A bookkeeping app I prototyped in code, then redesigned once I knew what it needed
Clever Keeper is bookkeeping and tax tracking for my studio, designed around my own workflow instead of someone else’s. It pulls in transactions automatically, sorts write-offs on its own and hands my accountant everything they need in one export.
I built it because I was paying $350 a month for a service whose tax estimates kept missing, and I wanted to see if a prototype could turn into something I’d trust with real money.
The Prototype
Using it showed me what was missing
I started with a rough prototype in code to think through the features I wanted. Using it every day changed the plan. Uploading bank statements by hand worked but was slow, so I integrated Plaid to pull in accurate transactions automatically.
The Design
From AI draft to a real design system
Claude spun up the first version of the interface so I could start using the prototype right away. Once I knew what the product actually needed, I redesigned every screen in Figma on my studio’s Heartcore branding, built out the components and variables, and rebuilt the interface to match.
The system
Rules do the sorting for me
When a specific word or phrase appears in a transaction, a rule tags it with the right write-off category, so I categorize a vendor once and never again. I also forecast my income month by month, so quarterly tax estimates reflect this year instead of last year.
The validation
Every number must match records
A reconciliation page compares my uploaded bank statements against the transactions, so nothing goes missing, including income my old service sometimes missed. When the year wraps, a one-click P&L export gives my accountant everything in one PDF. Instead of $4,200 a year, I pay them once.
The lesson
A prototype you can use teaches you what a mockup can’t
I couldn’t have planned the rules system or reconciliation upfront. I found them by using the product and feeling what was missing, which is now how I start anything I build.