# Accounting firms: form collection using Next.js

## Summary

A form collection blueprint for accounting firms built with Next.js on Ample. Domain schema:
- **client_entities** (legal_name, entity_type, fiscal_year_end, jurisdiction): the businesses and individuals served;
- **engagements** (client_entity_id, service_line, period_start, period_end, status): bookkeeping, tax and audit engagements by period;
- **document_requests** (engagement_id, title, due_at, status, uploaded_object_key): requests for source documents;
- **deliverables** (engagement_id, title, object_key, released_at): returns and statements released to the client;
- **uploads** (id, owner_reference, object_key, content_type, size, uploaded_at): validated uploads linked to their owner.

## Infrastructure requirements

- **Compute**: verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.)
- **Postgres**: verified (Managed PostgreSQL 16 runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.)
- **S3-compatible object storage**: verified (Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.)

## Prerequisites

- A Next.js project (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL (auto-provisioned when omitted)
- Bucket credentials from `ample bucket create` passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
- A review of which accounting firms data classes may be handled at all; this blueprint models public information only

## Exact tested configuration

- **template**: `node-22`
- **runtime**: `node`
- **size**: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- **install**: `npm install`
- **build**: `npm run build --if-present`
- **start**: `npm run start`

## Steps

1. **Model the accounting firms domain.** Create the tables client_entities, engagements, document_requests, deliverables, uploads. The businesses and individuals served lives in client_entities; keep the sensitive classes (tax identifiers and financial statements, bank and payroll records, identity documents) out of this schema.
2. **Workflow step 1.** Model document requests per engagement with due dates and status.
3. **Workflow step 2.** Validate uploaded files (type, size) before storing them in the private bucket and linking them to the request.
4. **Workflow step 3.** Authorize uploads by client entity.
5. **Workflow step 4.** Deploy and verify rejection of disallowed files and a linked upload.
6. **Deploy.** Run the synchronous deploy once and read the result. Re-running with no change is a no-op.
7. **Verify.** Run the pattern self-test(s) from the example (/p/browser-file-uploads) and your own acceptance checks for the accounting firms workflow.

## Tested examples

- **Next.js pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/next-js-patterns): Verified browser file uploads basis for this blueprint.

## Success checks

- App responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary next js patterns)
- Browser-file-uploads self-test from the example (`/p/browser-file-uploads` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks)

## Limitations

- The technical basis (browser file uploads on Next.js) was verified with the pattern fixture; the accounting firms schema and workflow are an original design for this blueprint and were not executed as a separate application.
- No health, financial, privacy or other compliance claim is made. Financial records and tax identifiers are regulated in most jurisdictions; the portal flows here model authorization only and claim no compliance.
- Public content and synthetic examples only until actual data-handling requirements have been reviewed.

## Cost estimate

Estimated 10.00 USD per month (size prices from pricing.toml at build revision a1b8c38919e59cd035ebabaced73cf84ece24371).
- App server x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD
- Managed PostgreSQL database x1 `s-1vcpu-1gb`: 5.00 USD

## Verification evidence

- Canary run on 2026-09-21T02:34:39Z at revision `1d28ae0-dirty (CLI 0.1.21)`: Next.js pattern fixture deployed on Ample (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template); the browser file uploads checks passed: content-type and size validation that rejects disallowed files, an object written to a private bucket and a row linking the record to the object key (reject=ok upload=ok linked=ok). The blueprint's Accounting firms schema and workflow below build on that verified basis and were not separately executed. (expires 2027-03-20T02:34:39Z)