MinnTex Citrus: Legacy Access & Green-Screen Modernization

Client

MinnTex Citrus

Industry

Food manufacturing & processing

Technologies

Microsoft Access, SQL Server

Overview

Project highlights

Green screen retiredA system around 30 years old replaced with a modern application.
Processes preservedDesigned around the procedures the team already relied on.
Clean list formsSort, filter, and drill into data such as Inbound Shipments.
Access and SQL ServerA desktop application backed by a well-designed database.

Before

The challenge

MinnTex Citrus was running on a database system around 30 years old, with a vintage character-based green-screen interface, plus a patchwork of internally built Access tools.

As the business grew, the old software couldn't keep up, and maintaining it became difficult. MinnTex asked J Street to replace it with a modern desktop application.

After

What we built

J Street rebuilt their environment around a well-designed database, replacing the green-screen system with a custom Access and SQL Server application while preserving the processes their team relied on.

The application prioritizes transparency and usability of MinnTex's data, typically through List Forms like the one for Inbound Shipments. These arrange data in a clean, easily navigated table that can be sorted, filtered, and drilled into for details.

The Inbound Shipment intake screen was designed to fit MinnTex's procedures for accepting shipments of product, with all the data points they need arranged for efficient entry.

Inside the system

A closer look

List forms

The application is designed to prioritize transparency and usability of MinnTex's data. That's typically accomplished using List Forms, like this one for Inbound Shipments. A form like this arranges user data in a clean, easily-navigated table that can be sorted, filtered, and drilled down to view additional details.

Inbound Shipment intake

The Inbound Shipment intake screen was designed to fit their procedures for accepting shipments of product. All the data points they need are there, arranged to optimize efficiency for the end user.

“

J Street Technology has been a pleasure to work with. Armen and his team have the creativity, attention to detail, and technical skills needed to execute their refined systematic process for database design. More concisely, 'They know what they're doing.' Our decision to work with J Street was a significant investment for our company, and we are pleased with the result.

Matt Johnson

President, MinnTex Citrus

The outcome

How it turned out

A modern Access and SQL Server application in place of green-screen software and a patchwork of side tools.
MinnTex's team kept the processes they relied on.
The project became Microsoft Tech Community's first Access customer success story in North America.
Armen Stein and Microsoft Access team members visited MinnTex to see their operation and the new system in action.

Read how Microsoft featured the project, or see more of our work for food manufacturing and processing.