Integrated Report Bundle Workflow
This skill provides a reusable pattern for creating a complete report package consisting of three interconnected deliverables: a spreadsheet (data table), a diagram (visual layout), and a PDF report (summary document). Designed for resilience with explicit iteration budgeting and workspace management.
Overview
Use this workflow when you need to:
- Generate multiple interconnected deliverables in a single task
- Create data spreadsheets with structured tables
- Produce visual diagrams (PNG/SVG) for layouts or workflows
- Generate summary PDF reports with scoring or assessments
- Manage iteration budgets across multiple components
- Handle sandbox execution failures gracefully
Critical: Iteration Budget Allocation
Total budget must be divided across deliverables:
| Deliverable | Recommended Budget | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet | 8-10 iterations | Data gathering, table creation, validation |
| Diagram | 8-10 iterations | Visual generation, layout refinement |
| PDF Report | 8-10 iterations | Report assembly, formatting, final output |
| Buffer | 2-4 iterations | Error recovery, verification, fixes |
Never spend entire budget on one deliverable. Track iterations explicitly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Phase 0: Workspace Preparation (1 iteration)
Before generating any deliverables, establish clean workspace state:
# Check current workspace state
ls -la /workspace/
# Create dedicated output directory
mkdir -p /workspace/deliverables
# Verify write permissions
touch /workspace/deliverables/test.tmp && rm /workspace/deliverables/test.tmp
Why: Prevents workspace path confusion that caused previous failures.
Phase 1: Spreadsheet Creation (8-10 iterations max)
Step 1.1: Choose Approach
| Mode | Tool | Use When |
|---|---|---|
| A | execute_code_sandbox with openpyxl/pandas |
Programmatic table generation |
| B | shell_agent with Python script |
Complex data processing |
| C | create_file (CSV/XLSX) |
Simple tabular data |
Step 1.2: Generate Spreadsheet Code
Example using openpyxl:
from openpyxl import Workbook
from openpyxl.styles import Font, PatternFill, Alignment
wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.active
ws.title = "Hardware Selection"
# Headers with styling
headers = ["Component", "Model", "Qty", "Unit Price", "Total"]
for col, header in enumerate(headers, 1):
cell = ws.cell(row=1, column=col, value=header)
cell.font = Font(bold=True)
cell.fill = PatternFill(start_color="4472C4", fill_type="solid")
cell.font = Font(color="FFFFFF", bold=True)
# Data rows
data = [
["CNC Controller", "Fanuc 0i-MF", 1, 2500, 2500],
["Servo Motor", "SGM7G-09A", 4, 450, 1800],
["HMI Panel", "GT2110-WTBD", 1, 380, 380]
]
for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data, 2):
for col_idx, value in enumerate(row_data, 1):
ws.cell(row=row_idx, column=col_idx, value=value)
# Total row
ws.cell(row=len(data)+2, column=4, value="TOTAL:")
ws.cell(row=len(data)+2, column=5, value=f"=E2:E{len(data)+1}")
# Save
output_path = '/workspace/deliverables/hardware_selection_table.xlsx'
wb.save(output_path)
print(f'ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}')
print('Spreadsheet created successfully')
Step 1.3: Execute and Verify
execute_code_sandbox
code: <spreadsheet generation code>
language: python
Verification (use 1 iteration):
run_shell
command: ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.xlsx && file /workspace/deliverables/*.xlsx
If execute_code_sandbox fails with '[ERROR] unknown error':
- Retry once with
shell_agentinstead - If still failing, fall back to
create_filewith CSV format - Document the failure and proceed to next deliverable
Iteration checkpoint: After 8 iterations on spreadsheet, move to diagram regardless of completion status.
