NEWGATE UNIVERSITY MINNA

FACULTY OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SIWES PROJECT

PROJECT SUBMITTED BY:

GROUP 1

SUBMITTED TO:
DR. DAVID SABA

12TH DECEMBER, 2024.

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Group Members
1. Khadijah Nagogo 22A/UE/BCIT/10023
2. Sayuti Abdulrahman Yahya 22A/UE/BCSX/1008
3. Abdullahi Mohammed Tetengi 22A/UE/BCSX/1003
4. Ahmad Yasir Saifulhaq 22A/UE/BCSX/1007
5. Musa Mubarak Arada 22A/UE/BCSX/10010

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Table of Contents
i. Introduction
ii. Problem Statement
iii. Aims and Objectives
iv. Methodology
a. Data Entry
b. Data Visualization
c. Expense Management
v. Flowchart
vi. Algorithm
vii. Implementation
viii. Results and Discussion
ix. Challenges and Limitations
x. Future Enhancements
xi. Conclusion
xii. References

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 Introduction
Financial management remains a crucial aspect of modern living, yet many
individuals face challenges in effectively monitoring their expenditures. The
traditional methods of manual record-keeping often lead to inaccuracies,
inefficiencies, and a lack of real-time insights, leaving individuals unable to
make informed financial decisions. In a world where financial literacy and
effective money management are increasingly essential, there is a growing
demand for accessible and efficient tools to track and manage daily
expenses. Recognizing this need, the Personal Expense Tracker in Python
offers a comprehensive solution designed to simplify expense management
for individual users.

This project provides an intuitive, automated, and scalable platform that

bridges the gap between outdated manual processes and complex financial
software. By leveraging Python's robust programming capabilities, the
application delivers a seamless experience, integrating powerful libraries to
enhance its functionality. PyQt5 is employed to create an interactive and
user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI), ensuring the application is
accessible even for those with limited technical expertise. To provide users
with actionable insights, matplotlib is utilized for data visualization, enabling
the display of spending patterns and trends through clear and engaging
charts. Additionally, CSV files are incorporated for data storage, offering a
reliable and straightforward solution for managing expense records while
ensuring scalability for future enhancements.

With the ability to visualize spending habits and analyze financial activities in
real time, users are empowered to take control of their finances and make
informed decisions. This application is designed to cater to individuals
seeking a lightweight yet functional tool for efficient expense tracking. Its
simplicity and scalability make it an ideal solution for users who need a
practical approach to managing their personal finances without the
complexity of larger financial software. By addressing the common pain
points associated with traditional expense tracking, the Personal Expense
Tracker in Python provides a modern, effective, and accessible tool that
aligns with the needs of today’s tech-savvy users.

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 Problem Statement
Overview
Managing personal finances can be a daunting task, especially when relying on manual methods
such as paper records or basic spreadsheets. These methods are prone to human error, lack real-
time updates, and provide minimal analytical insights. As a result, users often struggle to make
informed decisions about their spending habits.
Challenges Identified
1. Data Entry Inefficiencies: Manual input methods can result in errors and missing data,
reducing reliability.
2. Limited Visualization: Most traditional methods lack tools for analyzing spending
patterns, such as visual breakdowns by category.
3. Data Loss: Without a persistent and automated storage mechanism, users risk losing
valuable financial data.
4. Time Constraints: Organizing and analyzing financial records manually consumes
considerable time.
Impact on Users
i. Poor Financial Oversight: Lack of automated tools leads to difficulties in monitoring
expenditures effectively.
ii. Inadequate Decision-Making: Without insights into spending trends, users may fail to
identify areas for improvement in their financial habits.
This project addresses these issues by offering a Python-based solution that combines simplicity,
automation, and advanced visualization to streamline personal expense tracking.

