Building an Online Complaint Management System with Python and Django

Introduction

In today’s digital age, the need for an efficient and transparent complaint management system is more critical than ever. Traditional methods often involve tedious paperwork and long waiting times, leading to dissatisfaction among the public. This article aims to guide you through the process of building an online complaint management system using Python and Django, which not only speeds up the complaint resolution process but also minimizes corruption.

Why Choose Python and Django?

Python is known for its simplicity and readability, making it an excellent choice for web development projects. Django, a high-level Python web framework, further simplifies the process by providing reusable code “app” structures, which can save a lot of time.

Core Features

• User Registration: Allows users to create an account where they can log in to file complaints.
• Complaint Registration: Users can easily register their complaints online.
• Complaint Tracking: Enables users to track the status of their complaints.
• Admin Panel: Officers can view, manage, and resolve complaints.

Technical Stack

• Front-end: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Back-end: Python
• Framework: Django
• Database: MySQL

Advantages of the Online Complaint Management System

• User-Friendly Interface: The system is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate.
• Efficiency: The digital platform speeds up the complaint resolution process.
• Transparency: Users can track the status of their complaints, leading to greater accountability.

Steps to Build the System

• Set up Django Project: Initialize a new Django project and create a new app for the complaint management system.
• Database Configuration: Use MySQL to set up your database and connect it to your Django project.
• User Interface: Design the front-end using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Complaint Registration and Tracking: Implement these features using Python and Django’s built-in functionalities.
• Admin Panel: Create an admin panel where officers can manage complaints.
• Testing: Thoroughly test the system for any bugs or issues.

Conclusion

An online complaint management system not only streamlines the complaint resolution process but also brings about transparency and accountability. Python and Django make it easier to implement such a system, offering a robust and user-friendly platform for both the public and the officers.

Sample Code

Prerequisites

• Python installed
• Django installed
• MySQL installed

Steps

Create a new Django project and app

django-admin startproject ComplaintManagement
cd ComplaintManagement
python manage.py startapp complaint_app

Configure Database in settings.py

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
        'NAME': 'complaint_db',
        'USER': 'root',
        'PASSWORD': 'password',
        'HOST': 'localhost',
        'PORT': '3306',
    }
}

Create a model for Complaints in models.py

from django.db import models

class Complaint(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
    description = models.TextField()
    status = models.CharField(max_length=10, default='Pending')

Register the model in admin.py

from django.contrib import admin
from .models import Complaint

admin.site.register(Complaint)

Create a form for Complaint Registration in forms.py

from django import forms
from .models import Complaint

class ComplaintForm(forms.ModelForm):
    class Meta:
        model = Complaint
        fields = ['title', 'description']

Create views for Users and Admins in views.py

from django.shortcuts import render, redirect
from .forms import ComplaintForm
from .models import Complaint

def register_complaint(request):
    if request.method == 'POST':
        form = ComplaintForm(request.POST)
        if form.is_valid():
            form.save()
            return redirect('admin_panel')
    else:
        form = ComplaintForm()
    return render(request, 'register_complaint.html', {'form': form})

def admin_panel(request):
    complaints = Complaint.objects.all()
    return render(request, 'admin_panel.html', {'complaints': complaints})

Create templates for User and Admin

• Create a folder named templates inside your app directory and add HTML files for user and admin panels.

Run Migrations

python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

Run Server