Building a Document Checklist App in Python

Keeping important records in one place can save time and reduce stress later. Many people start with scattered files: a photo of a form on a phone, an email attachment that gets buried, a portal download saved with a random filename, and notes written in a notebook that never make it into a folder.

A simple checklist system fixes that. It gives you one place to track what documents you have, what you requested, what is still missing, and what needs follow-up. This can be useful in everyday life, especially when the stakes are higher and documentation matters.

For example, firefighters researching options related to AFFF and health impacts sometimes look for resources such as firefighter AFFF cancer claims and compensation while organizing medical and exposure records.

In this guide, you will plan and build a small Python app with a clean interface and a local database. The focus is practical: a checklist you can actually use. The tools are Streamlit for the interface and SQLite for storage. You will also add searching, filtering, progress tracking, and exporting, so your checklist is easy to share or back up.

What You Will Build

Your finished app will support:

Categories such as Medical, Exposure, Employment, Training, Insurance, and Other
Checklist items with a clear status: Missing, Requested, or Received
Helpful metadata fields: date, source or provider, tags, and notes
A list view with search and filters so you can find items quickly
Progress metrics so you can see how close you are to “done”
CSV export so you can share the list or store a backup

Everything is stored locally, which is a good default when you are dealing with personal information.

Prerequisites and Setup

This project is beginner-friendly. You need:

Python installed (a recent version is ideal)
A way to run terminal commands
The Streamlit package installed
The pandas package for export (optional, but convenient)
SQLite is included with Python, so you do not need to install a separate database server. The database will be a file stored in a folder on your computer.

Organize your project folder with a simple structure:

One file for the app screen (the Streamlit part)
One file for database logic (creating tables, saving records, searching)
One folder for the database file itself

Keeping your database functions separate from your UI makes the project easier to maintain and test.

Step 1: Plan the Data Model

Before building the interface, decide what you need to store. For a checklist app, it helps to keep the data model simple:

A category list (so your categories stay consistent)
A document table (each checklist item is one row)

Think about what one checklist row should contain. A strong starting set is:

Category (Medical, Exposure, etc.)
Title (the name of the document)
Status (Missing, Requested, Received)
Document date (optional)
Source/provider (optional)
Tags (optional)
Notes (optional)
Created timestamp (helpful later)

You can treat tags as simple text separated by commas. It is not perfect, but it is good enough for a first version and easy for beginners to understand.

Choose statuses that match real workflows. The three-status approach works well:

Missing: You do not have it yet.
Requested: You asked for it, but you are waiting.
Received: You have it, even if you still need to review it.

This makes the progress metrics meaningful.

Step 2: Define the App Flow

Now outline how the app behaves. A clear flow prevents feature creep and keeps the project readable.

A simple “user story” looks like this:

The user opens the app and sees a form at the top and the list below.
The user adds a new item by selecting a category, entering a title, picking a status, and adding optional metadata.
The item appears in the list immediately.
The user filters the list by category or status, or searches for a keyword.
The user updates the status when a document is received.
The user exports the list to CSV when needed.

If you want a mental model for the logic, use this sentence-based flow:

When the form is submitted, validate the required fields.
If valid, save the record to SQLite.
Reload the list based on the current filters.
Calculate metrics from the filtered list.
Display the updated table and export option.

Step 3: Build the Interface in Streamlit

Streamlit is a Python-friendly way to quickly create a small app interface. For a checklist app, the UI can stay simple and still feel polished.

A good layout:

Sidebar: filters (category, status, search keyword, optional date range)
Main area top: form to add a checklist item
Main area bottom: table view of the checklist, plus metrics and actions

Design your “Add item” form with these fields:

Required:

Document title
Category
Status

Optional:

Document date
Source/provider
Tags
Notes

Example values help you visualize the app:

Title: “Annual physical results”
Category: Medical
Status: Received
Document date: 2024-10-03
Source/provider: “Clinic name”
Tags: “lab, screening”
Notes: “Requested copy for records on Oct 5”

Keep the form short and readable. People are more likely to use the app if adding items is fast.

For the table view, display columns that matter day-to-day:

Category
Title
Status
Date
Source/provider
Tags
Notes

If the table gets wide, prioritize the “Title” and “Status” columns so the most important information is always visible.

Step 4: Add Search, Filters, and Progress Metrics

Filters turn a checklist into a tool. These are the highest-value filters:

Category filter (All, Medical, Exposure, etc.)
Status filter (All, Missing, Requested, Received)
Keyword search (search in title, tags, notes, and provider)
Optional date range (if you use document dates)

Sorting matters too. A helpful default is:

Missing items first
Requested items second
Received items last

That way, the app naturally highlights what still needs work.

Now add metrics that make the checklist feel rewarding:

Total items
Received count
Missing count
Progress percentage (Received divided by Total)

Even basic metrics give users a quick snapshot. A progress bar is a nice touch because it provides a visible sense of progress as statuses are updated.

Add a small habit-building section under the table, such as:

“Pick three Missing items and decide what to request next.”
“For Requested items older than two weeks, add a follow-up note.”

Step 5: Export Your Checklist for Sharing and Backup

A CSV export is practical and easy to understand. It allows them to:

Save a copy in cloud storage
Share a list with a family member, colleague, or advisor
Import into spreadsheet software for sorting and printing

When exporting, it is useful to include all visible fields, along with a created timestamp. That timestamp helps if you later merge data from multiple exports.

If your checklist relates to occupational exposure topics, it is also reasonable to include reputable context on why documentation and tracking can matter. NIOSH has an accessible overview of PFAS and worker health that can help you understand the larger picture when building tracking habits, especially in workplaces where PFAS exposure is a concern: see NIOSH guidance on PFAS and worker health.

Privacy and Security Basics

Because the checklist may include personal information, treat privacy as part of the design.

Simple rules that work for most cases:

Keep the database local by default.
Protect the database file using your computer’s user account permissions.
Store minimal sensitive details in notes.
Avoid storing scans or PDFs inside the app until you understand encryption and access control.

If you ever deploy the app online, add authentication and use secure storage

Next Upgrades to Try

Once you have a working checklist, upgrades can extend the project without adding too much complexity:

Reminders: flag Requested items older than a chosen number of days
Cleaner tags: store tags in a separate table for better filtering
Attachments: store a file path and a checksum instead of storing the file itself
Import: load a starter template from a CSV so users can bulk-add items
Role-based access: useful if multiple people share one checklist

If you want to expand export and import features with basic file operations, you can point them to an internal Scientech Easy resource on file handling, like reading files in Python.

Conclusion

A document checklist app is a small project with real usefulness. With Streamlit for the interface and SQLite for storage, you can create a fast workflow: add items, track statuses, search and filter, and export for backup. Keep the first version simple, then improve it based on what you use most. A clear checklist can turn a scattered pile of files into an organized system you can maintain in minutes.