Contact person: Business Client

Phone:Show

Email:Show

Location: Northampton, United Kingdom

Budget: Recommended by industry experts

Time to start: As soon as possible

Project description:
"Full-Stack Developer for “Hardware Compatibility Playbook” (SQL + Modern Web Front End + Optional Voice Search/Input)

A tech business that refurbishes, upgrades, and resells professional IT hardware — mainly laptops, desktops, and workstations from brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo requires this play book to capture a growing product knowledge.

This project is to create a standalone system — our Hardware Compatibility Playbook — to record and query information about cross-compatible parts, upgrade options, and repair knowledge gathered in-house.

Project Goal

Develop a searchable, data-driven web application (hosted on DigitalOcean SQL) that:

Stores detailed compatibility, parts, last prices and supplier data

Lets staff quickly answer questions like

“Does the Dell Precision 5560 share its chassis with the M660?”
"How easy is it to replace the screen on a Lenovo Thinkpad P14S Gen 2 i7-1165G7?"
“What top covers fit the Lenovo P15 Gen 2?”
“Can you upgrade FHD to 4K on the Lenovo P16 Gen 1?”

Gradually builds knowledge automatically as engineers process real units

Core Features

SQL Database (MS SQL or MySQL on DigitalOcean) with normalized schema for models, parts, compatibility, suppliers, prices

Modern Web UI (React / [login to view URL] / Vue preferred)

Fast Search across models & part numbers (fuzzy matching + filters)

Data Entry / Edit interfaces for models, parts, alternates, suppliers

Cross-reference links (“equivalent”, “requires adapter”, etc.)

CSV Import / Export

Extras:

Barcode / QR scanning via webcam

Voice search using Web Speech API

“Learning” Enhancement

As engineers handle units, they’ll log part numbers, alternates, prices, and notes.
The system should then:

Remember which parts fit which models

Retain supplier & price history

Suggest required / optional parts for any new model

Generate a ready-to-order list with cost roll-up

Tech Stack & Skills Required

Backend: MS SQL or MySQL (+ API endpoints)

Frontend: React / [login to view URL] / Vue (+ TypeScript preferred)

Search Engineering: indexes, fuzzy search, faceted filters

CSV Pipelines & Data Importers

Auth / RBAC / Audit Log

Bonus: Web Speech API, barcode scanning, AI/NLP search, IT hardware familiarity

Deliverables

Hosted working prototype on DigitalOcean

Normalized SQL schema (+ sample data)

Responsive web UI with search + CRUD functions

Role-based access and audit log

CSV import / export

Setup & usage documentation

Timeline & Budget

Duration: ≈ 5–7 working days (MVP)

Budget: £400 – £900 fixed-price, depending on polish & extras

Future phases: intake wizard, price memory, barcode scan, voice search, semantic lookup

To Apply

Please include:

Examples of SQL-backed tools you’ve built

Your preferred stack and why

Estimated delivery time and cost

A short note on how you’d handle cross-references or voice search


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Part 2 — “Living Project Brief” for Developers

This document is both a formal project brief and a narrative walk-through.
It explains what to build, why, and how it will be used.

1 Overview

The Hardware Compatibility Playbook will be an internal knowledge system for engineers and buyers.
It records and cross-references every model and part we handle — screens, keyboards, top/bottom covers, mainboards, batteries, PSUs, etc. — showing which parts fit which models, what alternates exist, and how easy certain upgrades or swaps are.

Over time, it will become the definitive in-house “compatibility brain” for the business.

2 Objectives

Centralize model / part compatibility data

Enable instant, fuzzy search and clear visualization of relationships

Capture knowledge automatically from day-to-day processing of units

Track supplier pricing & availability for each part

Reduce repeated research, improve refurb throughput, and guide purchasing decisions

3 Functional Requirements
Area Requirement
Data Model Normalized SQL tables for models, parts, compatibility links, suppliers, prices, intake sessions
CRUD UI Add/edit models and parts with autocomplete and validation
Search UI Fuzzy lookup by model name, part number, alias (instant results)
Cross-Reference View For any model → show BOM, alternates, equivalents
Intake Wizard Engineers log real unit details → updates part mapping and prices
Supplier Panel Displays latest prices and preferred suppliers
Export Generate CSV for purchasing or stock imports
Optional Extras Barcode scan, voice search, image upload for part photos
Auth / Audit Role-based permissions and audit logging for changes
4 Proposed Schema

models (id, brand, series, model, generation, cpu_gen, notes)

parts (id, category, mpn, aliases, description)

model_parts (id, model_id, part_id, required, qty, fit_notes)

compatibility (id, from_part_id, to_part_id, relation, note)

suppliers, supplier_prices, intake_sessions, intake_lines, audit_log

Indexes on MPN and model name for speed; consider a view for “where-used” queries.

5 Front-End Design / UX

Aesthetic: Clean industrial style (UI should feel like an internal ERP tool).
Tech: React + TypeScript + Tailwind recommended.

Main Views

Dashboard / Search: Global search bar + recent activity

Model Detail: Specs, compatibility table, required parts, alternates

Part Detail: Where used, price history, alternates, supplier panel

Intake Wizard: Step-by-step part logging per unit

Admin Tools: Imports, aliases, deduping, user roles

Extras:

Barcode icon → launch camera for scan

Mic icon → speech search

Instant filters (brand, category, generation)

6 Development Phases
Phase Duration Key Deliverables
1 – Schema & API 2 days Database design + REST / GraphQL endpoints
2 – Core UI 3 days Search, CRUD screens, cross-reference views
3 – Enhancements 2 days CSV import/export, auth, audit
4 – Optional Extras 3–5 days Voice search, barcode, intake wizard
7 Testing & Handover

Test dataset of ~50 models + 500 parts

Performance checks on search latency (< 300 ms)

Basic role testing (admin/engineer/viewer)

Full documentation + ERD diagram

Final review meeting via video or chat

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Narrative Walk-Through

Imagine an engineer receives a Dell Precision 5550.
He opens the Playbook, searches “5550”, and instantly sees:

Same chassis as Precision 5560

Compatible FHD and 4K panels (listed with part numbers and cables) + complexity of the job

Top cover shared with model XPS 15 9500

Bottom case not interchangeable due to vent pattern

Typical parts needed for A-grade refurb (hinges, keyboard, battery)

Supplier prices from the last 30 days (Refurbit, PCParts UK, etc.)

He scans the serial or speaks “add Dell Precision 5550 unit”, and the system opens an intake form pre-filled with required parts and costs.

Purchasing staff later search “Precision 5550 screen” → instantly see approved part numbers, suppliers, and prices.
Over time, as more data is logged, the Playbook turns into a powerful reference for pricing, repair planning, and cross-model engineering.
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Future Ideas

AI assistant to answer free-text queries

Integration with Linnworks or Amazon catalogs

Predictive part recommendations

Reporting dashboard (KPIs on part usage & failure rates)

Success Criteria

Runs smoothly on DigitalOcean stack
Usable by non-technical staff
Near-instant search & filtering
Clean UI and logical schema
Easy to extend for AI or inventory links" (client-provided description)