Aims and Objectives

Primary Aim
To develop a robust and user-friendly Python application for tracking personal expenses,
enabling real-time entry, modification, and visualization of financial data.
Objectives

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 Develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI): Design a visually appealing and intuitive
interface using PyQt5 to facilitate data entry and interaction.
i. Enable Real-Time Data Storage: Implement a CSV-based mechanism to ensure
expenses are stored persistently and remain accessible across sessions.
ii. Provide Visual Analytics: Use matplotlib to create pie charts that represent spending
patterns and help users analyze their expenses effectively.
iii. Incorporate Error Handling: Ensure robust input validation to prevent incorrect or
incomplete data entries.
iv. Achieve Scalability: Design the application to accommodate future enhancements such
as multi-user support and cloud integration.

Methodology
The methodology outlines the systematic approach taken to develop the Personal Expense
Tracker. It is divided into key functional areas that correspond to the objectives of the project:
i. Data Entry
a. Implementation:
The graphical user interface (GUI) enables users to input expense details, including the
item name and amount. Fields are designed with placeholders and validations to ensure
correct data entry.
b. Code Integration:
The QLineEdit widget from PyQt5 is used for creating input fields, while buttons such as
"Add Expense" trigger actions to process and store the data.
ii. Data Storage
a. Implementation:
All expense records are stored in a CSV file, ensuring data persistence across application
sessions. Each entry includes the item name, amount, and a timestamp for tracking
purposes.
b. Code Integration:
The Python csv module facilitates reading and writing expense data, with proper
exception handling to manage file operations.
iii. Data Visualization
a. Implementation:
A pie chart represents the proportional distribution of expenses by category, offering
users a visual overview of their spending habits.

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 b. Code Integration:
The matplotlib.pyplot library is employed to generate pie charts dynamically based on the
data stored in the CSV file.

Design Considerations
a. Ensuring user-friendly interaction through a clean and responsive layout.
b. Maintaining the integrity of the data by implementing input validation and error handling.
This methodology aligns with the objectives of the project, providing a seamless flow from data
entry to visualization and management.

Flowchart
The flowchart below outlines the functional workflow of the Personal Expense Tracker
application, highlighting the steps from data entry to visualization and management.
1. Start
o Launch the application and initialize the GUI.
2. Data Entry
o Input item name and amount through the GUI.
3. Data Storage
o Save the expense details (item name and amount) to a CSV file.
o Update the in-memory expense dictionary to reflect the new entry.
4. Expense Management
o Display the list of recorded expenses in the GUI.
5. Visualization
o Generate a pie chart representing expenses by category using the data.
o Display the chart to the user.
6. End

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 o Exit the application, ensuring all data is saved.
Flowchart Diagram

Algorithm
The following algorithms describe the core functionalities of the application:
i. Add Expense
Input: Item name, Amount
Save the entry to the CSV file
Add the entry to the in-memory dictionary
ii. Display Expenses
Read all records from the CSV file
Populate the QListWidget with Item name and Amount pairs

iii. Generate Pie Chart

Read records from the in-memory dictionary
Calculate expense proportions by category

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Plot the data using matplotlib.pyplot
Display the chart
These algorithms serve as the foundation for the expense tracker, ensuring a logical and efficient
flow of operations.

Implementation
The implementation phase brings together the methodologies, algorithms, and flowchart into a
fully functional application. This section explains how the components of the Personal Expense
Tracker are built and integrated using Python.
i. Graphical User Interface (GUI)
a. Description: The GUI serves as the primary interface for users to interact with the
application. It provides input fields for expense details, displays a list of recorded
expenses, and includes buttons for managing data.
b. Tools Used: PyQt5 library.
c. Key Features:

