PDF Report Generator Skill

Generate professional PDF documents with advanced styling, charts, complex layouts, and pixel-perfect formatting. This skill leverages Anthropic's pdf Agent Skill to create distribution-ready PDF files programmatically.

Instructions

When asked to generate a PDF document:

1. Understand Requirements: Parse the request for:

   • Document type (report, invoice, certificate, proposal)
   • Content structure and sections
   • Visual design requirements
   • Charts, graphs, or data visualizations
   • Branding, colors, and styling
   • Multi-page layout needs

2. Plan the PDF:

   • Outline layout and visual hierarchy
   • Identify chart/graph requirements
   • Plan color scheme and branding
   • Determine pagination and flow
   • Design professional header/footer

3. Create with Code Execution:

   import anthropic
   
   client = anthropic.Anthropic()
   response = client.messages.create(
       model="claude-4-5-sonnet",
       max_tokens=4096,
       tools=[{"type": "code_execution", "name": "bash"}],
       messages=[{
           "role": "user",
           "content": "Generate a PDF with [specification]"
       }],
       container={
           "type": "skills",
           "skills": [{"type": "anthropic", "skill_id": "pdf", "version": "latest"}]
       },
       betas=["code-execution-2025-08-25", "skills-2025-10-02"]
   )
   

4. Extract File Reference:

   • Locate file_id in response content blocks
   • Return file reference for download/distribution

Examples

Financial Report

Input: "Generate a quarterly financial report PDF with revenue trends, expense breakdown, and key metrics" Output: Professional PDF with charts, formatted tables, executive summary, and detailed sections

Invoice Generation

Input: "Create an invoice PDF for a client with itemized services, totals, and payment terms" Output: Formatted invoice with company branding, clear line items, and professional layout

Certificate/Award

Input: "Design a certificate PDF for course completion with decorative border and recipient name" Output: Professional certificate with elegant styling and fillable recipient section

Features Supported

• Text Styling: Custom fonts, sizes, colors, weights
• Headers/Footers: Page numbers, running headers, consistent branding
• Tables: Multi-column formatted tables with borders
• Charts: Bar, line, pie, area charts with labels
• Images: Embedded images, logos, signatures
• Backgrounds: Colors, gradients, patterns
• Watermarks: Background text or images
• Sections: Different layouts for document parts
• Page Breaks: Control pagination and flow
• Borders/Frames: Professional design elements

Use Cases

• Financial and audit reports
• Invoice and receipt generation
• Certificate and diploma creation
• Marketing proposals and case studies
• Technical specifications and datasheets
• Meeting agendas and minutes
• Customer proposals and quotes
• Data analysis reports

Report Types

Executive Reports

• Summary metrics and KPIs
• Data visualizations and charts
• Recommendations and insights
• Professional executive layout

Financial Reports

• Revenue and expense analysis
• Balance sheets and financial statements
• Trend analysis with charts
• Budget variance reports

Sales & Marketing

• Sales performance reports
• Customer analysis and segmentation
• Campaign performance metrics
• Proposal documents

Technical Documentation

• System specifications
• Architecture diagrams
• Integration guides
• Performance benchmarks

Best Practices

1. Visual Hierarchy: Clear distinction between sections and content
2. Professional Branding: Consistent logo, colors, fonts
3. Data Visualization: Appropriate charts for data type
4. White Space: Balanced layout with breathing room
5. Typography: Readable fonts with proper hierarchy
6. Color Coordination: Professional, accessible color scheme
7. Footer Information: Page numbers, dates, document identifiers

Advanced Techniques

Multi-Section Documents

Cover Page → Executive Summary → Detailed Analysis → Appendices

Watermarks and Backgrounds

• Company branding watermarks
• Confidentiality stamps
• Status indicators

Complex Charts

• Multi-series line charts with trends
• Stacked bar charts for comparisons
• Pie charts for composition

Related Skills

• spreadsheet-generator - For data preparation and analysis
• doc-generator - For collaborative drafting in Word
• presentation-builder - For stakeholder presentations

Performance Considerations

• Large documents (>100 pages) optimize with summaries
• Image quality impacts file size (typically 100KB-5MB)
• Complex layouts may require longer processing
• Multiple charts increase generation time

Limitations

• Maximum document size: ~50MB in code execution environment
• Interactive PDF forms require post-processing
• Real-time data updates need external integration
• Advanced PDF features (3D, multimedia) not supported
• OCR capabilities limited