Generating Automated PDF Reports with Python: ReportLab, Matplotlib, and Platypus

When manual report creation becomes tedious, Python can automate the entire workflow from data processing to PDF generation.

1. ReportLab: PDF generation helper Install the library with pip install reportlab and create a simple PDF:

from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import A4
pdf = canvas.Canvas("SimpleReport.pdf", pagesize=A4)
pdf.drawString(100, 750, "This is my first Python‑generated report")
pdf.save()

2. Data visualization: make the report lively Use matplotlib to draw a chart and save it as an image:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
sales = [120, 150, 180, 210, 165]
months = ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May']
plt.figure(figsize=(8, 6))
plt.bar(months, sales)
plt.title('Sales Data')
plt.savefig('sales_chart.png')
plt.close()

3. Combine text and images in a single PDF Load the chart image and embed it together with headings:

from reportlab.lib.utils import ImageReader
pdf = canvas.Canvas("FullReport.pdf", pagesize=A4)
pdf.setFont("Helvetica-Bold", 16)
pdf.drawString(100, 750, "Q1 2024 Sales Report")
img = ImageReader('sales_chart.png')
pdf.drawImage(img, 50, 400, width=500, height=300)
pdf.setFont("Helvetica", 12)
pdf.drawString(100, 350, "The chart shows a steady increase in sales.")
pdf.save()

4. Advanced: automatic table handling The platypus module can build tables with custom styles:

from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Table, TableStyle
from reportlab.lib import colors

def create_table_report():
    doc = SimpleDocTemplate("TableReport.pdf", pagesize=A4)
    data = [
        ['Month', 'Sales', 'YoY Growth'],
        ['Jan', '1.2M', '15%'],
        ['Feb', '1.5M', '25%'],
        ['Mar', '1.8M', '20%']
    ]
    table = Table(data)
    table.setStyle([
        ('GRID', (0,0), (-1,-1), 1, colors.black),
        ('BACKGROUND', (0,0), (-1,0), colors.grey)
    ])
    doc.build([table])

5. Full example The article combines all steps into a single script that generates a chart, creates a PDF with title, image, and explanatory text, and optionally adds a styled table, showing how to produce a polished, data‑driven PDF report with just a few lines of Python.