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 o Input Fields: Users can input the item name and amount using text boxes
(QLineEdit).
o Expense List: Displayed using QListWidget, allowing real-time updates for
adding, editing, or deleting entries.
o Action Buttons: Buttons like "Add Expense,”and "Show Pie Chart" trigger core
application functions.
iii. Data Storage
a. Description: Persistent data storage is achieved using a CSV file. This ensures that
expenses remain available even after the application is closed.
b. Implementation:
o When a new expense is added, it is appended to the CSV file using the csv.writer
module.
o The file is read at startup to load existing records into an in-memory dictionary.
c. Code Snippet:
def save_expense(self, item, amount):
with open('expenses.csv', mode='a', newline='') as file:
writer = csv.writer(file)
writer.writerow([item, amount])
iv. Expense Management
a. Description: Users can manage their expenses by viewing, editing, or deleting entries
through the application.
b. Implementation:
o Viewing Expenses: The list of expenses is populated from the CSV file at
runtime and displayed in a scrollable widget.
o Editing Expenses: Users can select an entry, input a new amount, and update the
CSV file.
o Deleting Expenses: Selected entries can be removed from the CSV file and the
list.
v. Data Visualization
a. Description: The application generates a pie chart to provide insights into spending
patterns.
b. Implementation:

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 o The chart is created using matplotlib by calculating the proportion of each
expense relative to the total.
o The chart is displayed in a new window, giving users a clear visual representation
of their financial habits.
c. Code Snippet:
def show_pie_chart(self):
labels = self.expenses.keys()
sizes = self.expenses.values()
plt.pie(sizes, labels=labels, autopct='%1.1f%%')
plt.axis('equal')
plt.show()

vi. Error Handling

a. Description: To ensure reliability, the application incorporates input validation and error
handling mechanisms.
b. Implementation:
o Input fields check for non-numeric values in the amount field and prompt users to
enter valid data.
o Errors like missing data or invalid operations (e.g., editing a non-existent entry)
are caught and displayed through message boxes.

Integration and Testing

The implementation is tested iteratively to ensure seamless integration of all components. Each
feature—data entry, storage, visualization, and management—undergoes validation to confirm
accuracy and usability.
Screenshots:
Screenshots of the application's interface, including the main window, pie chart visualization are
provided in the Appendices section.
Appendix B: Screen shots of the application

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 Results and Discussion
Overview
The application successfully fulfills the objectives outlined in the project plan. It offers users an
efficient, reliable, and intuitive platform to manage their personal finances.
Key Results
i. Functionality:
a. Expenses are recorded and stored persistently in a CSV file.

b. Users can edit and delete expenses with immediate updates reflected in the
interface.
ii. Visualization:
a. The pie chart effectively displays expense distribution, offering users clear
insights into their spending habits.
iii. User Experience:
b. The GUI is responsive, intuitive, and easy to navigate, ensuring accessibility for
users with varying levels of technical expertise.
Performance Metrics
i. Accuracy: 100% accuracy in storing and retrieving data.
ii. User Satisfaction: Positive feedback received during testing indicates high usability.
Analysis
While the application performs well within its scope, several opportunities for enhancement have
been identified, including advanced analytics and cloud-based storage solutions.

Challenges and Limitations

While the Personal Expense Tracker in Python achieves its core objectives, several challenges
and limitations were encountered during development. These are categorized into technical and
user-centric aspects:
i. Challenges
a. Input Validation:
Ensuring that users only input valid data required rigorous validation mechanisms,
especially for the amount field, which must only accept numeric values.
b. Real-Time Updates:
Synchronizing the in-memory dictionary with the CSV file after each operation (add,
edit, delete) posed challenges, as discrepancies could arise if not implemented carefully.

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 c. Dynamic Visualization:
Generating pie charts dynamically based on the current data required efficient handling of
proportions and ensuring accurate calculations for visual representation.
d. Scalability:
The current implementation works well for small datasets but may experience
performance degradation as the number of expense records grows.
e. Error Handling:
Handling edge cases, such as corrupted CSV files or incomplete data entries, required
additional layers of logic and testing.
Limitations
a. Data Storage:

ai. The CSV file format, while effective for basic storage, lacks advanced capabilities
such as concurrent access or query execution, which limits scalability.
aii. No encryption is implemented for sensitive data, which could pose security risks.
b. Limited Analytical Features:
The application provides basic visual insights but lacks advanced analytics, such as trend
analysis or monthly expenditure reports.
c. Single User:
The current design does not support multi-user functionality, restricting its use to
individual users.
d. No Integration with External Tools:
The application does not support integration with cloud services or financial applications,
limiting its scope for broader use cases.

