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Database development · Troy, Michigan

Database Design and Development Services

Our database development services cover design, migration, performance tuning, reporting and support for the databases behind your business applications, so your data is accurate, fast to work with and ready for reporting.

Trusted By Industry Leading Businesses

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Sound Familiar?

Business

Critical data lives in spreadsheets or an Access database only one person understands

Business

The same data is typed into several systems, and the numbers don't match

Business

Month-end reports take days to put together by hand

Business

Nobody trusts the numbers enough to make a decision from them

IT

Queries and screens slow down as the data grows

IT

The database runs on a SQL Server version that's out of support

IT

A legacy application's data has to move to a new system without losing anything

IT

No one has time to look after backups, indexes and upgrades

We've been fixing problems like these since 2009. We started out building an analytics database for an automotive forecasting company that is now sold to S&P Global, and data work has been part of almost every project since.

Database Development Services We Provide

Most database projects start with one of these. Pick one to see what's included and where we've done it.

Database design and development

A database designed for how your business works, so the application on top of it stays fast and the data stays right.

What's included
  • Data modeling and schema design
  • Tables, views, stored procedures and functions
  • Data validation rules and constraints
  • Changes saved in transactions, so a failed save leaves nothing half-written
  • Audit trails that record who changed what and when
  • Role-based access to data
  • A design document (diagram, table definitions, data dictionary) if you want one

Hygieia: we designed the patient data database behind its insulin management system →

"We tended to work on the backend, on the data tier." CTO, Hygieia

Database design and development

How We Migrate Your Database Without Losing Data

A migration only succeeds if the data on the other side is complete and correct. Your team checks the numbers before anything goes live.

  1. Assess

    We review the current database, its size, the applications that use it and the target platform, and flag anything that won't move as is.

  2. Map and clean

    Every table and field is mapped to its new home. Duplicates and bad data are fixed before the move, not after.

  3. Trial runs

    We run the migration in a test environment as many times as it takes, and time it so the cutover window is known.

  4. Reconcile

    Record counts, totals and sample records are compared between old and new, and your team signs off.

  5. Cut over

    The move happens in a planned window, with the old system kept available until you've confirmed the new one.

  6. Support after go-live

    We stay on for fixes and tuning, then move you to a monthly support plan if you want one.

On-Premises, Azure or AWS

We work with the database where it makes sense for your security, budget and existing systems, and move it when that changes.

On-premises SQL Server

For data that has to stay in your building or network. We design, tune, upgrade and support it, as we do for Western Digital and SanDisk.

Microsoft Azure

Azure SQL Database or SQL Server on Azure, with backups, monitoring and sign-in through Microsoft Entra ID. ReportingMD, Hygieia, Solxsys and American MSC run on Azure.

Amazon Web Services

SQL Server on AWS, as for the TKS Industrial ERP. Moving off AWS? We moved a political organization's data from Amazon SimpleDB to Azure SQL.

How We Protect Your Data

The questions IT teams ask about their data, answered up front.

Secure by design

  • Role-based access, so people see only the data they need
  • Each application has its own database login with only the access it needs; no shared admin accounts
  • Encryption in transit and at rest
  • HIPAA BAAs signed for healthcare projects

Separate environments

  • Development, QA, staging and production kept apart
  • Migrations rehearsed in a test environment before production
  • Production accessed only when needed, with a second person present

Backed up and monitored

  • Scheduled backup jobs, with an alert if one fails
  • Backups restored periodically to check they work
  • Monitoring and alerts on performance and space

Documented and handed over

  • Built to written naming and coding standards, so your team or another vendor can maintain it
  • Schema, deployment and process documentation, and a full design document if you ask for one
  • Knowledge transfer to your IT team
  • Handover as set out in your contract

Confidential from day one

  • We sign your NDA, or use our own, before you share any data
  • Our own team, no subcontractors
  • Professional liability (E&O) insurance

How Much Do Database Development Services Cost?

It depends on the size of the database, the number of applications using it and how much data has to move. Smaller jobs are quoted after a short assessment; larger ones after discovery.

