CHISA: From .xls files to a successful SaaS
The Problem For many years, Strømberg & Sahl A/S, a Danish construction firm and primary contractor for the state, relied on Excel for managing work-related data. Eventually, their employees began to encounter difficulties with document management. "We aimed to address the project management challenges in the construction sector. Prior to CHISA, it was challenging to accurately assess budgets and risks," explains John Theisen, CHISA's founder and former CFO of Strømberg & Sahl. Transferring data between .xls sheets was cumbersome, so developing an application accessible to authorized personnel seemed like a logical solution. The Solution Prograils took the raw data from the .xls files and created a Ruby on Rails website. It soon became apparent that there was a greater need for a system like CHISA, as many in the Danish construction industry faced similar challenges. We ensured integration with external services and facilitated the import and export of data to and from CHISA, making it easy to extract, modify, or archive data. The Result With several hundred active users, regular reports, integrations with invoicing systems, and a corresponding mobile app, CHISA has evolved from a basic prototype into a robust SaaS solution, simplifying and enhancing transparency in the operations of construction firms. In May 2016, John Theisen took a major step by leaving his CFO position at Strømberg & Sahl A/S to establish CHISA A/S, marking a significant advancement in their collaboration.