LaChapitaManager

LaChapitaManager is a desktop inventory and sales management application designed for small businesses, specifically tailored for a craft brewing supplies store. It helps manage stock levels, register purchases and sales, generate insightful reports, and track product performance over time.

The application is developed in Python using PySide6 for the graphical user interface. All data is stored locally in a SQLite database. The system supports both local backups and optional Google Drive integration for cloud-based backups, giving users flexibility in how they protect their data

Features

• Inventory Management: Add, edit, and delete products with detailed information and categorization.
• Sales and Purchases Tracking: Record sales and purchases while associating them with clients and suppliers.
• Client and Supplier Management: Keep track of clients and suppliers, linking them to respective transactions.
• Dashboard Overview: Home page includes key metrics like total sales, purchases, top-selling products, and a table highlighting products with low or no stock.
• Reports and Metrics: Generate insights to monitor business performance over customizable time periods.
• Backup options: Choose between local backups or optional Google Drive integration to securely store your data in the cloud
• User Interface: Desktop application built with PySide6 featuring an intuitive sidebar navigation for easy access to all sections.

Installation and Usage

Installation

1. Clone the repository or download the latest release.

2. Set up the environment (for running from source):

   • Make sure you have Python 3.10 or higher installed.

   • (Optional but recommended) Create and activate a virtual environment:

     python -m venv .venv
     source .venv/bin/activate  # Linux/macOS
     .venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows

   • Install the required dependencies:

     pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Running the packaged executable:

   • Download the executable for your platform from the dist folder.
   • Place it anywhere you want; no installation is needed.
   • Double-click the executable to run the app.

Credentials Setup

The application requires a client_secrets.json file for Google Drive integration (OAuth credentials).

Important:
Place your client_secrets.json file inside the following folder on your system:

• Windows:
  %APPDATA%\LaChapitaManager
  (e.g., C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Roaming\LaChapitaManager)

• Linux/macOS:
  ~/.config/LaChapitaManager (or equivalent config directory)

If this file is not present, the Google Drive backup feature will not work.

---

If you don’t have the client_secrets.json file yet, please follow the instructions in the Google API Console to create OAuth credentials for your app.

Usage

• On first run, the app will create the necessary database file (lachapita.db) in your user’s AppData (Windows) or equivalent directory on other platforms. This ensures your data is saved in a writable location outside the installation folder.

• The app supports optional Google Drive backups. If enabled via the toggle in tha navigation bar, the app will prompt for your Google credentials and create/update a backup file in your configured Google Drive. If the feature is disabled, the system will fall back to local backups

• To start the app from source, run:

  python desktop/main.py

• The window will open with the main interface, including inventory management, sales, purchases, and reporting features.

• Any resource files like images or configuration are automatically located using the internal resource_path function, so you don't need to worry about paths whether running as source or executable.

Project Structure

The codebase is organized into clear, functional modules for maintainability and scalability:

LaChapitaManager/
├── assets/              # Icons, images, and other static resources used by the UI 
├── build/               # Scripts and files used for building the application
├── db/                   # Database initialization and connection functions
├── desktop/          # Packaged UI app structure
│   ├── ui/               # PySide6 user interface files
│   └── main.py       # Entry point of the application
├── dist/                 # Output folder for the compiled application (after building)
├── models/           # Data access logic (CRUD operations)
├── services/          # Business logic and services
├── utils/                # Utility functions
├── requirements.txt     # Python dependencies
└── README.md            # Project documentation

• assets/: Icons, images, and other static resources used throughout the user interface.
• build/: Scripts and files used to generate the executable version of the application (e.g., PyInstaller configs).
• db/: Functions to initialize and connect to the SQLite database.
• desktop/: Folder used for packaging the app, including UI resources and credentials for backup.
• ui/: Contains .ui files and logic for rendering PySide6 interfaces.
• main.py: Entry point of the application; launches the main window and initializes the system.
• dist/: Folder where the final compiled application is placed after building.
• models/: Handles all database interaction logic.
• services/: Implements business rules and high-level services.
• utils/: General-purpose utilities (e.g., file path handling, backup helpers, Google Drive integration).
• requirements.txt: Lists all Python dependencies.

Screenshots

Dashboard / Reports Overview

Home page showing sales metrics, top products, and low stock alerts.

Inventory Management page

Browse, search, and select products. Add or update product details, including category, variants and stock information

Sales Managment

Overview of all recorded sales with filtering. Interface to input or update details of a sale, including client info and products.

Built With

• Python 3.10+
• PySide6 (Qt for Python)
• SQLite
• PyInstaller – for packaging the app
• Google Drive API (optional backup integration)

What I Learned

• Building a full-featured desktop application using PySide6 and Python.
• Designing a modular and scalable codebase for maintainability.
• Managing database operations and relationships using SQLite.
• Integrating Google Drive API for optional cloud backups.
• Creating a seamless user experience with a custom-designed UI.

Roadmap / Future Improvements

• Add user authentication and roles.
• Implement export to CSV or PDF for reports.
• Improve error handling and validation.
• Add unit tests and CI pipeline.

About Me

I'm a Computer Engineering student at UNMdP, passionate about building useful software solutions.
This project was created as a way to help manage my family's business and learn real-world development practices.

📧 [maite2003n@gmail.com]
🔗 LinkedIn