Batch Document Import & Schema Mapping - Senior PHP (CodeIgniter 3) Developer

We are building an enterprise hotel operations SaaS platform using PHP + CodeIgniter 3 and are seeking a senior-level developer to implement a Dynamic Import Tool inside our existing Template Builder subsystem. This is not a greenfield project. The system already includes: Template Builder engine Draft → Publish lifecycle Versioned execution model Agenda integration Multi-tenant architecture Your responsibility is to design and implement a Batch Draft Ingestion Tool that converts uploaded legacy documents into structured Draft Templates. Project Scope (Strict) Core Requirements 1. Batch Upload Multi-file upload (PDF, DOCX, TXT, CSV) Max 25 files per batch Background processing with per-file status tracking 2. Extraction & Schema Mapping Extract text from uploaded files Detect sections and fields Classify field types (Text, Number, Date, Checkbox, Select, Signature, Notes) Generate deterministic JSON schema compatible with existing Template Builder schema Validate schema before draft creation 3. Draft Template Creation Create Draft Templates only (no auto-publish) Attach source file reference Respect tenant isolation and permissions Follow existing Draft → Publish lifecycle 4. Import Review Dashboard Display imported drafts Show status, field count, import date Allow edit / delete Publish only after manual review Basic duplicate advisory detection Architectural Constraints (Non-Negotiable) No breaking changes to existing execution engine No auto-publishing No modification to Agenda behavior No schema corruption No cross-tenant data exposure Must remain maintainable and cleanly structured Must integrate cleanly into existing CI3 MVC architecture Ideal Candidate 5+ years PHP Strong experience with CodeIgniter 3 Comfortable extending mature MVC systems Experience with document parsing libraries (PDF/DOCX) Experience implementing queue/background processing in PHP Understands multi-tenant SaaS architecture Writes clean, structured, deterministic code This is not an AI experimentation project. We are building a stable, production-grade enterprise tool. Engagement Type Fixed-price (milestone structured) Clear scope discipline required Senior-level execution expected When applying, please briefly describe: Your experience with CodeIgniter 3. Any document parsing / import tools you have built. Your approach to deterministic schema generation. Section 10 – Scope Addendum (Binding Clarification – Supersedes Conflicting Interpretations) 📄 Scope Addendum — Ingestion → Template → Agenda Alignment (v1.0 – LOCKED) Applies To: • Import Tool v1.4 • Template Builder v1.2 Purpose: This addendum clarifies system alignment requirements between Import, Template Builder, and Agenda execution. It does not expand scope, but enforces consistency, output integrity, and long-term scalability. ⸻ 1. 🎯 CORE PRINCIPLE (NON-NEGOTIABLE) The system must convert unpredictable, real-world documents into structured, governed Templates that execute natively within Agenda. The system is not required to perfectly interpret documents. The system is required to safely extract, preserve, and structure content without data loss. ⸻ 2. 🧱 OUTPUT CONTRACT (MANDATORY) All outputs generated by the Import Tool must: • Resolve into a valid Template Builder schema • Pass existing Template Builder validation rules • Be stored as Draft Templates only (no auto-publish) • Be immediately compatible with Template Builder editing workflows Critical Requirement: All imported templates must render correctly inside Agenda using the existing Template Builder structure without requiring any custom UI, special-case rendering, or alternate execution logic. No alternate data structures, parallel schemas, or custom rendering paths are permitted. ⸻ 3. 🖥️ AGENDA RENDERING RULE (CRITICAL) The system must follow a unified, field-driven rendering model. Enforcement: • No log-specific UI (e.g., no “Key Log screen”, “Wake-up Log screen”, etc.) • No template-specific UI variations • No hardcoded layouts based on document type Required Behavior: All Templates (Forms and Logs) must render through a single, reusable Agenda task card system driven entirely by field definitions. Rendering must be: • Dynamic • Schema-driven • Consistent across all Templates ⸻ 4. ⚠️ SAFE FAILURE & AMBIGUITY HANDLING (MANDATORY) The system must be resilient to unpredictable and poorly structured input. If content cannot be confidently structured: The system must: • Preserve the original content • Flag the item as ambiguous or low-confidence • Surface the issue in the Review interface The system must NOT: • Silently discard content • Fabricate structure • Infer incorrect field mappings • Crash or fail processing Guiding Rule: No data loss is acceptable. Imperfect structure is acceptable if clearly surfaced. ⸻ 5. 🔄 INPUT VARIABILITY ACKNOWLEDGMENT Developers must assume: • No fixed document format • No guaranteed structure • No consistent layout patterns • Real-world inconsistencies (headers, duplication, spacing, mixed formats) The system must be designed for generalized document handling, not optimization for specific examples or file types. ⸻ 6. 🧩 TEMPLATE BUILDER AUTHORITY (LOCKED) Template Builder remains the single source of truth for: • Template schema • Form vs Log behavior • Versioning • Draft → Publish lifecycle Enforcement: • Import Tool must fully comply with existing Template Builder schema • No schema modifications are allowed under Import scope • No bypassing Template Builder lifecycle is permitted ⸻ 7. 🔌 AI COMPATIBILITY (NON-BLOCKING) The system should be designed to support future AI-assisted structuring. However: • Import Tool must function fully without AI dependency • No AI services may be required for core import functionality • No blocking dependencies on AI outputs are permitted Guiding Rule: AI may enhance structuring in the future, but must not be required for system correctness. ⸻ 8. 🚫 EXPLICIT PROHIBITIONS The following are strictly prohibited: • Creating alternate template schemas • Creating parallel rendering systems outside Agenda • Building document-specific UI experiences • Tailoring logic to specific sample files • Introducing auto-publish behavior • Any data loss or silent truncation of content ⸻ 9. ✅ SUCCESS CRITERIA (ALIGNMENT CHECK) The system is considered aligned only if: • Any supported document can be imported into a Draft Template • The Draft Template is editable in Template Builder • The Template can be published without schema issues • The resulting Template renders correctly in Agenda (Desktop, Tablet, Mobile) • No custom UI or special-case logic was required ⸻ 10. 🧭 STRATEGIC INTENT (CONTEXT FOR DEVELOPER) This system is designed to: Convert real-world operational documents into structured, executable workflows without requiring predefined formats. The goal is flexibility at input and consistency at execution.