What's everyone using for Python reporting?

[ZacharyHart]

Starting a 'discussion' (rather than a specific 'question') seems like the best venue for my inquiry. I realize that many of you may have multiple reporting strategies and that other things like the output itself and audience would dictate or impact your choice for reporting.

I feel like I'm about to jump into ReportLab with all the talk of future integration into Pro. Some of my colleagues are more on the R side of things and use Shiny which seems light years more advanced than anything I've found for a python implementation (please, tell me I'm wrong! I want to hear about it). That said, Shiny might be overshooting the scope of what I need to accomplish.

My needs are mostly tabular outputs of acres/area categorizations but charts & graphs could become something the audience is interested in. Mostly, the product requirement is that the table be included directly on the map document. That creates some limitations & challenges right there. [One specific question I do have is: is there a way to output a Pandas dataframe directly into an ArcMap/Pro document? Having to export solely for the sake of having the ability to copy the content into ArcGIS is less than desirable (if not silly)].

So that's the context from my end. What are you all using? What's your output content requirement? Who's your audience?

Thanks!

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Shiny ==> web apps  (pirates like shiny things)

ReportLab => pdf docs

not the same... where do you want your 'docs' to go?  

I use neither of the above…

• text?  whatever to wordprocesser to pdf if needed
• graphs, graphics?... many python packages including Matplotlib, to SnagIt or other graphics programs for postprocessing, then to the above
• maps?  rarely, but directly or indirectly to graphics
• table into map?  I don't and wouldn't
• whatever to the web?  I don't, reminds me of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch | The Ocean Cleanup 

[ZacharyHart]

Dan Patterson‌ To be clear: the folks I know are using Shiny to generate outputs directly into word docs.

I know that ReportLab directs outputs to PDF.

To reiterate: the requirements are generally that the table (example here) are included directly in the map document (exported as a PDF). These are often contractual documents so having the categorized acreage values on the map is a requirement.

Again, it is silly to me to have to generate a table, export it, only to have to copy & paste it back into the document but that's the required product and I don't currently see a way around it. [Pro Table Frames do not support the required categorization.].

My purpose here is to automate this task of report generation while enforcing a consistent format. We have a number of users generating this kind of content. Even if the user has to copy&paste the (pre-formatted) output and then manually resize to accommodate the various map elements (since record number, scale, and extent all vary) that is still a win.

Right now the ability to format Excel with Python appears to be too limited which is why I'm seeking reporting alternatives.