# Custom Internal App Builder

> **Version 1.0.0 · Last updated 2026-10-22 · Difficulty: Beginner · Setup time: 5–15 minutes**

Describe an internal tool in plain English. Your clone asks a few requirements questions, builds it with the **Clone_Code** skill, and gives you a live preview link, a zip of the code and a README.

---

## 1. Overview and value

Most teams have a list of small tools they wish they had: a deal scorecard, a pricing calculator, a simple intake form with a summary view, an inventory lookup. None is worth an engineering ticket. With this card your clone builds a working first version in minutes, and you refine it by chatting.

| What you get | Details |
|---|---|
| Live preview link | Valid for about 30 days |
| Zip of the code | Download and keep; host or run it yourself |
| A README | Explains what the tool does and how to run it |
| Change requests | Keep asking for changes on the same project for about 7 days |
| Cost | Not fixed; small tools are often modest in credits, larger builds cost more |

Good first projects: deal evaluation scorecard, pricing calculator, intake form with summary dashboard, inventory lookup, project tracker, data-cleanup script.

> The built app runs on its own. It does not call your CRM live unless you build that yourself.
> **No scheduled task is needed** for this use case.

---

## 2. Who it's for

- **Ops:** intake forms, inventory lookups, trackers, cleanup scripts.
- **RevOps:** deal scorecards, pricing calculators, data-cleanup scripts.
- **Sales:** quick deal evaluation and quoting helpers.
- **Leadership:** simple dashboards and trackers to test an idea.

## 3. How it works

```
 You: "Use Clone_Code to build an internal tool..."
   │
   ▼
 Clone walks you through the requirements template
   │  purpose · users · inputs · outputs · rules · data · look · must-haves
   ▼
 Clone + Clone_Code builds the tool (+ README)
   ▼
 Live preview link (about 30 days)  +  Zip of code  +  README
   │
   ▼
 You test with made-up data and known examples
   │      "Change X" / "Add Y"  (same project, about 7 days)
   ▼
 Download zip  ──►  Host it yourself (GitHub Pages / Netlify / Vercel)
                    or run the script locally
                    (IT review first if it will touch sensitive data)
```

## 4. What the clone does (and never does)

**Does:** walks you through requirements; builds the tool with Clone_Code; explains the calculations it used; lists assumptions and placeholders; gives a preview link, zip and README; applies change requests on the same project.

**Never:** asks for passwords, API keys or tokens; asks you to paste real customer data; hosts the tool for you or publishes it anywhere; connects the app to your CRM live unless you explicitly build that yourself.

## 5. Setup walkthrough

**Step 1:** Open REQUIREMENTS.md and confirm Clone_Code is available to your clone.
**Step 2:** Give CLONE-INSTRUCTIONS.md to your clone and say: *"Please set up this use case. Show me a plan first."* It checks for Clone_Code and optionally saves the small **Internal App Builder** skill.
**Step 3:** Say what you want to build, starting with "Use Clone_Code". The clone walks you through the requirements template.
**Step 4:** Open the preview link and test with made-up data.
**Step 5:** Check the calculations against known examples.
**Step 6:** Ask for changes.
**Step 7:** Download the zip, then host or run it yourself.

### Requirements template

```
Use Clone_Code to build an internal tool.

1. Purpose (one sentence): {APP_PURPOSE}
2. Users (who, how many, technical level): {APP_USERS}
3. Inputs (fields, files, pasted data): {APP_INPUTS}
4. Outputs (screens, scores, tables, charts, downloads): {APP_OUTPUTS}
5. Rules and calculations (with 2-3 worked examples): {APP_RULES}
6. Data source (CSV export, pasted sample data, typed in): {DATA_SOURCE}
7. Look and feel (colors, logo, tone): {LOOK_AND_FEEL}
8. Must-haves: {MUST_HAVES}
9. Nice-to-haves (later): {NICE_TO_HAVES}

Use made-up sample data. Start with the must-haves only. Give me a README.
```

If you are not sure, just say what you want and the clone asks these nine questions one group at a time.

### Example prompts

**1. Deal evaluation scorecard**
```
Use Clone_Code to build a deal evaluation scorecard for our sales team. Purpose: score an opportunity from 0-100 so managers can compare deals. Inputs: deal size, number of stakeholders engaged, budget confirmed (yes/no), timeline (days to close), competitor present (yes/no). Rules: weights are deal size 20, stakeholders 25, budget 25, timeline 20, competitor 10 (lose points if present). Show the score, a red/amber/green label (below 50 red, 50-74 amber, 75+ green) and a short "what would raise this score" list. Example check: a deal with all maximum inputs and no competitor should score 100. Clean modern look, navy and white. Must-haves: the scorecard form and result. Nice-to-have: compare up to 5 deals side by side.
```

**2. Pricing calculator**
```
Use Clone_Code to build an internal pricing calculator. Inputs: number of seats, plan (Basic, Pro, Enterprise), term (1, 2 or 3 years), optional onboarding package. Rules: list price per seat per month is {BASIC_PRICE}, {PRO_PRICE}, {ENTERPRISE_PRICE}; volume discount 5% at 50+ seats and 10% at 200+; multi-year discount 3% for 2 years and 6% for 3 years; any total discount above 15% shows "Needs manager approval". Output: monthly price, annual price, total contract value and a printable summary. Use placeholder prices I can edit in one settings section. Example check: 10 seats, Basic, 1 year, no discounts, equals 10 x {BASIC_PRICE} x 12.
```

