LedgerLite

Inspiration

Many informal institutions such as private schools, training centers and community organizations still rely on paper records, spreadsheets or informal messaging to track payments. This often leads to lost records, disputes, lack of transparency and poor financial visibility.

Having worked closely with such institutions, I saw how the absence of simple financial tools creates daily operational stress and limits growth. LedgerLite was inspired by the need for a simple, affordable and accessible financial system that works in real-world, low-resource environments.

What it does

LedgerLite is a lightweight financial operating system for informal institutions. It allows administrators to: Record payments securely Automatically generate digital receipts with unique transaction IDs Track income in real time through a financial dashboard View transaction history and audit logs Reduce errors, disputes, and record manipulation LedgerLite replaces manual record-keeping with a clean, reliable, and easy-to-use web platform.

How I built it

LedgerLite was built as a web-based application using a simple but reliable stack: Frontend: HTML5, CSS3 (Bootstrap 5), Vanilla JavaScript Backend: PHP using PDO for secure database interactions Database: MySQL

The system uses session-based authentication, prepared statements for security and a modular project structure to keep the codebase clean and maintainable.

Challenges I ran into

One of the main challenges was balancing simplicity with trust. The system needed to be easy to use while still enforcing financial integrity. Other challenges included: Designing a clear dashboard that communicates financial data at a glance Implementing receipt generation without overcomplicating the system Preventing duplicate or inconsistent payment records Keeping the scope focused to ensure stability within the hackathon timeline Each challenge required careful prioritization and trade-offs to maintain reliability.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Building a fully functional end-to-end payment recording and receipt system Implementing secure authentication and data isolation per institution Creating a clean, judge-friendly demo flow with real-time dashboard updates Delivering a practical solution focused on real users, not just technology Completing a hackathon-ready MVP with clear documentation and deployment

What I learned

Through building LedgerLite, I learned the importance of: Solving real problems instead of chasing complex features Designing for clarity and usability, especially for non-technical users Making security a baseline requirement, not an afterthought Storytelling and presentation as critical components of technical projects Most importantly, I learned that simple systems, when built thoughtfully, can have meaningful impact.

What's next for LedgerLite

Future improvements for LedgerLite include: Email delivery of receipts Role-based access (e.g., staff vs admin) Advanced reporting and analytics Integration with payment gateways such as Paystack or Stripe Mobile-first optimizations for wider accessibility

LedgerLite is designed to grow into a robust financial tool while remaining lightweight and accessible.

Built With

• 5)
• bootstrap
• css3
• for
• github
• html5
• javascript
• mysql
• pdo)
• php
• vanilla)