Choosing a legacy software migration company in the UK

If you’re responsible for an old business system, finding the right people to support or replace it is harder than it should be. Many software companies will say yes to anything. Far fewer have actually worked with the technology you’re running.

This guide sets out the kinds of provider you’ll come across, where each one fits, and what to ask. We’re one of these providers, so we’ve tried to be fair: we’re the right choice for some businesses and not for others.

The types of provider

General software agencies

UK software houses that build websites, apps and bespoke systems, and list legacy modernisation among their services.

Good for: larger rebuilds where the old system is being replaced entirely and its internals matter less. Watch for: limited hands-on experience with older technologies. Ask who on their team has actually worked in your system’s language.

Legacy specialists

Smaller firms and individual developers who have worked with older tools such as FoxPro, dBase, Clipper or Delphi for decades.

Good for: keeping systems running, fixing problems, and understanding exactly how an old system works. Watch for: some specialists support the old technology but don’t offer a route off it. Check they can take you somewhere modern when you’re ready.

Platform vendors

Companies selling a modern development platform, sometimes with tools aimed at people leaving a particular technology. Servoy, for example, actively markets to Visual FoxPro users.

Good for: businesses happy to commit to that vendor’s platform long term. Watch for: every recommendation leads to the same product. Make sure it’s the right one for you, not just the one on offer.

Software resellers and partners

Partners for products such as Sage, Microsoft Dynamics or Odoo, who migrate you onto the system they sell and support.

Good for: moving to a standard package with a partner who knows it well. Watch for: the same question as above. A partner for one product will naturally recommend that product.

Offshore development firms

Overseas firms offering legacy migration at lower day rates.

Good for: large, well-documented projects with strong in-house project management on your side. Watch for: time zones, communication, and how well they’ll understand UK-specific requirements such as VAT, Making Tax Digital and payroll rules.

Contractors and in-house hires

Hiring a developer yourself. UK contract rates for FoxPro developers are typically around £400 a day at the time of writing.

Good for: businesses with the technical management in place to direct the work. Watch for: you carry all the project risk, and you’re back to depending on one person.

Questions to ask any provider

1. Who will actually do the work, and have they used my system’s technology themselves?
2. Can you both support the system as it is and move it on when we’re ready?
3. How will you find out how the system really works before quoting?
4. Will you fix the price once you understand the system?
5. How will you get our data out, and how will we check nothing has been lost?
6. Do you sell a particular product, and would you recommend a different one if it suited us better?
7. What happens if you’re unavailable?

Where we fit

We’re a legacy specialist that also works with modern platforms. We’ve worked with FoxPro since version 1.02, with dBase, Clipper, Delphi and the Sage range, and today we build web applications and implement and integrate Odoo. We don’t resell any single product, so we’ll recommend whatever suits you, including leaving the system alone if that’s the right call.

If that sounds like the right fit, start with a Health Check. If it doesn’t, the questions above should help you find someone who is.