**3. Intake form with summary dashboard**
```
Use Clone_Code to build an internal request intake page. Users: our ops team (about 15 people, not technical). Inputs: requester name, team, request type (dropdown), priority, due date, description. Output: a table of submitted requests (stored in the browser for now), filters by type and priority, and a summary dashboard with counts by type, count overdue and a simple bar chart. Include "Export to CSV" and "Load from CSV" buttons so I can move data in and out of Google Sheets or Excel. Start with these must-haves only. Use made-up sample requests.
```

## 6. Placeholders to decide

| Placeholder | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| `{APP_PURPOSE}` | One sentence on what the tool is for | "Score deals so managers can compare them" |
| `{APP_USERS}` | Who uses it | "10 reps and 2 managers" |
| `{APP_INPUTS}` | What goes in | "Deal size, stakeholders, timeline" |
| `{APP_OUTPUTS}` | What comes out | "Score, label, chart, CSV download" |
| `{APP_RULES}` | Rules and calculations, with examples | "Weights and thresholds as listed" |
| `{DATA_SOURCE}` | Where data comes from | "CSV export from our CRM, or pasted sample data" |
| `{LOOK_AND_FEEL}` | Colors, logo, tone | "Navy and white, simple" |
| `{MUST_HAVES}` | Needed in version 1 | "Form and result" |
| `{NICE_TO_HAVES}` | Add later | "Side-by-side comparison" |

## 7. What to expect

- The clone asks requirements questions first (5–10 minutes), then builds.
- A first version usually in a few minutes.
- A preview link (about 30 days), a zip of the code and a README.
- Assumptions and placeholders listed at the end.
- Change requests on the same project for about 7 days.

**Iterating:** reply in plain English:
- "Change the red threshold to below 60."
- "Add a column for region and a filter for it."
- "Add a button that downloads results as CSV."
- "Make the fonts larger and the layout simpler on a phone."

Add one feature at a time and re-test after each change.

### Run or host it yourself

Download the zip and unzip it first. The README in the zip explains the specifics for your tool.

**A static web tool (HTML, CSS, JavaScript):**
- **Netlify:** sign in, Sites, drag the unzipped folder onto the deploy area.
- **Vercel:** new project, upload the folder or connect a GitHub repository, deploy.
- **GitHub Pages:** create a repository, upload the files, Settings, Pages, choose the main branch, save. Note that Pages sites can be publicly reachable depending on your plan, so don't host anything sensitive there.
- **Open locally:** for a simple static tool, double-click `index.html` to open it in your browser.

**A script (for example Python for data cleanup):**
1. Install the language the README names (for example Python 3).
2. Open a terminal in the unzipped folder.
3. Follow the README command, for example `python cleanup.py input.csv output.csv`.
4. Test it on a copy of your file first, never on your only copy.

### Connecting to your data

- **Export a CSV** from Google Sheets (File, Download, CSV), Excel (Save As, CSV), Salesforce (report, Export) or HubSpot (view or list, Export), then load it into the app with a "Load CSV" button.
- **Or paste sample data** into the app or into the prompt (made-up only).
- The app **runs on its own**. It does not call your CRM or spreadsheet live. Refreshing means exporting and loading a new CSV.
- A live connection would need credentials, a backend and IT review. That is a separate project you would build deliberately.

## 8. Customizing

- Change colors, logo and wording (Image_Operator can make a simple logo).
- Add fields, filters, charts, CSV export and print views.
- Save a few of your favorite requirement answers as your own team template.
- Ask for a second version for another team.

## 9. Known gotchas

1. **Say "use Clone Code" explicitly.** Otherwise the clone may choose another skill.
2. **Start small, then add features.** One must-have list first; add nice-to-haves one at a time.
3. **Never put passwords, API keys or real customer data into prompts or preview builds.** Use made-up or anonymized sample data. Preview links may be reachable by anyone who has the link.
4. **Review calculations against known examples.** Work 2 or 3 cases by hand and compare. You are responsible for the numbers.
5. **Preview links expire (about 30 days).** Download the zip.
6. **Change requests continue on the same project for about 7 days.** After that, start a new build from the zip.
7. **Get IT review before using it with sensitive data.** Especially before connecting to real systems or hosting it where others can reach it.
8. **It's a build helper, not managed hosting.** You host, secure and maintain the result. No automatic backups, logins or uptime.
9. **Browser-stored data stays in that browser.** If a tool saves to the browser, clearing it or switching computers loses the data. Export CSV regularly.

## 10. FAQ

**Do I need to know how to code?** No for the build; running a script locally needs a few terminal steps.
**Does it connect to Salesforce or HubSpot?** Not live by default. Export a CSV and load it. Anything live is a separate build.
**Can my whole team use it?** Yes, once you host it. You manage access and updates.
**Can the clone host it?** No. The preview is temporary. Hosting is your own step.
**Can I edit the code later?** Yes, it is standard code in the zip.
**Is a scheduled task needed?** No.

## 11. Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Clone does something other than build a tool | Clone_Code not named | Start with "Use Clone_Code to build..." |
| Numbers look wrong | Rule misunderstood or rounding | Give a worked example and ask to match it |
| Preview link doesn't open | Link expired | Host the zip yourself or ask for a new build |
| Data disappears | Saved only in the browser | Export CSV; ask for a Download/Load button |
| CSV loads with missing columns | Column names differ | Share the header row (made-up data) and ask to map them |
| Changes not applied | Over the ~7 day window | Start a new build using the zip |
| Script won't run locally | Language not installed | Install what the README names and rerun |
| Tool too complex or buggy | Too many features at once | Go back to must-haves, then add one at a time |

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*Custom Internal App Builder · v1.0.0 · 2026-10-22*