Case studies

The situation

Several small local businesses were running invoicing software through unofficial means — no proper license, no data backup, and no audit trail. They needed a legitimate, professional setup they could rely on for billing and client records.

What we built

We deployed Invoice Ninja on a self-hosted server — a free, open-source invoicing platform that matches the functionality of paid tools like Zoho Invoice or FreshBooks. We also built and hosted their business websites on the same server.

The result: professional invoicing software running permanently at zero recurring cost. All invoice data stays on their own hardware in Patna — no subscription, no third-party access, no risk of service cancellation.

The outcome

• Professional, licensed invoicing software — no more compliance risk
• Zero monthly software cost — hardware paid for itself immediately
• Business websites live and running on the same server
• Full data ownership — invoices and client records stored locally

The situation

The college had 5 administrative staff using Microsoft 365 — approximately ₹35,000–45,000 per year — for basic file storage and document management. Student information, fee records, and administrative documents were stored in a commercial cloud service, with no control over where the data physically lived. With India's DPDP Act 2023 tightening rules around personal data storage, keeping 250+ students' information on a foreign cloud was becoming a compliance concern.

What we built

We set up a Mac Mini as a homeserver and deployed Nextcloud for file storage and student record management, plus Invoice Ninja for fee collection and invoicing. The entire setup runs in Docker on the Mac Mini, sitting in the college's admin office.

All student data — personal information, fee records, documents — now lives on hardware inside the college building. Staff access it through a clean web interface from any device on the college network.

The outcome

• 250+ students' data stored on-premise — DPDP compliant by design
• Microsoft 365 subscription replaced — estimated ₹35,000–45,000/year saved
• Fee management and invoicing handled by Invoice Ninja at zero recurring cost
• Runs on a Mac Mini — low power, silent, fits on a desk
• Full admin control — no dependency on any external service