Bookfo is the second product I’ve launched after Fresns, the open-source community software. It is aimed at people with no accounting training at all. The idea is that they can manage ledgers, generate financial reports, and file taxes without having to learn accounting rules or work through an English-only accounting interface.
That starting point came from users. I’ve tried to follow a simple rule in product work: understand the people first, then build the product. While working as a business consultant in Singapore, I kept running into the same trade-off. A professional accounting package assumed financial knowledge and familiarity with English. Hiring an accounting firm solved the knowledge problem, but it was expensive and gave the business limited visibility into what was happening.
I began writing explainers online about these issues. The articles brought questions from readers, and those conversations gradually formed a small seed group of users. I also learned where they tended to spend time online. That made the next step feel less like a guess: turn the recurring pain points into a product that addressed them systematically.
Two development problems mattered most. First, how to simplify the chart of accounts and automate report generation so users carry less of the professional burden. Second, how to make the app work both as a self-service tool and as a managed service, since different businesses at different stages need different levels of help.
On the technical side, I added an AI-assisted module that recognizes and matches common transaction scenarios. I also connected the app to tax authority interfaces. Users can file with one click, or pay for additional manual filing support when they want a person to handle it.
That combination is the main difference from comparable products: Bookfo is meant to bring software and human help together. Users get the flexibility of a modern SaaS product without being told that they must first learn bookkeeping and filing. I like this middle path because it removes unnecessary process without forcing people into a bundle they didn’t ask for.
When it came to choosing markets, I used ChatGPT Pro to analyze the options in depth. I ended up with nine language markets that cover most developed countries: English, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.
This is my attempt in the finance space. I’m looking for candid feedback on Bookfo, and more information is available at bookfo.com. I’d be glad to hear where the product can be more useful and where the thinking needs to change.