Summary
These challenges and limitations provide opportunities for future enhancements, ensuring the
application evolves to meet user needs effectively.

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 Future Enhancements
To address the limitations and improve user experience, several enhancements are proposed:
i. Advanced Data Storage
a. Transition from a CSV file to a relational database like SQLite or MySQL.
b. Benefits:
bi. Faster query execution.
bii. Enhanced data integrity.
biii. Support for larger datasets and concurrent access.
c. Cloud Integration
 Enable users to sync their data to cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive or
Dropbox.
 Benefits:
o Data accessibility across devices.
o Automatic backups to prevent data loss.
d. Multi-User Support
 Introduce user authentication and role management to allow multiple users to access the
application.
 Implementation:
o User registration and login features.
o Segregated expense records per user.
e. Advanced Analytics
 Incorporate features such as:
o Monthly/Yearly expenditure trends.
o Budget recommendations based on spending patterns.
o Comparison charts to evaluate expenses across timeframes.
f. Mobile Compatibility
 Develop a mobile application or make the GUI responsive to smaller screen sizes.
 Benefits:
o Greater accessibility for users on the go.

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 g. Enhanced Visualization
 Add bar graphs, line charts, and scatter plots for deeper insights into expense patterns.
h. Security Improvements
 Encrypt sensitive data stored in the CSV file or database.
 Implement secure authentication protocols for multi-user environments.
These enhancements would significantly broaden the application’s usability, scalability, and
functionality, ensuring it meets evolving user needs.

Conclusion
The Personal Expense Tracker in Python successfully meets its core objectives by providing
users with an efficient, user-friendly, and automated way to manage their personal finances.
Through the development of a graphical user interface (GUI) using PyQt5, persistent data
storage using CSV files, and insightful visualizations through pie charts, the project addresses the
common challenges faced by individuals in tracking and managing their expenses.
Key Achievements
1. Functional Application
The application performs all necessary functions for tracking and managing expenses,
including adding, editing, and deleting entries, as well as generating real-time pie charts
for visualizing spending habits.
2. User-Friendly Interface
The GUI is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, ensuring a seamless user
experience for individuals with varying levels of technical expertise.
3. Persistent Data Storage
Data is stored in a CSV file, ensuring that user records persist across sessions. This
allows users to view and analyze historical expense data without fear of data loss.
4. Real-Time Data Updates
The application updates both the in-memory dictionary and the CSV file in real time,
ensuring data consistency and accuracy.
5. Visualization
The pie chart feature offers users a clear and concise visual representation of their
spending patterns, helping them make more informed financial decisions.
Impact

The application can have a significant impact on users' ability to manage their finances
effectively. By automating the data entry process and offering real-time visualizations, users can

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gain a deeper understanding of their financial behavior. The intuitive design ensures that even
those without prior technical knowledge can easily interact with the tool.
Future Directions
While the current application is effective, there are several avenues for future development:
a. Scalability: Transitioning to a relational database like SQLite or MySQL would support
larger datasets and improve performance.
b. Cloud Integration: Allowing users to sync their data to the cloud would enhance
accessibility and data security.
c. Mobile App Development: A mobile version would enable users to track their expenses
on the go, further improving usability.
These proposed enhancements would expand the functionality of the application, making it a
more robust tool for managing personal finances in the future.