Item Typical scope How it's priced
Database health check One database reviewed: findings ranked by impact and a written plan Fixed price, agreed before we start
Performance tuning Fixes to the slow queries, indexes and code the health check found Quoted from the health check
Spreadsheet or Access replacement New SQL Server database plus a web application for the team From around $30,000
Database or data migration Mapping, cleansing, trial runs, reconciliation, cutover Quoted after assessment
New application database Design and development as part of a new application Part of the project, from around $30,000
Ongoing support Backups, monitoring, maintenance, upgrades Monthly plans: 10, 20 or 40 hours

Prices are for work delivered by our Michigan team, priced as fixed price, milestone-based or hourly.

Not sure where to start? Book a database health check.

We review one database and the way your applications use it. You get findings ranked by impact (slow queries, missing or unused indexes, backups, security and version support) and a written plan for what to fix first, with an estimate. Fixed price, agreed before we start; if you go ahead with the fixes, the findings become the plan for the work.

Fixed price

For a well-defined scope. You know the total before we start, and changes go through an agreed change request.

Milestone-based

For larger projects. You pay as each agreed milestone is delivered and accepted.

Hourly

For tuning, support and evolving work, billed for the hours used. Or add our developers to your team through IT staff augmentation →

Tell us about your database project and we'll send you an estimate.

Database and Data Results

Database work we've delivered, with links to the full story where there is one.

Salesforce → SQL Server MEDC · Government

Salesforce data migrated to SQL Server as part of several years of monthly maintenance for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Salesforce Migration
Files → Azure SQL Solxsys · Employee benefits & insurance

Flat files, Excel, CSV and other SQL Server databases brought into one Azure SQL database, with reports in Telerik Reporting

Azure SQL Telerik Reporting

See all our work →

Database Development Across Industries

Healthcare

24M+ patient records reported on for ReportingMD; patient data databases for Hygieia and IPC Healthcare; HIPAA BAAs signed.

Manufacturing

Custom ERP database for TKS Industrial, moved from Access to SQL Server.

Automotive

American MSC's MRP database, moved to Azure SQL; sub-second data access on Full Throttle's customer portal.

High tech

Forecasting and analytics on SQL Server and SAP HANA for SanDisk; pricing data for Western Digital.

Employee benefits & insurance

Data migrations into Azure SQL and Telerik reports for Solxsys.

Government

Salesforce to SQL Server migration and several years of monthly maintenance for MEDC.

Database Technologies We Use

Most of our database work is on Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL. We also work with PostgreSQL, MySQL and Oracle when your systems use them, and report from SAP HANA.

Databases

SQL Server and Azure SQL first, plus the databases your systems already use.

SQL Server

SQL Server

Azure SQL

Azure SQL

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

MySQL

MySQL

Oracle

Oracle

SAP HANA

SAP HANA

Development

T-SQL, stored procedures and the .NET code that uses them.

Entity Framework

Entity Framework

C#

C#

.NET

.NET

Reporting

Reports and dashboards from your data.

Telerik Reporting

Telerik Reporting

Kendo UI charts

Kendo UI charts

Cloud & DevOps

Hosting, backups and releases.

Azure

Azure

AWS

AWS

Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps

Why Choose SharpQuest as Your Database Development Company in Michigan

Database and application, one team

We build and maintain the applications on top of your database too, so a slow screen gets fixed where the problem is: the query, the index or the code.

Data work that lasts

Several years of monthly maintenance for MEDC, data migrations for Solxsys since 2023, and client relationships of up to 8 years.

Healthcare-scale data

24+ million patient records reported on for ReportingMD, and HIPAA BAAs signed for healthcare projects.

Troy, Michigan team, no subcontractors

A project lead in our Troy office runs your project, and everyone on it is a SharpQuest employee.

Confidential and insured

We sign your NDA before you share any data, and carry professional liability (E&O) insurance.

Database Development FAQs

What do database development services include?

Designing the database (tables, relationships, rules), writing the stored procedures, views and queries applications use, securing it, and keeping it fast as data grows. We also migrate, tune, report on and support existing databases.

How much does database development cost?

