants to touch it, but every quote and invoice flows through it
  • Off borrowed time, onto a modern stack
    DOS / FoxPro / VB6 / classic ASP runs on a server in the corner — the vendor disappeared a decade ago and the auditor is now asking questions
  • Prototype rebuilt for production scale
    The Bubble / Replit / Lovable prototype works for 3 customers and breaks at 30 — pages load slowly, logins fail, pricing logic lives in a tangle of visual blocks
  • AI-built MVP made shippable
    Cursor / Claude Code / v0 / Lovable produced something polished — but hardcoded credentials, no tests, missing error handling. A demo, not a product
  • Off the one-person dependency
    Custom system from a developer who has moved on — bug fixes take weeks, nobody knows what half the code does, the business is held hostage to one person
  • Compliance and security audit passes
    Annual scan returned 47 findings, insurance is asking questions, the board wants a modernisation plan by next quarter — modernisation has a deadline now
Capabilities catalogue

Legacy software & app rescue services we deliver

Every capability below has been delivered for a real Australian business — from a one-off Access database extraction to a full Bubble-prototype rebuild on AWS. If your scenario is not listed, ask — the audit will tell you honestly whether a rescue is the right move or whether the legacy system has more life left in it.

Database & spreadsheet rescue

Legacy ERP replacement & modernisation

Desktop app & web portal rebuilds

Cloud migration paths

Data extraction, transformation & validation

  • ETL from legacy databases — Access, SQL Server, MySQL, Postgres, FoxPro, dBase
  • Schema mapping with cleanup and validation at the door — bad data blocked, not reconciled later
  • Reference data deduplication — customers, products, accounts collapsed before they land
  • Historical transaction migration with full relationships preserved — not flattened into opening balances
  • Reconciliation reporting — source counts, destination counts, exceptions logged and signed off
  • Data quality assessment as part of the audit — gaps, anomalies and risks identified upfront
  • Audit trail of every record migrated — provable history for accountants and auditors
  • Parallel-run validation — old and new system reconciled daily before cutover commits

Legacy + modern hybrid workflows

  • API layer in front of legacy Access / SQL / FoxPro — modern apps read live data without rewriting the legacy system
  • Wrap a legacy desktop app with a modern web UI while the engine keeps running
  • Sync legacy data into Xero or MYOB so accounting stops being an island
  • Pipe legacy operational data into Power BI for live management reporting without a full rebuild
  • Keep mission-critical legacy alive on the corner server, but expose it via a controlled API
  • Staged retirement — legacy stays read-only after cutover; the new system writes; both reconcile
  • Hybrid hosting — managed cloud for the modern stack, on-prem for legacy until it can be retired safely
  • Documentation and handover so the hybrid is supportable by anyone, not just the original developer
How rescue works

Old system on the left. Modern stack on the right. No leap of faith.

Legacy systems and stalled prototypes come in. They get audited, their data and logic extracted, and the critical parts rebuilt on a stack with a future. Old and new run in parallel until the new system has proven itself. Then the old goes into the cupboard.

Access database DOS / desktop app Bubble / Replit prototype AI-built MVP Old SQL system INTEGRATION HUB Legacy Rescue Audit Extract Rebuild Modern web / mobile app API / integration layer AWS hosting Ongoing support Documentation & handover No vendor lock-in · bus factor goes from 1 to many
The old system stays running on the left until the new system on the right has proven itself. No big-bang cutover.
What we build

The five stages of a legacy rescue

Every engagement starts with an audit. Most extend into a staged rebuild. The honest assessment up front is the most important part — sometimes the right answer is to leave the old system alone for now.

A clear-eyed look at what you have and what to do about it

What gets reviewed. The codebase (or the no-code app). The data structure. The integrations. The infrastructure. The dependencies. The security posture. The bus factor (how many people understand it).

What you receive. A risk register ranked by likelihood and impact. A data inventory with quality assessment. A modernisation roadmap with staged rebuild plan. A fixed-price quote for the next stage. A clear "do nothing" baseline so you can weigh the modernisation case against actual risk.

Extract the value; carry the history forward

Where data lives. Access databases, SQL Server / MySQL / Postgres, Excel and CSV, FoxPro / dBase, proprietary file formats, custom internal systems, vendor SaaS exports.