References
1. PyQt5 Documentation
PyQt5, a set of Python bindings for Qt libraries, allows the development of cross-
platform applications with a native look and feel.
PyQt5 Documentation
2. Matplotlib Documentation
Matplotlib is a comprehensive library for creating static, animated, and interactive
visualizations in Python.
Matplotlib Documentation
3. Python CSV Module
Python’s CSV module implements classes to read and write tabular data in CSV format.
Python CSV Documentation
4. PyQt5 Tutorial
A detailed guide on how to use PyQt5 to create GUIs in Python, including setting up the
environment, handling events, and designing user interfaces.
PyQt5 Tutorial
5. Real Python Web Scraping Tutorials
For advanced web scraping and automation projects, Real Python provides in-depth
tutorials using libraries like BeautifulSoup and Selenium.
Real Python Web Scraping

Appendices

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Appendix A: Full Source Codeimport sys
import os
import logging
import csv
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import (QApplication, QMainWindow, QWidget, QVBoxLayout,
QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit, QPushButton,
QMessageBox, QFrame, QListWidget, QListWidgetItem, QInputDialog)
from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt
from PyQt5.QtGui import QFont, QIcon
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Set up logging
if not os.path.exists('logs'):
os.makedirs('logs')
logging.basicConfig(
filename='logs/expense_tracker.log',
level=logging.INFO,
format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s'
)

# File to store expenses

EXPENSES_FILE = 'expenses.csv'

class ExpenseTrackerGUI(QMainWindow):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.setWindowTitle("Personal Expense Tracker")
self.setMinimumSize(800, 600)

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 self.setWindowIcon(QIcon('network_icon.png')) # Use the same icon as the network
app
self.expenses = {}
self.load_expenses() # Load expenses from the CSV file
self.setup_gui()
self.apply_styles()
self.center_on_screen()

def setup_gui(self):
main_widget = QWidget()
self.setCentralWidget(main_widget)
layout = QVBoxLayout(main_widget)
layout.setContentsMargins(20, 20, 20, 20)
layout.setSpacing(15)

# Title
title_label = QLabel("Personal Expense Tracker")
title_label.setFont(QFont("Helvetica Neue", 24, QFont.Bold))
title_label.setAlignment(Qt.AlignCenter)
layout.addWidget(title_label)

# Input frame
input_frame = QFrame()
input_frame.setFrameStyle(QFrame.StyledPanel)
layout.addWidget(input_frame)

input_layout = QVBoxLayout(input_frame)
input_layout.setContentsMargins(30, 30, 30, 30)
input_layout.setSpacing(15)

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# Item input
self.item_input = QLineEdit()
self.item_input.setPlaceholderText("Enter item name")
input_layout.addWidget(self.item_input)

# Amount input
self.amount_input = QLineEdit()
self.amount_input.setPlaceholderText("Enter amount")
input_layout.addWidget(self.amount_input)

# Buttons
self.add_button = QPushButton("Add Expense")
self.add_button.clicked.connect(self.add_expense)
input_layout.addWidget(self.add_button)

self.show_items_button = QPushButton("Show Items")

self.show_items_button.clicked.connect(self.display_expenses)
input_layout.addWidget(self.show_items_button)

# List to display expenses

self.expense_list = QListWidget()
layout.addWidget(self.expense_list)

self.show_button = QPushButton("Show Pie Chart")

self.show_button.clicked.connect(self.show_pie_chart)
layout.addWidget(self.show_button)

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def apply_styles(self):
self.setStyleSheet("""
QMainWindow {
background-color: #f0f0f5;
}
QFrame {
background-color: #ffffff;
border-radius: 10px;
border: 1px solid #cccccc; /* Added border for better visibility */
}
QLineEdit {
border: 1px solid #cccccc;
border-radius: 5px;
padding: 10px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
color: #333333;
font-size: 16px;
}
QLineEdit:focus {
border: 1px solid #0078d4;
background-color: #ffffff;
}
QPushButton {
background-color: #0078d4;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 5px;
padding: 10px 20px;