Replacing spreadsheets or an Access database with a SQL Server database and a web application usually starts at around $30,000. Health checks, tuning and migrations are quoted after a short assessment, and ongoing support is a monthly plan of 10, 20 or 40 hours.

Can you replace our Excel spreadsheets or Access database?

Yes. We move the data into SQL Server, clean it up on the way, and build a web application so your team works in one place with proper sign-in and permissions. SanDisk's forecasting spreadsheets became one web portal this way.

How do you migrate a database without losing data?

We map and clean the data first, run the migration in a test environment several times, then compare record counts, totals and sample records between old and new. Your team signs off before the planned cutover, and the old system stays available until you confirm the new one.

Can you move our database to Azure or AWS?

Yes. We move SQL Server databases to Azure SQL or SQL Server on Azure or AWS, set up backups and monitoring, and update the applications that connect to them. American MSC's SQL Server moved from on-premises to Azure SQL this way.

What can you migrate data from?

We've migrated data from Microsoft Access, Salesforce, Amazon SimpleDB, Excel, CSV and flat files, and other SQL Server databases, into SQL Server and Azure SQL. For example, Salesforce data to SQL Server for MEDC, and Access to SQL Server for TKS Industrial.

Our database is slow. Can you fix it?

Usually, yes. We start with a fixed-price health check to find the slow queries, missing or unused indexes and application code that calls the database too often, then fix the biggest causes first.

Will there be downtime during the migration?

Usually only during the cutover. We rehearse the migration in a test environment so we know how long the cutover takes, schedule it for a quiet time, often outside business hours, and keep the old system available until you've confirmed the new one.

How long does a database migration take?

It depends on the amount of data, the number of applications that connect to the database and how much cleansing the data needs. You get a timeline after the assessment, and the trial runs show exactly how long the cutover itself will take.

Which databases do you work with?

Mainly Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL, plus PostgreSQL, MySQL and Oracle when your systems use them. We've also built analytics and reporting on SAP HANA for SanDisk.

Do you provide ongoing database support?

Yes, through monthly support plans: Essential (10 hours, response within 2 business days), Professional (20 hours, next business day) and Premium (40 hours, same day during business hours). That covers backups, monitoring, maintenance and upgrades.

Can you build reports and dashboards from our data?

Yes. We build operational and management reports and dashboards, inside your application or as separate reports, mostly with Telerik Reporting and Kendo UI charts. ReportingMD's reporting product, which we rebuilt, covers 58,000+ providers and 24+ million patients.

How do you keep our data secure?

Role-based access, a separate database login for each application, encryption in transit and at rest, audit trails on sensitive data, separate environments, and scheduled backups that we restore periodically to check. We sign your NDA before you share data, sign HIPAA BAAs for healthcare projects and carry professional liability (E&O) insurance.

Can you work with our in-house DBA or developers?

Yes. We follow your standards and release process (or our own written naming and coding standards if you don't have any), work in your Azure DevOps or repositories if you prefer, and document what we change. If you only need extra hands, see IT staff augmentation.

Are you a Michigan database development company?

Yes. SharpQuest has been headquartered in Troy, Michigan since 2009. We work with businesses across the US, including Michigan clients such as TKS Industrial, American MSC, Plastic Omnium and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

Can AI work with our data?

Yes. Once your data is clean and in one place, we can add AI search, document processing and assistants on top of it. See AI integration services.

Who owns the code and intellectual property?

Ownership of the source code and intellectual property is set out in your contract with us. We agree on it before work starts, so you know exactly what you will own. At handover you get the source code, documentation and environment access your contract covers.

Will you sign our NDA?

Yes, we sign your NDA, or use our mutual NDA, before you share project details.

Have a question we didn't answer?

More Ways We Can Help

Web Application Development →Web applications and portals built on top of your data. Application Modernization →Move Access, VB and older .NET applications to modern .NET. AI Integration →AI search, document processing and assistants on your data. Custom Software Development →The full range of software we build.

Let's Talk About Your Database

Whether you're replacing spreadsheets, moving to the cloud, speeding up a slow system or need someone to look after your data, SharpQuest can help.

We respond within two business days.