Moving from large MS-Access database to a new platform

Question

Currently we have an application that uses a large MS Access database as the front end with a SQL Server back end. This has been the case for 10+ years and the Access database has become slow, unwieldy and difficult to maintain.

We are planning to create a new front end using a different platform. The plan is to create a basic framework in the software and then slowly move over each module one at a time into the new program over a period of 2-3 years.

Requirements

• Fast data entry – the biggest requirement, orders are taken over the phone and data entry needs to be as fast as possible.
• Report Generation – invoices, delivery notes, management reports.
• Links to EPOS devices and Accounts packages
• Future proof – as much as possible
• Potentially used on mobile devices and touch screens in the future for production/despatching/stock taking.
• Run on Windows platforms from XP onwards.

Experience

• Windows Forms
• VB.Net 3.5
• SQL Server

Given the requirements and our experience as a company I would like to know what people think would be the best technologies to use? Would you use Windows Forms? WPF? Entity Framework? .Net 4.0?

Any advice appreciated.

Answer 1

I definitely like WPF over Forms. XAML is a bit of a learning curve but for me easier to code and maintain. If you have a large team (or even a small) consider MVVM. No comment on EF. Review your SQL table design as now if the time for any tuning. And WCF - you are going 3 tier?