Hissbesiktningar i Sverige AB is a Swedish inspection company specialising in lifts and lifting equipment. Their engineers carry out around 15,000 inspections each year across Sweden. The aim is simple: to make sure equipment is safe and compliant.
We helped Hissbesiktningar migrate from a Microsoft Access system to a modern web-based platform.
Background
For many years, Hissbesiktningar relied on an Access solution that supported planning, scheduling, inspection reporting, certificate creation and communication with authorities. It worked well when the company was smaller.
Over time, it became hard to maintain. Several developers had changed the system in different ways. The database was not fully normalised. Even small updates could break other parts of the application. Hissbesiktningar decided to modernise before the system became a bigger risk and a blocker for future work.
The challenge
The old system was at the heart of daily operations, but it had become fragile. Key problems included:
- Difficult maintenance: old technology and many ad-hoc changes over the years
- Cumbersome field work: inspectors used iPads via Windows Remote Desktop
- High admin effort: staff spent time fixing data, producing certificates, and reporting to authorities
Hissbesiktningar needed a platform that was reliable, secure, easier to maintain, practical for inspectors in the field, able to support offline work and ready for future improvements.
How the collaboration started
Mikael Kerslow, Hissbesiktningar’s external IT manager, recommended Gislen Software. He had seen our work before through another company. After an initial review, we proposed a full rebuild using:
- .NET (backend)
- React (web front end)
- GraphQL (efficient data queries)
The goal was a clean architecture that would scale and be easier to support over time.
Step 1: Customer and maintenance portal
We started by rebuilding the portal used by customers, property owners, service companies and a maintenance staffs. The previous portal was written in PHP. We assessed whether it could be modernised, but it would only have bought time. Instead, we rebuilt it in .NET and React. This delivered a portal that is faster, more secure, and easier to use.
Step 2: Inspection application (Access to web)
Next, we replaced the Access-based inspection system used by administrators and inspectors. We analysed the existing features, ran workshops with Hissbesiktningar’s staff, mapped workflows and problem areas and designed improved ways of working. These workshops were especially important because documentation was limited and the old database structure was inconsistent.
What the new system supports
The new system, launched in 2025, supports the full workflow, including:
- customer and property management
- inspection planning and scheduling
- reporting from both web and iPad
- report generation and automated messages to authorities
- integration with invoicing and accounting
- handling re-inspections
- portal access for customers and service companies
- an iPad app for inspectors
Offline inspections on iPad
Inspectors often work where connectivity is weak or non-existent. To solve that, we built a dedicated React Native iPad app with full offline support. Inspectors can complete inspections fully offline and sync data automatically when a connection returns. For security, iPads must be registered and approved on the server side. This helps ensure only authorised devices can access company data.
Data migration
Migrating data was one of the hardest parts of the project. We moved data from a denormalised Access database into a new normalised structure, while keeping accuracy and integrity throughout the process.
“We feel we can trust the data in the new system. We automatically get better support and the number of corrections has decreased significantly.” – Sara Furbäck, Hissbesiktningar
Results
The transition went smoothly. In the first month after launch, inspectors completed around 1,300 inspections, which showed fast adoption and good stability. Key outcomes:
- better data quality through entry at source
- fewer admin corrections
- clearer reporting for management
- faster response to customers
- simpler communication with authorities
The new platform also provides a stronger base for future digital improvements.
Continued collaboration
After delivery, we have continued to work with Hissbesiktningar through follow-up workshops, online meetings and an on-site visits in Sweden. The system is currently hosted on their own servers. It will soon move to the cloud to improve scalability and reliability. We are also discussing further enhancements to improve productivity, usability, and customer value.
About Gislen Software
Gislen Software helps companies modernise older systems and build digital platforms that last. Access-to-web projects are one example, but we also modernise many other technologies. We combine Scandinavian quality standards with strong technical delivery and a collaborative way of working.
If you want to migrate or modernise an older system, we would be happy to talk.