Phase 2: Diagram Generation (8-10 iterations max)
Step 2.1: Choose Diagram Type
| Type | Tool | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Flowchart | graphviz + pydot |
Process flows, decision trees |
| Layout | matplotlib + patches |
Physical layouts, workcells |
| Architecture | diagrams library |
System architecture |
| Simple shapes | PIL/Pillow |
Basic diagrams |
Step 2.2: Generate Diagram Code
Example using matplotlib for layout diagram:
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.patches as patches
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8))
ax.set_xlim(0, 100)
ax.set_ylim(0, 80)
ax.set_aspect('equal')
ax.axis('off')
# Title
ax.text(50, 75, 'CNC Workcell Layout', fontsize=16, ha='center',
fontweight='bold', bbox=dict(boxstyle='round', facecolor='wheat'))
# CNC Machine
cnc = patches.Rectangle((10, 30), 25, 20, linewidth=2,
edgecolor='darkblue', facecolor='lightblue',
label='CNC Machine')
ax.add_patch(cnc)
ax.text(22.5, 40, 'CNC\nMachine', ha='center', va='center', fontsize=10)
# Robot Arm
robot = patches.Circle((50, 40), 8, linewidth=2,
edgecolor='darkgreen', facecolor='lightgreen',
label='Robot')
ax.add_patch(robot)
ax.text(50, 40, 'Robot', ha='center', va='center', fontsize=10)
# Material Storage
storage = patches.Rectangle((70, 30), 20, 20, linewidth=2,
edgecolor='darkred', facecolor='lightcoral',
label='Storage')
ax.add_patch(storage)
ax.text(80, 40, 'Material\nStorage', ha='center', va='center', fontsize=9)
# Arrows showing flow
ax.annotate('', xy=(35, 40), xytext=(42, 40),
arrowprops=dict(arrowstyle='->', color='gray', lw=2))
ax.annotate('', xy=(58, 40), xytext=(65, 40),
arrowprops=dict(arrowstyle='->', color='gray', lw=2))
# Legend
ax.legend(loc='upper right', bbox_to_anchor=(0.98, 0.98))
# Save
output_path = '/workspace/deliverables/cnc_workcell_layout.png'
plt.savefig(output_path, dpi=150, bbox_inches='tight')
print(f'ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}')
print('Diagram created successfully')
Step 2.3: Execute and Verify
execute_code_sandbox
code: <diagram generation code>
language: python
Verification:
run_shell
command: ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.png && file /workspace/deliverables/*.png
If execute_code_sandbox fails:
- First retry: Simplify the diagram (remove complex elements)
- Second retry: Use
shell_agentwith explicit matplotlib installation - Third retry: Create ASCII/text-based diagram as fallback
- Document and proceed (diagram is often optional compared to PDF)
Iteration checkpoint: After 8 iterations on diagram, move to PDF regardless of completion status.
Phase 3: PDF Report Generation (8-10 iterations max)
Step 3.1: Choose PDF Library
| Library | Best For | Installation |
|---|---|---|
fpdf2 |
Simple reports, quick setup | !pip install fpdf2 |
reportlab |
Professional reports, tables | !pip install reportlab |
matplotlib |
Chart-heavy reports | Built-in |
Step 3.2: Generate PDF Code
Example using fpdf2 (simplest, most reliable):
from fpdf import FPDF
class ReportPDF(FPDF):
def header(self):
self.set_font('Arial', 'B', 14)
self.cell(0, 10, 'Project Assessment Report', 0, 1, 'C')
self.line(10, 20, 200, 20)
self.ln(10)
def footer(self):
self.set_y(-15)
self.set_font('Arial', 'I', 8)
self.cell(0, 10, f'Page {self.page_no()}', 0, 0, 'C')
def section(self, title):
self.set_font('Arial', 'B', 12)
self.set_fill_color(200, 220, 255)
self.cell(0, 8, title, 0, 1, 'L', 1)
self.ln(3)
def add_table_row(self, col1, col2, col3):
self.set_font('Arial', '', 10)
self.cell(60, 8, col1, 1)
self.cell(80, 8, col2, 1)
self.cell(40, 8, col3, 1)
self.ln()
pdf = ReportPDF()
pdf.add_page()
pdf.set_auto_page_break(auto=True, margin=15)
# Executive Summary
pdf.section('Executive Summary')
pdf.set_font('Arial', '', 11)
pdf.multi_cell(0, 7, 'This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the CNC workcell implementation project, including hardware selection, layout design, and cost analysis.')
pdf.ln(5)
# Hardware Selection Summary
pdf.section('Hardware Selection')
pdf.add_table_row('Component', 'Model', 'Cost')
pdf.add_table_row('CNC Controller', 'Fanuc 0i-MF', '$2,500')
pdf.add_table_row('Servo Motors', 'SGM7G-09A (x4)', '$1,800')
pdf.add_table_row('HMI Panel', 'GT2110-WTBD', '$380')
pdf.ln(5)
# Assessment Scores
pdf.section('Assessment Scores')
pdf.add_table_row('Criteria', 'Description', 'Score')
pdf.add_table_row('Completeness', 'All requirements addressed', '8/10')
pdf.add_table_row('Feasibility', 'Technical implementation possible', '9/10')
pdf.add_table_row('Cost Efficiency', 'Within budget constraints', '7/10')
pdf.ln(5)
# Conclusion
pdf.section('Conclusion')
pdf.multi_cell(0, 7, 'The proposed CNC workcell meets all critical requirements with a recommended implementation approach. Total estimated cost: $4,680.')