How it moves. Schema mapping to the new structure, with cleanup and validation at the door. Reference data (customers, products, accounts) deduplicated before it lands. Historical transactions preserved with relationships intact — not flattened into opening balances. Full audit trail of every record migrated, plus a reconciliation report against the source.

A new system that fits the same workflow, on a stack with a future

What we build with. React, Node, Postgres, AWS — proven, well-supported, well-staffed. Mobile where mobile makes sense. Web portals where web makes sense. Native integration with the platforms your business already uses (Xero, MYOB, ServiceM8, etc.).

How it goes live. Stage-by-stage. The most critical workflow first, running in parallel with the old system. Each stage proven before the next begins. The forms and screens your team already knows are preserved — improved where they obviously needed it, kept where they were fit for purpose. Cutover is a planned moment, not a leap of faith.

From Bubble / Replit / AI-built to production-grade

Common starting points. Bubble apps that hit performance ceilings. Replit-deployed prototypes that need to scale beyond hobby plans. Cursor / Claude Code / v0 / Lovable apps that look polished but have security and reliability gaps. Webflow + Make.com stacks that need to handle real transactions.

What we typically do. Audit the AI-generated or no-code code. Identify what to keep, what to rewrite, what to throw away. Move data to a proper database. Rebuild the backend on a production stack. Keep the UX your customers already know — same product, better foundations. Sometimes the cleanest path is a fresh build using the prototype as the spec; the audit tells us which.

Infrastructure that won't surprise you, support that doesn't depend on one person

Where it runs. AWS in your own account or ours. Backups, monitoring, alerting and security patching all configured properly. SSL, authentication, audit logging. Cost-controlled — we right-size the infrastructure, not over-provision.

Documentation and support. Architecture diagram, deployment guide, runbook for common issues, contact list — written so a new developer can pick it up. Optional monthly support agreement covers bug fixes, dependency updates, security patches and on-call response. The same team that built it stays available, but the documentation means you can take it elsewhere if circumstances change.

Codebase and architecture audit on screen
Team planning a structured legacy data migration
Developer building modern web application as a legacy replacement
Reviewing a no-code prototype for production hardening
Secure cloud infrastructure with proper authentication and monitoring
Systems we work with

The sources we extract from and the destinations we build to

Click any platform for the why / what / how of that specific work — legacy data sources on the source side, modern destinations and infrastructure on the rebuild side.

Source or destination

Why it matters

What we deliver

How we do it

Benefits

How it runs

A legacy software rescue project, end to end

Three stages. No surprises. Your live legacy system stays in place until cutover — delivered personally by the founder.

  1. Week 0

    Discovery & Risk Audit

    15-minute scoping call. We map your legacy system (Access, Excel, SQL, custom desktop app or old ERP), the data it holds and the integration or modernisation path that fits the business. Fixed-price quote inside 48 hours.

  2. Weeks 1–N

    Rebuild & Parallel-Run

    New system built in a sandbox and parallel-run against the legacy system. Every record, business rule and integration validated against the old system before cutover. No risk to live operations.

  3. Cutover

    Go-Live & Stabilise

    Production cutover on a planned window. Team training, monitoring active, 30 days post-launch support. Legacy system safely retired or kept in sync. Full handover of source code and documentation.

Founder profile

Kasun Wijayamanna

Founder · Perth, WA · Started HELLO PEOPLE in 2008

18+ Years running HELLO PEOPLE

Founded in 2008. Two decades of technology-driven business transformation across Australia.

100+ Projects delivered

Startups to government agencies across mining, healthcare, legal, education and more.

HDR Researcher · Curtin University

Postgraduate research in Artificial Intelligence and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

MBA Oil & Gas

Deep technical expertise combined with strong business and financial acumen.

Perth Based in WA

Serving businesses across Western Australia and nationally.

AU+TH International experience

Professional background in Bangkok, Thailand before migrating to Perth.

PHF Paul Harris Fellow · Rotary

Former President of Rotary Club of Booragoon. Over a decade of community service.

Read the full bio — research, career, community involvement and how HELLO PEOPLE runs projects.

See full founder page
Legacy Access database rescue project — audit and rebuild on AWS
Case study

Sporting club: Access database from 2009 rescued to modern web app

A multi-site sporting club running its entire member, booking, fixture and competition operation on an Access database built in 2009. The original developer had moved on; bug fixes took weeks; reporting required SQL knowledge no committee member had. We audited the system, extracted 16 years of data with full history preserved, and rebuilt the critical workflows as a modern web app on AWS. The Access database ran in parallel for two months; the cutover weekend was uneventful.

