Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Hey there, automotive legends! 👋
Listen up, because I'm about to save your ass from invoice hell. I've been there with you – standing in a bay that's pushing 100 degrees in July, dealing with ice and that jersey salt that makes everything a fucking disaster in winter.
My hands have been just as dirty, my back just as sore, and my patience just as thin when dealing with
Listen up, because I'm about to save your ass from invoice hell. I've been there with you – standing in a bay that's pushing 100 degrees in July, dealing with ice and that jersey salt that makes everything a fucking disaster in winter.
My hands have been just as dirty, my back just as sore, and my patience just as thin when dealing with bullshit software that costs more than a rebuilt transmission and works about as well as a chocolate teapot. But you know what I don't have to worry about anymore on those side-work Sundays?
My fucking invoices!
Not with this beautiful disaster I've created. This is my first completed project, built mostly with AI assistance because let's be honest – I'm winging it harder than a turkey in November. But it's completely offline, which means no monthly fees, no "oops our servers are down," and no sending your data worldwide.
🚀 Getting Started
What You Need
- A computer that isn't held together with duct tape and prayers
- About 5 minutes of your time
- The patience to follow simple fucking directions
The Lazy Bastard Installation Method™
Because I know you're busy and don't have time for complicated bullshit:
1. Download the compressed zip file (it's probably sitting in you
What You Need
- A computer that isn't held together with duct tape and prayers
- About 5 minutes of your time
- The patience to follow simple fucking directions
The Lazy Bastard Installation Method™
Because I know you're busy and don't have time for complicated bullshit:
1. Download the compressed zip file (it's probably sitting in your Downloads folder right now)
2. Move it where you want it to live (Desktop works, or wherever you keep important shit)
3. Extract everything (right-click, extract all, you know the drill)
4. Find the file called `startup.bat`
5. Right-click on it and create a shortcut
6. Drag that shortcut to your desktop
7. Find the file called `install.bat`
8. Double-click it
9. Boom! You now have a half-assed desktop app icon and installation thing!
The "I Just Want This Shit to Work" Guide
The "I Just Want This Shit to Work" Guide
First Launch (Don't Panic)
Double-click that istall shortcut - It'll open a command prompt window (this is normal, don't freak out) - The first time, you will need to download the dependencies
- select the correct option
- (1): Create virtual enviornment and installs
- (2): Installs just dependencies - Grab a coffee, let it do its thing -
First Launch (Don't Panic)
Double-click that istall shortcut - It'll open a command prompt window (this is normal, don't freak out) - The first time, you will need to download the dependencies
- select the correct option
- (1): Create virtual enviornment and installs
- (2): Installs just dependencies - Grab a coffee, let it do its thing - When it's done, select option (5) or use the desktop shortcut you made!
Creating Your Account
Hit "Create Account" (revolutionary, I know) - Enter your email and a password you'll actually remember (not "password123", you're better than that) - Or use the master code `0713` if you just want to skip the bullshit and get started
🎯 What This Magnificent Trainwreck Actually Does
Look, I'm not gonna bullshit you with fancy marketing speak. Here's what this thing does:
- Customer Management - Keep track of all your regulars and the pain-in-the-ass customers who only show up when their car is literally on fire
- Professional Invoice Creation - Generate invoices that won't embarrass you in front of those uptight corporate fleet managers
- Instant PDF Generation - PDFs that actually look good, print correctly, and don't require a computer science degree to create
- 100% Offline Operation - Because we all know shop WiFi is about as reliable as a 1985 Yugo with 300k miles
- Custom Branding - Slap your shop logo on everything like the badass business owner you are
- Simple & Fast - No 47-step processes, no mysterious menus, no PhD required
🎨 Making This Thing Actually Useful
Adding Your Shop Logo
1. Click the "Logo" tab (it's literally labeled "Logo" because I'm not trying to be clever)
2. Hit "Import New Logo"
3. Pick your shop's logo (keep it reasonable size-wise, we're not printing billboards here)
4. Watch it magically appear on your invoices ✨
Creating Your First Invoice (The Moment of Truth)
1. Add a Customer First
- Hit the "Customers" tab
- Click "New Customer"
- Fill in the basics (name, phone, address – the usual suspects)
- Add notes like "Always late on payments" or "Brings donuts"
2. Create the Actual Invoice
- Go to "Invoices" tab
- Hit "New Invoice"
- Pick your customer from the dropdown
- Fill in the work details
3. Add Line Items Like a Pro
- Labor description, hours worked, your hourly rate
- Parts used with actual costs (no more guessing)
- Everything calculates automatically because math is hard at 6 PM on Friday
4. Generate That PDF
- Hit "Generate PDF"
- Watch a professional-looking invoice appear
- Print it, email it, frame it – whatever makes you happy
🛠️ Features That'll Actually Make Your Life Easier
Smart Calculations (Because Math Sucks)
- Automatically adds up totals so you don't have to
- Handles taxes properly (unlike my first three attempts)
- Separates labor, parts, and miscellaneous charges
- Shows subtotals and grand totals clearly
PDFs That Don't Look Like Garbage
- Clean, readable invoices that customers won't immediately throw away
- Your logo prominently displayed (because branding matters)
- All the legal information included
- Actually prints correctly on regular 8.5x11 paper (fucking revolutionary!)
