Enterprise Business Management Platform
Full-stack enterprise platform replacing a legacy FileMaker system for a South African company. Features SARS VAT compliance, FICA verification, order management, production workflows, and secure client file uploads.
Acquired Artesi SA CC to deliver this comprehensive business management platform for a South African client. The platform replaces a legacy FileMaker system that suffered from desktop-only access, poor performance, and high operational risk. The new solution provides universal web accessibility, role-based workflows, complete SARS VAT and FICA compliance, secure file handling via MinIO (S3), and integration with payment gateways and SMS services. Key regulatory requirements include multi-country tax compliance (South Africa VAT 15%, with Canadian GST/HST/PST support), FICA customer verification with 5-year document retention, and complete audit trails for all financial transactions. The platform supports multiple user roles: Intake Staff, Production Operators, Department Managers, and Branch Managers.
The platform follows a decoupled architecture with polyrepo structure: Frontend (Next.js): Monolithic application with modular folder structure by business domain, role-specific landing pages, WCAG AA accessibility compliance, and responsive design for desktop, tablet, and mobile. Backend (NestJS): Headless API service with all business logic, TypeORM for PostgreSQL data access, Passport.js authentication with role-based access control, and API versioning via URI (/api/v1/). Infrastructure: Self-hosted PostgreSQL on NixOS, MinIO (S3-compatible) for file storage with encryption, Redis for caching and sessions, Docker Swarm deployment via GitLab CI/CD, and Traefik reverse proxy. Compliance Layer: Tax calculation engine supporting VAT, GST/HST/PST, FICA verification workflow with document encryption, soft delete strategy for regulatory retention, and complete audit logging.
- Role-based authentication with 4 user types (Intake, Operator, Dept Manager, Branch Manager)
- SARS-compliant VAT invoicing (Full/Abridged auto-determination)
- FICA customer verification with encrypted document storage
- Order-to-Invoice-to-Payment workflow
- Production queue management with two-level job tracking
- Secure client file upload portal replacing third-party services
- Bank statement import and reconciliation
- Inventory management with stock reservation and low-stock alerts
- Real-time work order chat and task assignment
- Vendor management and pricelists
- SMS collection notifications via integration
- Payment gateway integration
- Complete audit trails with 5-year retention
- Legacy data migration (clients, invoices, orders, vendors, banking)
- Delivering full enterprise platform as sole developer
- Implementing complex South African tax and FICA compliance requirements
- Migrating historical data from legacy FileMaker system
- Designing efficient production workflow with two-level status management
- Building secure file handling replacing insecure third-party services
- Ensuring <2 second response times for all common operations
- Secured contract for complete enterprise platform delivery
- Acquired Artesi SA CC to execute the project independently
- Designed phased delivery plan with clear milestones and acceptance criteria
- Architecture supports future multi-country expansion
- Platform eliminates single-person maintenance risk of legacy system