Read the full case study
16 yrs Of data history preserved cleanly
12 wks Discovery to live cutover
Zero Data loss · zero downtime
3 → 30 Concurrent user ceiling lifted
What it looks like in practice

Three rescue paths we run most often

Three concrete archetypes — the old database modernisation, the prototype-to-production path, and the AI-built MVP hardening.

  1. Access database modernisation

    From the on-corner server to a managed cloud app — in stages

    • Wk 0Audit complete — risks, data inventory, roadmap
    • Wk 1API layer built in front of Access — new app can read data
    • Wk 4New web UI live for the highest-traffic workflow
    • Wk 6Old Access UI still works for the rest of the workflows
    • Wk 8Data migrated to managed cloud DB; Access becomes read-only
    • Wk 10Remaining workflows cut over to the new UI
    • Wk 12Access retired with confidence; new system live end-to-end
  2. Bubble prototype → production SaaS

    From 3 friendly customers to ready-for-scale in 75 days

    • Day 0Bubble app works for 3 friendly customers, breaks above 30
    • Day 7Audit complete — workflow documented, rebuild plan agreed
    • Day 30Backend rebuilt on production stack (React + Node + Postgres)
    • Day 45Frontend rebuilt — same UX customers know, proper code
    • Day 60Stripe billing, multi-tenant accounts, customer support workflow
    • Day 70Existing customers migrated to new platform with zero downtime
    • Day 75Public launch ready · Bubble app retired
  3. AI-built MVP hardening

    From "works locally" to "ready to ship" in 30 days

    • Day 0Cursor / Lovable / v0-generated app — works on the laptop
    • Day 3Security audit, dependency scan, test plan complete
    • Day 5Critical fixes deployed: secrets, auth, error handling
    • Day 12Test suite added — covers the paths customers actually take
    • Day 20Production deployment on AWS with monitoring and alerting
    • Day 25Backup, disaster recovery, on-call runbook configured
    • Day 30Documentation, handover, optional ongoing support live
Where the return comes from

What changes after the rescue

The win isn't usually a productivity number — it's the elimination of a risk. The system stops being a single point of failure and becomes a working part of the business again.

Modernise incrementally

No big-bang cutover. The old system runs in parallel through the transition. The most critical workflow rebuilt first; the rest follows in defined stages. Risk minimised.

Data history preserved

Customers, transactions, relationships, audit trail — all carried forward into the new system. No "fresh start with opening balances", no lost context. Full history available on Day 1.

Vendor lock-in reversed

You own the code. Documentation covers the architecture so a new developer can pick it up. The system is no longer hostage to one person's knowledge — including ours.

Security audit passes

Modern stack, current dependencies, proper authentication, secrets management, audit logging, encryption at rest and in transit. The compliance report comes back clean.

Scale ceiling lifted

The Bubble/Replit/MVP prototype that broke at 30 customers handles 3,000 on the rebuilt foundations. The Access DB that strained at 5 concurrent users handles 50. Performance becomes a non-issue.

Support that doesn't depend on one person

Proper documentation. Multiple people who can support the system. Optional ongoing support agreement with our team — but you can take it elsewhere if circumstances change. The bus factor goes from 1 to many.

Packages

Three ways into a Legacy Rescue engagement

Almost every engagement starts with an Audit & Roadmap. From there, most extend into a Targeted Rescue. The Full Rescue Platform is reserved for compliance-driven full modernisations or prototypes that need a complete rebuild.

Audit & Roadmap — clarity before commitment

For: any business with a legacy system, prototype or custom app where the next step is unclear. Particularly useful when there is internal disagreement about whether to rebuild, replace or extend.

What you get: Codebase / no-code app / database audit. Data inventory with quality assessment. Risk register ranked by likelihood and impact. Modernisation roadmap with staged rebuild plan. Fixed-price quote for the recommended next stage. Honest "do nothing" baseline.

Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks depending on system size and access. Fixed-price after a 15-minute scoping call. You walk away with a clear path even if you choose not to engage us for the rebuild.

Targeted Rescue — extract value, rebuild the critical part

For: situations where part of the legacy system needs to be modern (often the customer-facing or compliance-critical part) and the rest can keep running for now. The most common engagement.

What you get: Data extraction from the legacy system. Modern web (or mobile) rebuild of the critical workflow. API layer connecting the new system to the old where they need to coexist. Hosting setup, monitoring, documentation. The old system keeps running in parallel through the transition.

