How to create R Markdown reports in Shiny for downloading PDF, Word, CSV, and XLSX with explanatory score charts?"

... Hello everyone,

I am developing a Shiny app for risk analysis that calculates a risk score based on multiple user inputs. I want to provide my users with the ability to download detailed reports in multiple formats: PDF, Word (.docx), CSV, and Excel (.xlsx).

My goals are:

  1. Use R Markdown to generate the PDF and Word reports dynamically, including user inputs and the calculated score results.
  2. Include explanatory bar charts in the reports that break down the score by its contributing factors, so users can understand how each input influences the final score.
  3. Export the raw data (inputs and results) as CSV and Excel files.
  4. Keep the app structure intact, especially the UI tabs and user access levels (free and premium).
  5. Ensure that all downloads work seamlessly without affecting the current app functionality.

So far, I have been able to generate basic reports, but I am struggling with:

  • How to include the dynamically generated score charts inside R Markdown reports.
  • How to set up multiple download handlers for different formats without code duplication.
  • How to organize parameters and reactive inputs efficiently to pass to the Rmd templates.
  • Best practices for combining graphical outputs with tabular data in the Word and PDF reports.

I would really appreciate examples or guidance on:

  • Creating R Markdown templates that accept parameters from Shiny.
  • Embedding Plotly or ggplot2 graphs inside these reports.
  • Generating CSV and Excel downloads alongside the Rmd-based reports.
  • Any tips to keep the downloads performant and maintainable.

Maybe this:

or this:

gets you started.