Get your business off the software that's holding it hostage
If your business runs on a desktop application built before 2010, you have a problem that gets worse every year. The person who understands the system is retiring. The hardware it runs on is held together with habit. Every time load-shedding hits, there's a recovery process that costs hours. The question isn't whether to modernise — it's how to do it without stopping the business while it happens.
What we modernise
We've rebuilt systems from VB6, MS Access, FoxPro, and early .NET — moving them to modern web applications that run anywhere, survive load-shedding, and comply with POPIA.
Migrate old Windows desktop applications to modern web apps accessible from any browser, on any device. Same business logic, new foundation — no retraining required for your team.
Replace fragile Access databases with proper SQL Server backends and a modern web front-end. Multi-user, concurrent, properly backed up — no more corrupted .mdb files.
Extract, clean, and migrate years of financial and operational data from legacy accounting systems. Full reconciliation reports so your accountant can verify the numbers match.
Identify and address personal data storage issues in legacy systems. Add access controls, audit logs, and data subject request handling before a regulator finds the problem first.
We keep the old system running while the new one is built alongside it. Your business keeps operating throughout. We only switch over when you're confident — with a rollback plan if anything goes wrong.
Structured handover for your team — not a PDF manual. We train key users, document common tasks in plain language, and stay available during the first month of live operation.
How it works
Your business keeps running throughout. We build alongside the old system, not instead of it.
We document the current system completely — what it does, where the data lives, what the edge cases are, what the business rules are. Most legacy systems are undocumented; we fix that before touching anything.
The replacement is built and tested alongside the old system — your business keeps running throughout. We deliver in phases, so you're testing working modules within 6–8 weeks, not waiting for a year-long project.
Structured switchover with a rollback plan. Data is reconciled before, during, and after migration. The old system stays available for 30 days post-cutover as a safety net while your team gets settled.
Built with
We'd been trying to replace the old system for four years. Every time we tried, it was too risky to stop operations. Yuvati had a working web version running in parallel within three months — we switched over on a Friday afternoon with no drama.
Managing Director — Western Cape engineering firm
Placeholder — replace with a real client quoteCommon questions
How do I know when it's time to modernise?
The clearest signs: the system only runs on one specific machine; the person who understands it is retiring or has already left; it crashes during load-shedding and recovery takes hours; you can't get support or updates for it anymore; or you've had to decline new business because the system can't handle the volume or complexity. Any one of these is sufficient reason to start planning.
Can you migrate our data from the old system?
Yes — data migration is included in all legacy modernisation projects. We extract, clean, validate, and load your historical data into the new system, with reconciliation reports so you can verify nothing was lost or corrupted. We run the migration while the old system is still operating, so there's no period where your business is running without data.
What's the risk of something going wrong?
Managed properly, the risk is low. We use a phased approach where the old system stays live until the new one is fully validated. We run both in parallel, reconcile data between them, and only cut over when you're confident. There is always a rollback plan. We've never left a client without a functioning system at the end of a migration project.
How does POPIA affect our legacy system?
Legacy systems often store personal information — customer names, ID numbers, contact details — without proper access controls, audit logs, or the ability to fulfil data subject requests (right to access, right to erasure). POPIA requires these capabilities. Modernisation projects at Yuvati include a POPIA compliance review, and we implement the required controls in the new system as part of the build.
What if our old system has no documentation?
Most legacy systems don't. We begin every project with a documentation phase where we map what the system actually does — by observing it in use, interviewing the people who use it every day, and reading the code where accessible. This becomes the specification for the new system. Lack of documentation slows us down slightly, but it has never blocked a project.
How long does a legacy system modernisation take?
Simple systems with one or two key functions typically take 3–4 months. Complex multi-module systems with years of business logic and large datasets typically take 6–12 months. We use a phased approach, delivering working modules progressively — so you start seeing value within the first 6–8 weeks, not at the end of a year-long project.
Let's find where you're losing money
The discovery call is free. We'll talk through your current system, how it's holding your business back, and what a realistic migration would look like. Yuvati will give you an honest assessment — including whether modernisation is actually the right move right now.
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