PowerBuilder Modernization Without a Risky Rewrite

Rewrites of mature PowerBuilder applications fail more often than they succeed — typically because the business logic encoded in the DataWindows and event chains is far more valuable than anyone realizes. Modernization is almost always cheaper, lower-risk and preserves what works. We will tell you honestly if your case is the exception.

For a typical 200–500 DataWindow enterprise application: assessment 3–4 weeks, phased implementation 4–9 months. The variance comes from third-party DLLs, custom controls and database-side coupling — which is exactly what the assessment phase quantifies before you commit.

Yes — and we strongly prefer it. Each phase ships a reversible change that can be deployed or rolled back independently. There is no 'modernized branch' running for months in parallel with production. That model breaks more often than it works.

No. PowerServer is a good fit for some applications and a bad fit for others. Our readiness report tells you honestly which category yours is in — and what would need to change first. Plenty of modernized applications stay as thick clients and that's fine.

Assessment: fixed-fee, similar to a typical management-consulting engagement. Implementation: scoped per phase, billed monthly, sized to your codebase. We deliberately avoid quoting a number publicly because PowerBuilder application sizes vary by two orders of magnitude — but we will quote a fixed price after the assessment.