Timeline: 8 to 16 weeks delivered in stages. First critical workflow live inside the first month. Old system retired stage by stage as the rebuild covers more ground. Fixed-price.

Full Rescue Platform — replace the old system entirely

For: compliance-driven full modernisation. Or for prototypes (Bubble / Replit / Cursor / AI-built MVPs) that need a complete rebuild on production foundations. Or when the legacy system has reached end-of-life and incremental rescue is not enough.

What you get: Complete modern platform — web + mobile + API + database + hosting + monitoring + documentation + ongoing support. UX preserved or improved where appropriate. Data and history migrated cleanly. Old system retired at the end of the engagement.

Timeline: 3 to 9 months in clearly defined stages. Each stage delivers measurable value before the next begins. Fixed-price per stage. Ongoing support agreement once live.

Codebase audit and modernisation roadmap
Developer rebuilding the critical part of a legacy system as a modern web app
Modern web application built on AWS as a full legacy replacement

We had an Access database from 2009 running the entire club. The original developer had moved overseas and stopped replying to emails. Every committee meeting included some version of — if that thing dies, we're stuffed. HELLO PEOPLE audited it, gave us an honest read on the risks, and proposed a staged rebuild that kept the old database running until the new system was proven. Sixteen years of data history preserved. The cutover weekend was a non-event. Worth every cent of the engagement.

Club President Multi-site sporting club, Perth
FAQs

Common questions about Legacy Software & App Rescue Hub

How do you decide between rescuing the old system and rebuilding from scratch?

The audit answers it. We look at code quality, data structure, business logic complexity, scale of change required, and the budget reality. Sometimes the right answer is "wrap an API around the old thing and leave it" — sometimes it is "rebuild entirely". We give the honest recommendation; the audit is the same price either way. We will not push you into a rebuild when an extension is the smarter move.

Can you rescue Bubble / Replit / Lovable / Cursor / AI-built apps?

Yes — this is an increasingly common engagement. The pattern is usually: working prototype, paying customers, scale or security issue forcing the rebuild. We audit what is there, identify what to keep, rebuild on a production stack (typically React + Node + Postgres on AWS) while preserving the UX customers already know. Same product to the user; rebuilt foundations underneath.

Will we lose history during rebuild?

No. Data history is preserved cleanly — transactions, relationships, audit trail, customer notes all migrate intact. Where the destination structure differs from the source, we map explicitly and document the mapping. We do NOT flatten history into opening balances unless you specifically ask us to (and we will push back if that seems like the wrong call).

How long does a typical legacy rescue take?

An Audit & Roadmap engagement runs 2 to 4 weeks. A Targeted Rescue (extracting data + rebuilding the critical part) runs 8 to 16 weeks delivered in stages, with the first critical workflow live inside the first month. A Full Rescue Platform (complete modernisation) runs 3 to 9 months in stages.

What happens to the old system during the rebuild?

It keeps running. No big-bang cutover. We extract data and rebuild critical workflows in parallel with the live system. As each workflow proves out on the new system, we cut that workflow over. The old system gets retired stage by stage, not in one risky weekend.

Do you take over from another developer?

Yes. Inheriting custom systems from previous developers (or no-code prototypes from earlier teams) is part of the work. The audit includes a codebase review, dependency audit, architecture documentation, and a recommendation on whether to take over support as-is, rebuild the worst parts, or rebuild entirely. You get a clear-eyed assessment, not a sales pitch.

How are projects priced?

Fixed-price for the Audit & Roadmap. Fixed-price per stage for the Targeted Rescue and Full Rescue Platform engagements. No hourly billing that drifts. AWS and other cloud / API costs are billed at cost separately. You know the cost before any code is written.

Will we be locked in to you for ongoing support?

No. We document everything — architecture, deployment, runbook, dependencies. Optional monthly support agreement is exactly that — optional. Your code, your infrastructure (deployed in your AWS account if you prefer), your documentation. You can take the system to another developer at any time without re-architecting it.

Tell us about the system that worries you

What is it (Access database, custom app, prototype, AI-built MVP)? How long has it been running? Who built it? What is the trigger — security audit, scale problem, departing developer, compliance deadline? We will respond with an audit scope and a fixed-price quote.

Prefer a quick chat? Call 0425 531 127. We answer the phone in Perth.