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 font-size: 16px;
margin: 5px;
}
QPushButton:hover {
background-color: #0056a3;
}
QPushButton:pressed {
background-color: #004080;
}
QLabel {
color: #333333;
font-size: 20px;
}
""")

def center_on_screen(self):
screen = QApplication.desktop().screenGeometry()
x = (screen.width() - self.width()) // 2
y = (screen.height() - self.height()) // 2
self.move(x, y)

def load_expenses(self):
"""Load expenses from the CSV file."""
if os.path.exists(EXPENSES_FILE):
with open(EXPENSES_FILE, mode='r') as f:
reader = csv.reader(f)
for row in reader:
if len(row) == 2:

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 item, amount = row
self.expenses[item] = float(amount)

def save_expense(self, item, amount):

"""Save a new expense to the CSV file."""
with open(EXPENSES_FILE, mode='a', newline='') as f:
writer = csv.writer(f)
writer.writerow([item, amount])

def display_expenses(self):
"""Display all expenses in the list widget."""
self.expense_list.clear()
for item, amount in self.expenses.items():
list_item = QListWidgetItem(f"{item}: #{amount:.2f}")
self.expense_list.addItem(list_item)

# Create edit and remove buttons

edit_button = QPushButton("Edit")
remove_button = QPushButton("Remove")
edit_button.clicked.connect(lambda checked, item=item: self.edit_expense(item))
remove_button.clicked.connect(lambda checked, item=item:
self.remove_expense(item))

# Create a widget to hold the buttons

button_widget = QWidget()
button_layout = QHBoxLayout(button_widget)
button_layout.addWidget(edit_button)
button_layout.addWidget(remove_button)
button_layout.setAlignment(Qt.AlignRight)

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 # Add the button widget to the list item
self.expense_list.setItemWidget(list_item, button_widget)

def add_expense(self):
item = self.item_input.text()
amount = self.amount_input.text()
if item and amount:
self.expenses[item] = float(amount)
logging.info(f"Added {item}: #{amount}")
self.save_expense(item, amount) # Save to CSV
QMessageBox.information(self, "Success", f"Added {item}: #{amount}")
self.item_input.clear()
self.amount_input.clear()
else:
QMessageBox.warning(self, "Input Error", "Please enter both item and amount.")

def remove_expense(self, item):

if item in self.expenses:
del self.expenses[item]
logging.info(f"Removed {item}")
self.save_all_expenses() # Save all expenses to CSV
self.display_expenses() # Refresh the displayed list
QMessageBox.information(self, "Success", f"Removed {item}")
else:
QMessageBox.warning(self, "Input Error", "Item not found.")

def edit_expense(self, item):

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 amount, ok = QInputDialog.getText(self, "Edit Expense", f"Enter new amount for
{item}:")
if ok and amount:
if item in self.expenses:
self.expenses[item] = float(amount)
logging.info(f"Edited {item}: #{amount}")
self.save_all_expenses() # Save all expenses to CSV
self.display_expenses() # Refresh the displayed list
QMessageBox.information(self, "Success", f"Edited {item}: #{amount}")
else:
QMessageBox.warning(self, "Input Error", "Item not found.")

def save_all_expenses(self):
"""Save all expenses to the CSV file."""
with open(EXPENSES_FILE, mode='w', newline='') as f:
writer = csv.writer(f)
for item, amount in self.expenses.items():
writer.writerow([item, amount])

def show_pie_chart(self):
if not self.expenses:
QMessageBox.warning(self, "Data Error", "No expenses to display.")
return
labels = self.expenses.keys()
sizes = self.expenses.values()
plt.pie(sizes, labels=labels, autopct='%1.1f%%')
plt.axis('equal')
plt.show()

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def main():
app = QApplication(sys.argv)
window = ExpenseTrackerGUI()
window.show()
sys.exit(app.exec_())

if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Appendix B: Screenshots of the Application Interface
The interface

Adding Items

25
Viewing The Pie chart

This concludes the detailed report on the Personal Expense Tracker in Python. The project not
only fulfills its initial goals but also provides a foundation for future improvements, ensuring it
will evolve to meet the needs of users and expand its capabilities over time.

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