epic-product System Requirements Document

Introduction

The epic-product is a compliance and workflow platform designed specifically for small-to-mid-sized US CPA/CA firms. It aims to centralize every client's cross-entity tax data, track filing deadlines across entities and jurisdictions, and flag threshold events for preparer confirmation. This document outlines the system requirements for the epic-product.

System Overview

The epic-product will serve CPA/CA practices with 1–15 personnel, primarily in Texas, Florida, California, and New York. It will handle clients with multiple entities, such as partnerships, trusts, and foreign accounts, where deadline and document tracking is currently managed manually via spreadsheets. The platform will not calculate tax liability or file documents but will focus on centralizing data and tracking deadlines efficiently.

Functional Requirements as Story Points

• As a CPA, I should be able to add a client with multiple entities to manage their tax data centrally.
• As a CPA, I should be able to track the status of documents per entity (expected, received, missing).
• As a CPA, I should be able to view all filing deadlines across entities and jurisdictions in one dashboard.
• As a CPA, I should be able to receive alerts for threshold events based on public IRS/FinCEN numbers, requiring my confirmation.
• As a CPA, I should be able to view a "Blocked filing" list to identify deadlines stuck due to missing documents.
• As a CPA, I should be able to use API capabilities to pre-resolve threshold flagging while still requiring my confirmation.

User Personas

• CPA/CA Practitioner: A professional working in a small-to-mid-sized firm, responsible for managing multiple clients with complex tax needs.
• Firm Administrator: An individual responsible for overseeing the firm's operations and ensuring compliance with tax deadlines.

Core User Flows

• CPA adds a new client with multiple entities -> Inputs entity details -> Tracks document status -> Monitors dashboard for deadlines -> Receives alerts for threshold events -> Confirms or resolves flagged issues.

Visuals Colors and Theme

• primary: #0047AB (a professional blue to convey trust and reliability)
• primary_light: #5A9BD5 (a lighter blue for hover states and secondary UI)
• secondary: #F2F2F2 (a neutral light gray for backgrounds and secondary elements)
• accent: #FF5733 (a vibrant orange for CTAs and active states)
• highlight: #FFC300 (a bright yellow for notifications and hover states)
• bg: #FFFFFF (a clean white background for clarity)
• surface: #E5E5E5 (a subtle gray for card/panel backgrounds)
• text: #333333 (a dark gray for primary text)
• text_muted: #777777 (a softer gray for secondary text and labels)
• border: #CCCCCC (a light gray for accessible borders)

Signature Design Concept

The homepage will feature an interactive "Tax Data Universe" where each client's entities are represented as planets orbiting a central sun (the firm). Users can click on a planet to zoom in and view detailed information about that entity's tax data and deadlines. The planets will subtly rotate, and their orbits will adjust based on the user's interactions, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. This concept will be implemented using @react-three/fiber for 3D interactions and gsap for smooth animations.

LANDING HERO MOTION BRIEF

The landing page will feature a continuous 2D motion loop illustrating the transformation of scattered tax documents into an organized, centralized dashboard. The animation will show documents flying into a central hub, which then displays a clear, organized view of deadlines and alerts. This will be achieved using motion/react for animations and CSS for styling. The animation will loop every 10 seconds, with interactive elements allowing users to hover over documents to see their status.

Interaction Model & Motion Direction

• Intended Interaction Model: Animated
  • The landing page will feature moderate scroll-triggered reveals and hover transitions to enhance user engagement.
  • Internal pages will maintain a static layout for clarity and ease of use.

Non-Functional Requirements

• The system must ensure data security and privacy, complying with relevant regulations.
• The platform should be scalable to accommodate growing client lists and data volumes.
• The user interface must be intuitive and accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React for Web
• Backend: Python, FastAPI
• Database: MySQL or MariaDB, using Alembic for migrations
• AI Tools: None specified
• Local Orchestration: Docker, docker-compose
• Server-side Orchestration: Kubernetes

Assumptions and Constraints

• The platform will initially target CPA/CA firms in Texas, Florida, California, and New York.
• The system will not perform tax calculations or e-filing.
• Integration with existing practice tools is not included in the initial scope.

Glossary

• CPA/CA: Certified Public Accountant/Chartered Accountant
• K-1: A tax document used to report income, deductions, and credits from partnerships
• FBAR: Foreign Bank Account Report
• FATCA: Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act