How a Manchester Security Company Upgraded Vizual Personnel Director and Modernised HR with People Inc.

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CASESTUDY

From Vizual Personnel Director (Interbase) to People Inc.:

How a Manchester-based security company modernised HR by upgrading a legacy Vizual Personnel Director system, consolidating multiple databases, and migrating to a current, stable HR platform.

Delivered by PeopleFirstHR — UK HR software implementation specialists

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Results at a glance

All data preserved, including an archive of 17,000+ employee records

Successful migration from very old Vizual Personnel Director + Interbase databases to a modern platform

Multiple databases merged into a single database before migration

Upgrade delivered around a match-day-critical operational schedule

Improved stability, security, and long-term supportability on a current platform

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BACKGROUND

Client snapshot

Organisation: Security services provider supporting a major European football club

Location: Manchester

Workforce: 85 full-time employees + ~1,800 active stewards and security workers

Previous system: Vizual Personnel Director (in place since 2002)

Data complexity: High turnover short-term workforce + archive of 17,000+ records

Reason for change: Need for a more robust, up-to-date HR system with stronger stability and security

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THE CHALLENGE

A critical legacy system, multiple databases, and a huge archive—on Interbase

By 2017, the client had relied on Vizual Personnel Director for over 15 years. It remained a mission-critical system, particularly for producing accurate lists of active workers for match days.

But they had reached a tipping point.

They needed a more up-to-date and robust HR system to handle:

• A large active workforce (including 1,800+ stewards and short-term workers)
• High churn and constant changes, driven by the nature of match-day staffing
• An archive of 17,000+ records, spread across multiple databases
• A very old Vizual version, running on Interbase databases, which created a more complex migration path than a standard upgrade

Two major risks drove urgency:

• Operational risk: the system had to remain reliable for match-day workforce reporting
• Data risk: a migration had to protect historical and archived records—no loss, no gaps

They needed a partner who could modernise the system without jeopardising day-to-day operations.

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THE SOLUTION

Upgrade Vizual Personnel Director, consolidate databases, then migrate to People Inc.

This was not a “simple” upgrade. The client’s setup required a structured technical pathway to get from a very old Vizual environment to a modern HR platform.

PeopleFirstHR designed the project to achieve three outcomes:

1. Bring the legacy Vizual system up to a current version (to enable safe migration)
2. Consolidate multiple databases into one (to simplify ongoing management and reporting)
3. Migrate fully into People Inc. (for long-term stability, security, and functionality)

Because the original system ran on Interbase databases, the process involved additional steps, including:

• Converting Interbase databases to SQL
• Upgrading from a very old version of Personnel Director (dating back to around 2005) to the latest version
• Successfully merging multiple databases into a single database
• Completing a full migration to People Inc. while preserving all historical records

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IMPLEMENTATION

Structured delivery—built around user availability and match-day dependencies

The project timeline was influenced by two realities:

• The client team had limited availability
• The legacy system couldn’t be taken “offline” in any way that risked match-day reporting

That meant the project required careful scheduling and coordination.

What we delivered

• Conversion of Interbase databases to SQL databases
• Upgrade of Vizual Personnel Director from a legacy version to the latest supported version
• Consolidation of multiple databases into a single database
• Migration of all data—including a 17,000+ record archive—into People Inc.
• Training to support confident adoption

Timeline

• Project start: 1st August
• Training delivered: 29th August
• Total project time charged: 4 days

Although the project took longer end-to-end than a typical migration (due to operational constraints and user availability), the outcome was exactly what the client needed: a safe, complete, modernisation—without disrupting critical processes.

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IMPACT

More stability and security immediately—plus time-saving features going forward

The end result was a major step forward for the client.

They moved from a fragile, ageing platform to an up-to-date HR system running on a current platform—improving both reliability and security.

Key benefits included:

• A long-overdue upgrade to a current, supportable HR environment
• Improved stability (reducing reliance on outdated infrastructure)
• Better security and resilience on a modern platform
• Access to additional time-saving functionality in People Inc.
• All existing data preserved, including historical and archived records—still accessible and easy to use

This project is a strong example of what’s possible when an organisation needs to modernise a legacy Vizual HR system but cannot compromise on data integrity or operational continuity.

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Why PeopleFirstHR for a Vizual Personnel Director upgrade?

PeopleFirstHR specialises in helping UK organisations upgrade or migrate away from legacy HR platforms—especially complex Vizual environments with large archives, multiple databases, or older database formats.

If your Vizual Personnel Director system is ageing, unstable, or holding HR back, we can help you modernise without losing your data.

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Ready to transform your HR function?

Need to upgrade Vizual Personnel Director, consolidate databases, and migrate your HR records safely?

Talk to PeopleFirstHR today about your upgrade options.

☎ 0330 223 6180	✉ enquiries@peoplefirsthr.co.uk

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FAQ’s

Can you upgrade very old versions of Vizual Personnel Director?

Yes—PeopleFirstHR can support complex upgrades, including older Vizual environments, where a staged approach is required to reach a modern, supportable version.

Can you migrate archived records as part of the upgrade?

Yes. We routinely migrate archived records alongside active data so historical employee information remains intact and accessible.

Do you handle Interbase to SQL conversion during a Vizual upgrade?

Where needed, yes. Some older Vizual installations require database conversion as part of a safe, accurate upgrade and migration path.

How long does a Vizual Personnel Director upgrade and migration take?

It depends on data volume, database structure, and operational constraints. Many projects can be completed in days, but complex environments (multiple databases, older database formats, limited downtime windows) may require a longer elapsed timeline while still involving a defined amount of delivery time.