User Guide

Welcome to HomeTab, your all-in-one solution for managing household staff, salaries, and expenses. This guide will help you get started and master the app's features.

🚀 Getting Started

1. Account Setup

  • Sign In: Open the app and sign in using your Google Account.
  • Create/Join Household:
    • New User: You will be prompted to create a new Household or join an existing one via invite code.
    • Existing User: You will be taken directly to the main dashboard.

👥 Staff Management

Adding a Maid

  1. Tap the Quick Action: Maids icon on the home screen or go to the sidebar.
  2. Tap the (+) button.
  3. Enter details: Name, Job Type (e.g., Cook, Cleaner), and Base Salary.
  4. Tap Save.

Marking Attendance

  1. Tap Quick Action: Attend or go to Operations > Attendance.
  2. You will see a list of today's attendance.
  3. Toggle the switch next to a maid's name to mark them Present or Absent.
  4. Note: Salaries are calculated based on these attendance records.

💰 Finance Management

Paying Salaries

  1. Tap the (+) Floating Action Button on the home screen.
  2. Select Maid: Choose the staff member to pay.
  3. Enter Amount: Input the salary amount.
  4. Confirm: Tap Save.
  5. View History: The payment will appear in the "Recent Payments" list.
    • To Delete: Tap the Trash Icon next to a payment if you made a mistake.

Managing Loans (Advances)

  1. Tap Quick Action: Loans or go to Finance > Advance History.
  2. Give Advance:
    • Tap the (+) button.
    • Select Maid and enter Amount.
    • (Optional) Add a reason (e.g., "Emergency").
    • Tap Save.
  3. Record Repayment (e.g., Cash return):
    • Find the active loan card (Orange Hourglass icon).
    • Tap only the card to expand details.
    • Tap the green Record Repayment button.
    • Enter the Amount returned and Date.
    • Tap Save. The balance will update automatically.

📊 Dashboard & Settings

Dashboard Stats

  • Tap the Analytics Icon (Graph) in the top-right corner.
  • View charts for Total Expenses, Attendance Trends, and Pending Loan Balances.

Settings & Sharing

  • Tap the Settings Icon (Gear) in the top-right corner.
  • Manage Household: View current members.
  • Invite Member: Share your Household Code to let family members join and manage staff together.
  • Theme: Toggle between Light and Dark mode.

❓ FAQ

Q: Can I edit a salary payment?
A: Currently, you can only delete incorrect payments and create a new one.

Q: Who can see my data?
A: Only members you explicitly invite to your Household can see your staff and financial data.

Q: Is my data safe?
A: Yes, all data is stored securely on Google Cloud Firestore and access is restricted to authenticated users only.