How to Build a Financial Tracking App for Marketing Consultants

Develop a React Native app for marketing consultants to manage finances, track revenue and expenses, categorize projects, and generate financial reports, with local data storage for enhanced security.

Simple Summary

A React Native app for marketing consultants to track revenue, expenses, and generate financial reports.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Goals

Create a user-friendly financial tracking app for marketing consultants
Enable easy input and categorization of revenue and expenses
Provide clear financial overview and reporting capabilities
Ensure data security through local storage

Target Audience

Independent marketing consultants
Small marketing agencies

Key Features

Revenue tracking with categorization by client/project type
Expense tracking with categorization
Financial overview dashboard
Report generation for specific time periods or clients
Local data storage
Data backup and export functionality

User Stories

As a marketing consultant, I want to input my revenue by client so I can track my earnings.
As a consultant, I want to categorize my expenses so I can understand my spending patterns.
As a user, I want to generate a financial report for a specific client to prepare for meetings.
As a consultant, I want to back up my financial data to prevent loss of information.

User Flows

User opens app -> User inputs new revenue entry -> User categorizes revenue -> User views updated financial overview
User opens app -> User inputs new expense -> User categorizes expense -> User views updated financial overview
User opens app -> User selects reporting function -> User chooses time period and client -> User generates and views report

Technical Specifications

Recommended Stack

Frontend: React Native
State Management: Redux or Context API
Local Storage: AsyncStorage or SQLite
Data Visualization: React Native Chart Kit

Core Technical Decisions

Use React Native for cross-platform development
Implement local storage for data security
Utilize AsyncStorage or SQLite for persistent local data storage
Implement data encryption for sensitive financial information
Use React Native Chart Kit for financial data visualization

API Endpoints

N/A (Local storage implementation)

Database Schema

Local Storage Schema:

Revenue:
- id (unique identifier)
- amount (number)
- date (timestamp)
- client (string)
- projectType (string)
- description (string)
Expenses:
- id (unique identifier)
- amount (number)
- date (timestamp)
- category (string)
- description (string)

File Structure

/src
  /components
    Dashboard.js
    RevenueInput.js
    ExpenseInput.js
    ReportGenerator.js
  /screens
    HomeScreen.js
    RevenueScreen.js
    ExpenseScreen.js
    ReportScreen.js
  /utils
    storage.js
    dataProcessing.js
  /styles
    globalStyles.js
  /redux (or /context)
    store.js
    actions.js
    reducers.js
  App.js

Implementation Plan

Set up React Native project and development environment
Implement basic navigation structure
Create UI components for revenue and expense input
Implement local storage functionality
Develop financial overview dashboard
Create report generation feature
Implement data backup and export functionality
Add data visualization for financial overview
Implement data encryption for security
Conduct thorough testing and bug fixing
Optimize performance and user experience
Prepare app for submission to app stores

Deployment Strategy

Test thoroughly on both iOS and Android devices
Generate production build for both platforms
Submit to Apple App Store and Google Play Store for review
Address any feedback or issues from the review process
Release app on both platforms

Design Rationale

The decision to use React Native allows for efficient cross-platform development, reducing time and resources needed for separate iOS and Android versions. Local storage was chosen over cloud synchronization to prioritize data security for sensitive financial information. The file structure is organized to separate concerns and improve maintainability. The implementation plan focuses on core functionalities first, allowing for a solid MVP before adding more complex features in future iterations.