diff --git a/lib/Formula.py b/lib/Formula.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..86e84e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Formula.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import sys
+
+class Formula():
+
+    # class variables
+    git_url = ''
+    local_path = ''
+
+    # class constructor
+    def __init__(self, formula_def, formulas_dir, formulas_url):
+        self.formulas_dir = formulas_dir
+        self.formulas_url = formulas_url
+        self.parse_entry(formula_def)
+
+    # sets the formula's git_url and local_path variables
+    def parse_entry(self, formula_def):
+        # define our function variables here
+        git_url = ''
+        local_path = ''
+
+        # check if the formula entry is a string or a dictionary
+        if isinstance(formula_def, dict):        
+            # entry is a dictionary
+            # check if the formula's name was defined
+            if not 'name' in formula_def:
+                # set the formula's name if need be
+                name_partial = [k for i, k in enumerate(formula_def.keys()) if i == 0][0]
+                formula_def['name'] = name_partial + '-formula'
+            # check if the dictionary has a git URL defined
+            if 'url' in formula_def:
+                git_url = str(formula_def['url'])
+            else:
+                git_url = str(self.formulas_url) + str(formula_def) + '-formula'
+            # put together the local
+            local_path = str(self.formulas_dir) + '/' + str(formula_def['name'])
+        elif isinstance(formula_def, str):
+            # entry is a string
+            git_url = str(self.formulas_url) + str(formula_def) + '-formula'
+            local_path = str(self.formulas_dir) + '/' + str(formula_def) + '-formula'
+        else:
+            # entry type is not supported
+            print('One of your formula entries is not a dict or a string (' + str(formula_def) + ') - please fix this.')
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        # set the class values here
+        self.git_url = git_url
+        self.local_path = local_path
diff --git a/lib/FormulaRepo.py b/lib/FormulaRepo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06ab432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/FormulaRepo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+from git import Repo
+import os
+
+class FormulaRepo():
+
+    # class variables
+    repo_url = ''
+    repo_path = ''
+    repo = None
+
+    # class constructor
+    def __init__(self, formula):
+        self.repo_url = formula.git_url
+        self.repo_path = formula.local_path
+
+    # retrieves repo from remote location
+    def retrieve(self):
+        # check if the destination directory exists
+        if not os.path.exists(self.repo_path):
+            # clone git repo
+            print('Downloading ' + git_url + ' into ' + self.repo_path)
+            self.repo = Repo.clone_from(repo_url, self.repo_path)
+        else:
+            # let the user know it's already downloaded so we'll update it later
+            print(self.repo_path + ' already exists, so we\'re not downloading it again.')
+            self.repo = Repo(self.repo_path)
diff --git a/salt-formula-manager.py b/salt-formula-manager.py
index afc8122..57b765b 100644
--- a/salt-formula-manager.py
+++ b/salt-formula-manager.py
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ import os
 import sys
 import yaml
 
+from lib import Formula
+from lib import FormulaRepo
+
 # constants
 CONFIG_FILE = 'sfm.yaml'
+REPO_STATE = 'latest'
 
 # reads configuration and returns the dictionary
 def read_config():
@@ -16,7 +20,7 @@ def read_config():
 
     return conf
 
-# makes the formulas directory if it doesn't exist
+# creates the formulas directory if it doesn't exist
 def check_formula_dir(formulas_dir):
     # check if the formulas directory is actually a directory
     if not os.path.isdir(formulas_dir):
@@ -31,47 +35,17 @@ def check_formula_dir(formulas_dir):
 # loops through the array of repos and downloads them
 def get_formulas(formulas, formulas_dir, formulas_url):
     # loop through the defined formulas
-    for formula in formulas:
-        git_url, local_path = parse_formula_entry(formula, formulas_dir, formulas_url)
+    for formula_def in formulas:
+        # create a formula object
+        formula = Formula.Formula(formula_def, formulas_dir, formulas_url)
+        # create a repo object for the formula
+        formula_repo = FormulaRepo.FormulaRepo(formula)
 
-        # check if the destination directory exists
-        if os.path.exists(local_path):
-            print(local_path + ' already exists, so we\'re skipping this.')
-        else:
-            print('Downloading ' + git_url + ' into ' + local_path)
-            # clone git repo
-            #Repo.clone_from(git_url, local_path)
+        # retrieve our formula
+        formula_repo.retrieve()
 
-# parses a formula entry, and then returns the target git URL and the destination for the clone
-def parse_formula_entry(formula, formulas_dir, formulas_url):
-    # define our variables to be returned
-    git_url = ''
-    local_path = ''
-
-    # check if the formula entry is a string or a dictionary
-    if isinstance(formula, dict):        
-        # entry is a dictionary
-        # check if the formula's name was defined
-        if not 'name' in formula:
-            # set the formula's name if need be
-            formula['name'] = [k for (k, v) in formula.iteritems() if v == 0]
-        # check if the dictionary has a git URL defined
-        if 'url' in formula:
-            git_url = str(formula['url'])
-        else:
-            git_url = str(formulas_url) + str(formula) + '-formula'
-        local_path = str(formulas_dir) + '/' + str(formula['name'])
-    elif isinstance(formula, str):
-        # entry is a string
-        git_url = str(formulas_url) + str(formula) + '-formula'
-        local_path = str(formulas_dir) + '/' + str(formula) + '-formula'
-    else:
-        # entry type is not supported
-        print('One of your formula entries is not a dict or a string (' + str(formula) + ') - please fix this.')
-        sys.exit(1)
-
-    # return the values here
-    return git_url, local_path
+        # make sure our formula's repo is up-to-date with the latest tracked version
+        ## TODO
 
 # purge un-managed formulas
 def clean_formulas(conf):