Papa Steve's/Architecture
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System architecture

How data flows between Airtable, Railway, mobile apps, Make.com, and the Master Dashboard · Perplexity hook is a detachable analysis layer
Data flow diagram
Airtable is the single source of truth · multiple writers, one reader · Perplexity attaches and detaches without coupling
SOURCE OF TRUTH WRITERS · capture data in the field READER · aggregates and presents Airtable · single source of truth Production base Ingredients · Film rolls Prep batches · Produced batches PO-to-Invoices · Staging ~12 tables Suppliers base Approved / Trial / Failed Risk assessments Audit expirations · Monitoring ~6 tables Purchase Orders base Ingredient POs (5 states) Film POs (5 states) Compliance · Receipt logs ~10 tables Logs & Tests base Sanitation · Equipment Trainings · Sanitizers CAPA · Scheduled audits ~8 tables Recall base Hazard assessments Comms log · Contacts Reconciliation · Inventory ~5 tables Batch Recorder RAILWAY · WEB APP Prep batch entry Produced batch entry Sanitation logs Equipment logs writes → Production, Logs Film Planner MOBILE · iOS/ANDROID Log film at Hell's Kitchen Stage film for run Roll changeover events Film inventory counts writes → Production Pick Flow MOBILE · iOS/ANDROID Outbound pick verify Lot/batch attribution PO receipt scanning Recall reconciliation writes → POs, Recall Make.com SCENARIO · AUTOMATION Invoice generation PO → vendor email Supplier audit reminders QuickBooks sync writes → POs, Suppliers WRITES Master Operator Dashboard THIN READ LAYER · NO WRITES · NO BUSINESS LOGIC Aggregates from every Airtable base. KPI tiles, trend charts, cross-base activity feed, drill-through to source base. Detaches cleanly: the apps and Airtable continue to work if the dashboard is unplugged. READS · AGGREGATES Perplexity DETACHABLE LAYER Reads dashboard exports Reads Airtable read-only Analysis, RCA, forecasting No write access UNPLUGS CLEANLY READ-ONLY
Source of truth · Airtable
Railway web app
Mobile app
Make.com automation
Solid · production data flow
Dashed · detachable, no coupling
Source of truth

Airtable

All operational data lives in five Airtable bases. Schema changes happen in the Airtable UI, not in code. Permissions and views are managed there.

  • Production · Suppliers · POs · Logs · Recall
  • ~41 tables across bases
  • Buyer at exit gets the bases as standalone IP
  • No data migration needed for sale
Writer

Railway · Batch Recorder

Existing internal web app for shop-floor data entry. Writes into Airtable through the API. Continues unchanged.

  • Prep batch and produced batch entry
  • Sanitation and equipment logs
  • Authenticated for staff only
  • Independent deploy lifecycle
Writer

Mobile apps

Two mobile apps stay decoupled from the dashboard. They write directly to Airtable so they keep working if anything else changes.

  • Film Planner · stage, log, count rolls
  • Pick Flow · outbound and PO scan
  • Native iOS and Android
  • No dependency on the dashboard
Writer

Make.com

Existing automation scenarios for invoicing, vendor email, and QuickBooks sync. Triggers on Airtable record events.

  • Invoice generation from picked orders
  • PO email to vendors
  • Supplier audit reminders
  • One-way sync to QuickBooks
Reader

Master Operator Dashboard

The new layer. Pulls from every Airtable base and presents KPIs, trends, and a unified activity feed. Read-only and stateless.

  • One pane across all operations
  • No writes, no business logic
  • Detaches without breaking anything
  • Built-in role-based views
Optional

Perplexity hook

Analysis layer for forensics, scenario modeling, and exit-prep questions. Sits outside the production system and can be removed without consequence.

  • Read-only access to dashboard exports
  • No writes into Airtable or apps
  • Unplugs cleanly before a sale
  • Buyer optionally re-attaches
Why this shape
Architectural principles
Source of truthAirtable, single
Writers4 independent
Reader1 (this dashboard)
Schema changesAirtable UI
Coupling between writersNone
Coupling to dashboardNone
Perplexity couplingRead-only, dashed
Sellability story
What a buyer receives

The buyer gets Airtable bases, two mobile apps, the Railway recorder, and this dashboard as one working operational system. Perplexity unplugs in a single step and is documented as an optional analytic tool, not part of operations.

Founder-knowledge in codeMinimal
Operational continuityDay-one
Schema in buyer's handsYes (Airtable UI)
AI dependency at saleZero
Diligence storyDocumented, simple