In our development process, we mostly use open-source components. However, the source code we develop usually becomes the property of the client at the end of a project and is not being published. Now, through a pro bono project, we were able to give something back and have released a new open-source application: a tourbook app that can be used to manage relief supplies. In our case, these are relief supplies such as sleeping bags, tents, and sleeping mats, which are distributed to people in need.
We wanted to develop a streamlined ordering app for relief supplies to optimally support the distribution and allocation of these items. The Berlin Homeless Aid (Berliner Obdachlosen Hilfe – BOH) is the first to use this app during their street aid tours to provide for their guests. It can be very stressful on tour. The tourbook app must withstand this and thus enable easy operation and adequately support use cases.
The app consists of the following parts:
- Guest Management: In guest management, guests can be searched, added, edited, deleted, and merged.
- Guest Orders: For each guest, orders, distributions, and special requests can be documented.
- Order Overview: In the order overview, guest orders can be viewed, filtered, and sorted.
- Comment Overview: In the comment overview, the special requests of the guests can be viewed.
- Administrative Settings: On the settings page, which is only accessible by password, the products of the orders as well as frequently asked questions and answers can be managed.
The tourbook app is intended to be used on mobile devices. To be platform-independent, we developed it with the cross-platform framework Flutter, so that in addition to Android, other platforms can be supported in the future. In the first version of the application, the management data is stored locally on the smartphone in an encrypted database. This simple data management makes the app easy to maintain, operate, and install. However, this limits usage to only one device, as no synchronization takes place. In the future, server-side data storage is also conceivable, which would lift this limitation.
One goal of the application is to make data entry as simple as possible. Due to language barriers, guests can be difficult to understand, so technical support was desired to simplify processes. The problem of multiple guest entries or multiple distributions of relief supplies to the same person should be minimized. It should be ensured that the right guests receive their relief supplies and that the distribution is fair overall.
To recognize guests and prevent redundant data storage, we have built in a fuzzy-search for name searches. This accepts different spellings of a name. The automatic hit list provides a good selection of hits even for hard-to-understand names, so that similarly sounding names and other spellings can be captured. If multiple entries of guests have occurred, they can be easily merged. Guests can be edited and deleted as well.
For ordering, there are pre-configured relief supplies that can be ordered with a simple click. The order status and order date are set automatically. Language barriers can also be completely bypassed by visually displaying relief supplies as images that can be enlarged with a click.
The distribution of relief supplies should take place at a certain interval. For this purpose, hints are displayed if the deadline for reordering has not yet expired. It is important here that the user still has full control and can decide on a case-by-case basis. The app only provides supportive suggestions!
In an overview, open orders and comments can be processed. It is important that the table is filterable. If there are not enough relief supplies for all guests waiting, it should be ensured that the guests who have been waiting the longest are served first.
A streamlined administration area offers the possibility to add or edit new goods. Here, deadlines can be set and new product images can be stored. FAQs on the usage of the app can also be entered in the administration area. In this area, it is also possible to create a backup of the database or apply a backup.
The project was implemented in close consultation with the BOH within a few weeks. From the beginning of 2024, the app will be used by the BOH on tour, replacing an until then used Excel list. The BOH is an independent and non-profit association that is exclusively self-financed. Non-profit associations, in particular, rely on donations and volunteer work. With our pro bono app, we want to contribute to and simplify the work of homeless aid.
To ensure that the project not only helps the BOH but also the open-source community, we have published it on GitHub under the GPL-v3 license. The project can be adapted and expanded by other organizations or individuals to meet future needs and new requirements of the BOH (or other users). The GPL license ensures that all adjustments must always be returned to the open-source community and thus remain freely available. We would be particularly pleased if other volunteer organizations have a need for our app and make good use of it.
The title image was AI-generated with the help of Canva and further edited by us.
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