Customer Management That Makes Sense
- Keep detailed notes on each customer ("Drives like a maniac," "Tips well," etc.)
- Track payment history and patterns
- Search functionality that actually finds what you're looking for
- See at a glance who owes you money
Invoice Status Tracking
- Draft - You're still working on it
- Sent - Customer has it, ball's in their court
- Paid - Money in the bank, everybody's happy
- Overdue - Time for some uncomfortable phone calls
Visual indicators show you what needs attention, because who has time to dig through spreadsheets?
🔒 Your Data, Your Business
Here's the beautiful part:
Everything stays on YOUR computer. No cloud storage fees, no "we're updating our privacy policy" emails, no "oops we got hacked and lost everyone's data" disasters.
Backup Strategy (Please, Do This):
1. Your entire business lives in a file called `invoices.db`
2. Copy this file to a USB drive, external hard drive, or another computer regularly
3. Copy the whole app folder if you want to move everything to a new machine
4. That's literally it – you're backed up better than most Fortune 500 companies
*Pro Tip*
Set a phone reminder to backup weekly. Future you will thank present you when your hard drive shits the bed.
🆘 When Things Go Sideways
"This Piece of Shit Won't Start!"
- Check if Python is installed: open command prompt, type `python --version`
- Make sure you actually extracted the files (half the problems I see are people trying to run it from inside the zip)
- Try running it from command prompt to see actual error messages instead of mysterious crashes
"My Invoice Looks Like It Was Designed by a Drunk!"
- Make sure all required fields are filled in (the app will yell at you about empty fields)
- Check that your logo isn't 47MB and bigger than a billboard
- Sometimes computers just need a moment – try generating the PDF again
- Make a better looking one and send a push!
.
Troubleshooting for Real People
"Where the Hell Did My Data Go?"
Look for `invoices.db` in your app folder - That's your entire database sitting right there - Move it, copy it, back it up, sacrifice a small animal to it (please don't) – whatever keeps it safe
"I'm a Dumbass and Forgot My Password!"
Use the "Reset Password" option on the login screen - Or use the master code: `0713` (but don't go telling everyone, yeah?) - This resets everything, so you'll need to set up your account again
"It's Calculating Wrong!" (AKA User Error 99% of the Time)
Double-check your hourly rates - Make sure you're entering numbers as numbers, not text - Tax rates should be decimals (0.08 for 8%, not 8) - When in doubt, clear everything and start over
🤓 Technical Shit (For the Nerds Among Us)
Built with:
Python 3.8+ (because it works everywhere and doesn't require a mortgage to license)
Interface:
Tkinter (it's not pretty, but it's bulletproof and doesn't require internet)
Database:
SQLite (lightweight, fast, and more reliable than most shop WiFi)
PDF Generation:
Built-in magic that actually produces usable documents
Dependencies:
All listed in `requirements.txt` and installed automatically
🤝 Making It Better (Open Source Means You Can Fix My Mistakes)
This is open source, which means:
- Modify it however you want – add features, change colors, whatever
- If you break it while tinkering, you get to keep both pieces
- Submit improvements if you make something cool (I'm not too proud to accept help)
- No judgment if you just use it exactly as-is
- No warranty, no guarantees, use at your own risk (but it's worked great for me)
💝 A Personal Note
To my fellow automotive professionals:
You've literally kept me and everyone else moving for years. When my car broke down and I needed work, you gave me a chance. When I needed to learn, you taught me. When I needed help, you had my back.
This doesn't have monthly fees. It doesn't spy on you. It doesn't try to upsell you on "premium features." It just works, offline, forever, because that's how software should be for people who actually work for a living.
You've always had my back when I needed help. Consider this my way of having yours.
Keep turning wrenches, keep fixing the unfixable, keep being the heroes that keep the world moving, and don't let anyone tell you that you're "just a mechanic." You're skilled professionals who understand complex systems, diagnose impossible problems, and make things work that have no business working.
This is for you. 🔧
📞 Getting Help (When All Else Fails)
Built-in Help System
- There's literally a "Help" tab in the app
- It has step-by-step guides for everything
- Screenshots included because I'm not a monster
Still Stuck?
- Read through this README again (I tried to cover every stupid question I could think of)
- Check the troubleshooting section above
- Make sure you followed the installation steps exactly
- Try turning it off and on again (seriously, this fixes more problems than it should)
Last Resort
- You know where to find me
- I actually respond to emails and messages
- No judgment for user error – we've all been there
📋 The Fine Print
**Version**: 1.0.0 - "The One That Actually Works"
**License**: MIT (Use it, modify it, share it, sell it – just don't blame me if it becomes sentient)
**Warranty**: Absolutely none, but it's worked flawlessly for me for a couple days.
**Support**: Best effort, because I actually give a shit
🌟 What's Next?
I'm already working on version 2.0 with features like:
- Estimate creation (because sometimes you need to quote before you fix)
- Parts inventory tracking (for those of you who are more organized than I am)
- Customer communication logging (keeping track of all those "but you said" conversations)
- Maybe even a mobile app (because carrying a laptop to the service bay is stupid)
But that's future me's problem. Present me just wants to make sure this version works perfectly for you.
P.S. - If this saves you even one hour of administrative bullshit, it's already paid for itself. If it saves you money on software subscriptions, even better. If it helps your business run smoother, then we're both winning.