How to Automate Reports with OpenClaw — Cron, Templates &
Step-by-step guide to automating recurring reports with OpenClaw: setting up cron jobs, reading data files, generating structured output, and.
· Updated March 2026 · 10 min read Use this guide, then keep going
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Recurring reports are the perfect automation target: they happen on a schedule, follow a consistent format, and pull from predictable data sources. OpenClaw handles all three natively.
The Report Automation Pattern
- A data source (CSV, markdown file, API output)
- A cron job that runs on schedule
- A task that tells the agent what to read and generate
- A delivery mechanism (Slack, file save, email channel)
Step 1: Organize Your Data Source
~/reports/
data/
latest-metrics.csv
weekly-sales.csv
templates/
weekly-report-template.md
output/Step 2: Create a Report Template
# ~/reports/templates/weekly-report-template.md
## Weekly Report
**Executive Summary** (2-3 sentences)
**Key Metrics**
- Metric 1: [value] vs last week: [+/-]
- Metric 2: [value] vs last week: [+/-]
**What Went Well**
- [achievement with supporting data]
**Concerns / Watch Items**
- [anything tracking below target]
**Next Week Focus**
- [1-3 priority actions]Step 3: Set Up the Cron Job
openclaw cron add \
--name "weekly-report" \
--schedule "0 8 * * 1" \
--agent main \
--task "Read ~/reports/data/latest-metrics.csv. Use the template in ~/reports/templates/weekly-report-template.md to generate a weekly report. Compare current week to prior week columns. Calculate percentage changes. Flag any metric more than 15% off target. Save to ~/reports/output/week-[YYYY-MM-DD].md. Post 3-4 sentence executive summary to #weekly-reports in Slack."Step 4: Verify the Schedule
openclaw cron list
# Shows:
# weekly-report | 0 8 * * 1 | Next: Monday 08:00Multiple Report Types
# Daily standup summary
openclaw cron add \
--name "daily-standup" \
--schedule "0 9 * * 1-5" \
--agent main \
--task "Read ~/standup/today.md. Format as a standup: done, planned, blocked. Post to #standups in Slack."
# Monthly finance summary
openclaw cron add \
--name "monthly-finance" \
--schedule "0 7 1 * *" \
--agent main \
--task "Read ~/finance/exports/latest.csv. Generate monthly P&L summary. Post to #finance in Slack."Adding Conditional Logic
"Read the metrics CSV. If any metric is more than 25% below target, include a 'Critical Alert' section at the top. If everything is within 10% of target, keep the executive summary brief."Multi-Channel Delivery
"Generate the weekly report. Save full version to ~/reports/output/. Post 3-line summary to #leadership in Slack. Post team-specific metrics to #marketing and #sales separately."Ready to go deeper? The OpenClaw Playbook covers this in detail — grab your copy for $9.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data formats can OpenClaw read for reports?
OpenClaw agents can read any text-based format: CSV, JSON, Markdown, plain text, and YAML. Binary formats like Excel need to be exported to CSV first. PDF reading requires the PDF skill.
Can OpenClaw generate PDF or chart-based reports?
OpenClaw generates text-based reports natively. For PDFs, you can pipe the output through a markdown-to-PDF converter. Chart generation requires additional tooling.
How do I update the data source my report reads from?
As long as your data pipeline writes to the same file path, the agent's cron job will always read the fresh data without any configuration changes.
Can I run a report on-demand in addition to the scheduled cron?
Yes, just ask your agent directly: 'Generate the weekly report now.' It will run the same logic as the cron job on demand.
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