# Save
output_path = '/workspace/deliverables/assessment_report.pdf'
pdf.output(output_path)
print(f'ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}')
print('PDF report created successfully')
Step 3.3: Execute and Verify
execute_code_sandbox
code: <PDF generation code>
language: python
Verification (critical - use read_file):
read_file
filetype: pdf
file_path: /workspace/deliverables/assessment_report.pdf
Alternative verification:
run_shell
command: ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.pdf && pdftk /workspace/deliverables/*.pdf dump_data 2>/dev/null | head -20
Phase 4: Final Bundle Verification (2-4 iterations)
Verify all deliverables exist and are valid:
run_shell
command: |
echo "=== Deliverable Bundle Verification ==="
echo ""
echo "Spreadsheet:"
ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.xlsx 2>/dev/null || echo " NOT FOUND"
echo ""
echo "Diagram:"
ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.png 2>/dev/null || echo " NOT FOUND"
echo ""
echo "PDF Report:"
ls -lh /workspace/deliverables/*.pdf 2>/dev/null || echo " NOT FOUND"
echo ""
echo "=== Bundle Complete ==="
Checklist:
- At least 2 of 3 deliverables created
- All files > 1KB (not empty)
- ARTIFACT_PATH outputs visible in execution logs
- No unresolved execute_code_sandbox errors
Error Handling Matrix
| Error Type | Detection | Recovery Action | Max Retries |
|---|---|---|---|
[ERROR] unknown error (execute_code_sandbox) |
Error in tool output | Switch to shell_agent or simplify code |
2 |
| File not found | Verification step fails | Check path, re-run generation | 1 |
| Library not installed | ImportError in output | Add !pip install at code start |
1 |
| Empty file (0 bytes) | ls -lh shows 0 size |
Regenerate with error handling | 1 |
| Iteration budget exceeded | Iteration count reached | Document partial completion, proceed | N/A |
Workspace Path Convention
Always use: /workspace/deliverables/filename.extension
Never use:
/workspace/filename.extension(root clutter)./filename.extension(ambiguous)filename.extension(missing path)
Template: Quick Start All Three Deliverables
Use this template structure to generate all three deliverables efficiently:
# DELIVERABLE 1: Spreadsheet
import openpyxl
wb = openpyxl.Workbook()
ws = wb.active
ws['A1'] = 'Header'
wb.save('/workspace/deliverables/data.xlsx')
print('ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/deliverables/data.xlsx')
# DELIVERABLE 2: Diagram
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.text(0.5, 0.5, 'Diagram')
plt.savefig('/workspace/deliverables/diagram.png')
print('ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/deliverables/diagram.png')
# DELIVERABLE 3: PDF
from fpdf import FPDF
pdf = FPDF()
pdf.add_page()
pdf.set_font('Arial', '', 12)
pdf.cell(0, 10, 'Report')
pdf.output('/workspace/deliverables/report.pdf')
print('ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/deliverables/report.pdf')
Iteration Tracking Template
Track your iteration usage explicitly:
Iteration Log:
- Iteration 1-2: Workspace preparation
- Iteration 3-10: Spreadsheet creation (8 used)
- Iteration 11-18: Diagram generation (8 used)
- Iteration 19-26: PDF report (8 used)
- Iteration 27-30: Bundle verification (4 buffer)
Total: 30 iterations
Best Practices
- Budget discipline - Never exceed 10 iterations on any single deliverable
- Early verification - Verify each deliverable before moving to next phase
- Graceful degradation - If one deliverable fails, complete the others
- Consistent paths - Always use
/workspace/deliverables/prefix - ARTIFACT_PATH output - Essential for download capability
- Error logging - Document failures and recovery actions taken
- Fallback strategies - Have alternative approaches ready for each deliverable type
Related Tools
execute_code_sandbox- Primary tool for all code generationshell_agent- Fallback when execute_code_sandbox fails repeatedlyread_file- Verify PDF content (filetype: pdf, xlsx, png)run_shell- Check file existence, sizes, and workspace statecreate_file- Fallback for simple data fileslist_dir- Verify deliverables directory contents
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
- Don't spend all iterations on one deliverable
- Don't ignore execute_code_sandbox errors - address immediately
- Don't use inconsistent paths across deliverables
- Don't skip verification steps
- Don't assume a deliverable succeeded without checking
Success Criteria
A successful execution produces:
- Minimum 2 of 3 deliverables (spreadsheet, diagram, PDF)
- All deliverables in
/workspace/deliverables/ - Valid, non-empty files (>1KB each)
- Clear ARTIFACT_PATH outputs in execution logs
- Iteration budget not exceeded
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