Enhancing Report Generation in Reimpact/platform: Storing and Displaying Report Data

This post discusses recent enhancements to the report generation process within the Reimpact/platform project, focusing on storing and displaying the generated report data.

The Feature

The primary goal of these changes is to persist generated report data and provide flexible views for different report types. This involves adding a report_data column to the packaging_generated_reports table and implementing distinct display formats for SIG (Summary Information Gathering) and DPR (Detailed Progress Report) reports.

Data Storage

A new report_data column, using the jsonb data type, has been added to the packaging_generated_reports table. This allows for storing complex report data, such as SIG summaries or DPR row sets, directly within the database. This is more flexible and efficient than storing the location of a generated excel or csv file, since the data is always accessible directly from the application.

Data Display: SIG Reports

For SIG reports, the data is presented as a key-value display, grouped by material category. This provides a clear and concise summary of the information. For example, the data might be stored like this:

[
    'material_category_1' => [
        'key1' => 'value1',
        'key2' => 'value2',
    ],
    'material_category_2' => [
        'key3' => 'value3',
        'key4' => 'value4',
    ],
]

The view iterates through the categories and displays the key-value pairs within each category.

Data Display: DPR Reports

DPR reports, on the other hand, are displayed in a tabular format, mirroring the structure of the original Excel reports. This includes all 11 columns from the Excel data, ensuring that all relevant information is readily accessible. Each row in the report_data json would represent a row in the table.

Benefits

Storing report data directly in the database offers several advantages:

• Accessibility: Report data is readily available without needing to parse files.
• Flexibility: The jsonb format allows for storing various types of report data.
• Maintainability: Code is easier to maintain.

Takeaway

Consider using jsonb columns in your database to store complex data structures. This approach can simplify data access and improve the flexibility of your application. Remember to design your display logic to effectively present the data based on its type and intended audience.