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inbound/PROJECT_EVOLUTION.md

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+# BoundHQ Evolution
+
+> The timeline from custom cabinetry JMS to SaaS platform.
+> AI reads this to understand where BoundHQ came from and where it's going.
+
+---
+
+## Phase 0 — Tradify Era (Before 2025)
+
+Brendan runs Cabinet HQ, a custom cabinetry and joinery shop. Uses Tradify for job management, quoting, and invoicing. Tradify works for basic field service but frustrates on cabinetry-specific workflows: 14-stage production pipeline, multi-section quotes, state-regulated compliance, CNC integration, and per-user sidebar customisation.
+
+Key frustrations:
+- No 14-stage cabinetry workflow (Tradify has 5 generic stages)
+- No state-regulated deposit caps or payment schedules
+- No production tracking beyond "in progress"
+- No drawing management or revision control
+- No Mozaik CNC integration
+- Per-seat pricing for a 6-person shop gets expensive
+
+## Phase 1 — Custom JMS (Late 2025)
+
+Brendan starts building his own job management system. Initially just for Cabinet HQ — no multi-tenant, no SaaS ambitions. The system needs to:
+- Handle the 14-stage cabinetry workflow Tradify can't
+- Support complex multi-section quoting
+- Track production through the workshop
+- Manage drawings and revisions
+- Integrate with Xero for invoicing
+
+Architecture decisions from this era:
+- Single-file backend (server.js) — simple, no orchestration needed
+- No ORM — raw SQL, Brendan knows PostgreSQL
+- Desktop first — the team works at desks and workshop PCs
+- PostgreSQL for metadata, filesystem for binary files
+- JWT auth with localStorage tokens
+
+## Phase 2 — Feature Explosion (Early-Mid 2026)
+
+The system outgrows its JMS origins. Major modules added:
+- CRM (customers, contacts, enquiries, projects)
+- Kanban jobs with 14-stage production tracking
+- Multi-section quotes with section totals
+- Email Intake (IMAP + AI parsing)
+- Xero Integration (invoice push, P&L sync)
+- Mozaik CNC import and texture importing
+- Team Notes, Time Cards
+- Pricelist with supplier management
+- Purchase Orders (Stage 1)
+- Settings with module access control
+
+Key metric: 155 database tables, 40+ deployed modules.
+
+## Phase 3 — SaaS Awakening (June 2026)
+
+Brendan realises other cabinet shops have the same Tradify frustrations. The system is proven with Cabinet HQ's own 6-person shop. Key developments:
+
+- **June 4:** Multi-tenant architecture decision (shared schema + business_id + RLS). Base schema committed (155 tables). Tenant provisioning tool proven with 16 verification checks.
+- **June 5:** SaaS Admin module built — tenant management with 7 API endpoints. Tradify import pipeline built to migrate competitor customers.
+- **June 6-7:** PDF compliance service built (8-state awareness). State-regulated quotes. QLD insurance calculation. Revenue-legal foundation for regulated markets.
+- **June 8:** Purchase Orders Stage 1 — supplier accounts, stock tracking, procurement foundation. Staging versioning standardised for deployment reliability.
+- **June 9:** SMS notifications (Twilio) — first Podium-style customer communication feature. Tenant branding Phase 1 (sidebar white-label).
+- **June 10-12:** Financial Planning engine — all 8 phases of Project Cost Ledger built in a single pass. Cashflow calendar, forecasting, pipeline, Xero OPEX scanner. Real P&L data: $115K monthly revenue, $78.4K average.
+- **June 13:** Public door order form. Cashflow Needs Dates editor.
+
+## Phase 4 — BoundHQ Brand (Current)
+
+cabinetHQ becomes BoundHQ — a SaaS platform for cabinet manufacturers and joinery shops. The product has:
+- Proven multi-tenant architecture with provisioning tooling
+- State-regulated compliance for all 8 Australian jurisdictions
+- Financial planning engine (Fathom-style cashflow, forecasting, pipeline)
+- Customer communication (SMS, email, portal with 7-stage progress)
+- Production tracking (14-stage kanban, Gantt scheduling, drawing management)
+- Integration ecosystem (Xero, Mozaik, Tradify import, IMAP email)
+- AI-powered features (Email Intake parsing, OPEX scanning, compliance)
+
+## Future Phases
+
+### Phase 4 (Next 30 Days)
+- SaaS launch: first paying customer onboarded via SaaS Admin
+- Premium AI tier ($99/mo): AI Business Q&A, cash flow predictions, margin alerts
+- Login bounce fix + VPS security sweep
+- PDF compliance rollout (state-aware defaults)
+
+### Phase 5 (60 Days)
+- Multi-tenant branding (Phase 2): PDF, email, portal skinning
+- AI Capacity Planning ($199/mo manufacturing tier)
+- Customer portal GA with quote acceptance + progress tracking
+- Mozaik CNC import workflow completion
+
+### Phase 6 (90 Days)
+- AI-powered onboarding wizard (15-min tenant setup)
+- Anonymized cross-tenant benchmarks (content marketing + retention)
+- Xero Smart Search (accounting.transactions.read + accounting.bills.read scopes)
+- Cash flow predictions ($149/mo premium tier)
+
+### Phase 7 (180 Days)
+- Industry platform play: published benchmarks, compliance-as-a-service
+- AI project margin alerts (proactive, before job completion)
+- Manufacturing tier full release ($199/mo)
+- WhatsApp voice note inbox ("Hey Siri, note to BoundHQ")
+
+---
+
+## Key Inflection Points
+
+| Date | Event | Significance |
+|------|-------|-------------|
+| Late 2025 | First line of custom JMS code | Tradify replacement begins |
+| Early 2026 | 14-stage production kanban working | Cabinetry-specific workflow proven |
+| 2026-06-04 | Base schema committed (155 tables) | Multi-tenant SaaS becomes possible |
+| 2026-06-04 | Tenant provisioning tool working | Zero-touch customer onboarding proven |
+| 2026-06-07 | State-regulated compliance service | First legal differentiator from competitors |
+| 2026-06-09 | SMS notifications (Twilio) | Customer communication stack begins |
+| 2026-06-10 | Financial Planning engine live | Fathom-style intelligence in-app |
+| 2026-06-14 | BoundHQ-Memory v1 complete | AI operating system replaces ad-hoc agents |