A4 Report — Consulting-Grade Reports for Claude Code

Generate professional A4 consulting reports in McKinsey / BCG / Bain style — zero design skills required, zero dependencies, print-to-PDF in seconds.

English | 中文 | 日本語

What It Does

A4 Report is a Claude Code skill that turns your topic or data into a polished, print-ready consulting report. The output is a single self-contained HTML file — no Node.js, no Python, no build tools. Open in browser → Print → Save as PDF.

Typical use cases:

• Market analysis & competitive intelligence
• Strategic planning & feasibility studies
• Business reviews & board presentations
• Client proposals & due diligence summaries

Quick Start

Step 1 — Install

Option A: Manual

Download the repo as a ZIP, unzip it, then place all files into the skill folder:

# 1. Download this repo as ZIP and unzip it
# 2. Create the target folder (or create it manually)
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/a4-report
# 3. Copy all unzipped files into it (or copy manually)
cp SKILL.md STYLE_PRESETS.md a4-report-template.md ~/.claude/skills/a4-report/

Step 2 — Invoke

Type /a4-report in Claude Code, then describe what you need:

/a4-report

帮我写一份中国新能源汽车市场分析报告，面向董事会，标准版。

/a4-report

Write a competitive intelligence report on the top 3 cloud providers,
McKinsey style, 10-15 pages, for internal strategy review.

Step 3 — Get Your Report

Claude will guide you through a brief Q&A, generate the HTML file, and open it automatically. Print to PDF from your browser.

How It Works — The 7-Phase Workflow

Phase 1: Content Discovery    → Audience, report type, purpose, length
Phase 2: Style Selection      → Preview 3 styles or pick directly
Phase 3: Report Generation    → Full HTML with inline CSS, zero deps
Phase 4: Chart Enhancement    → Add chart-guide + key-insights to every chart
Phase 5: Delivery             → Open in browser, ready to print
Phase 6: PDF Export (opt.)    → Step-by-step browser print guide
Phase 7: Data Audit (auto)    → Validates every number against source data

The skill asks exactly what it needs — no more, no less — then generates the complete report without interruption.

Usage Guide

Basic Usage — Topic Only

The simplest case: give a topic, choose a style, get a report.

/a4-report

Write a market entry report for Southeast Asia's quick commerce sector.

Claude will ask:

1. Audience — Who will read this? (C-Suite / Board / Business team / Consultant)
2. Report Type — Market analysis / Competitive intel / Strategic plan / etc.
3. Purpose — Investment decision / Board deck / Client proposal / etc.
4. Length — Brief (5-8 pages) / Standard (10-15 pages) / Comprehensive (20+)
5. Style — McKinsey Blue / BCG Silver / Bain Red (preview or direct pick)

Advanced Usage — With Source Data

Upload or reference a data file and the skill activates automatic data audit (Phase 7):

/a4-report

基于附件的Excel数据，帮我写一份美团2025年财务复盘报告，
面向管理层，麦肯锡风格，标准版。

After generation, Phase 7 automatically:

• Extracts every number from the report
• Cross-checks against your source file
• Flags suspected hallucinations ⚠️ and confirmed errors ❌
• Shows accuracy rate and offers to auto-fix issues

Sample audit output:

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║              🔍  数据审计开始                     ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║  报告文件: meituan-review-2025.html              ║
║  源数据文件: data.xlsx                           ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

✅ 已验证:    12 项
⚠️ 疑似幻觉:   2 项  (需要人工确认)
❌ 数据错误:   1 项  (需立即修正)

📊 准确率: 80%

Style Selection

Three presets, each capturing a distinct consulting firm aesthetic:

| Style | Look & Feel | Best For | |-------|------------|----------| | McKinsey Blue | Deep navy + white, serif headlines (Playfair Display) | Executive presentations, formal reports | | BCG Silver | Charcoal + geometric layouts, clean sans-serif (Inter) | Structured analysis, strategy decks | | Bain Red | Bold red accents, impactful numbers (DM Serif Display) | Data-heavy reports, performance reviews |

When you choose "Show me previews," Claude generates three single-page HTML previews side by side so you can compare before committing.

Trigger Phrases

The skill activates on any of these:

Chinese: 写报告 / 生成报告 / 帮我写一份报告 / 麦肯锡风格 / BCG风格 / 贝恩风格 / A4报告 / 分析报告 / 市场分析报告 / 竞品分析报告 / 战略报告

English: write a report / consulting report / A4 report / market analysis / competitive intelligence / strategic report / business report

Key Features

Zero-Dependency Output

Every report is a single HTML file with all CSS inline. No npm, no Python, no build step. Works on any machine with a browser.

Chart Annotation System

Every chart automatically includes:

• 📊 读图指引 (Chart Guide) — explains axes, colors, and what to look for
• 💡 关键洞察 (Key Insights) — trend judgment, comparisons, action implications

No more charts that readers stare at without understanding.

Print-Optimized Layout

• Exact A4 format: 210mm × 297mm
• @page { size: A4; } media queries for perfect PDF rendering
• Smart page breaks — no section headers stranded at page bottom
• Background graphics preserved in print mode

Audience-Aware Content

Choose your audience upfront and the report adapts:

• C-Suite → conclusion-first, data-driven, decision-focused
• Board / Investors → ROE, cash flow, strategic value
• Business teams → operational detail, executable recommendations
• External clients → value proposition, partnership highlights

Consulting-Grade Structure

Every report follows the standard consulting hierarchy:

1. Cover Page
2. Executive Summary (3-5 key findings)
3. Table of Contents
4. Key Findings (title + evidence + implication)
5. Detailed Analysis (charts, frameworks, data)
6. Strategic Recommendations (prioritized, actionable)
7. Appendix (data tables, methodology)

Printing to PDF

1. Open the generated HTML in Chrome or Safari
2. Press Cmd+P (Mac) or Ctrl+P (Windows)
3. Destination → Save as PDF
4. Paper size → A4
5. Enable Background graphics
6. Save

The report includes a print button (打印 / Save as PDF) for convenience.

File Structure

a4-report-main/
├── SKILL.md                  # Core workflow — always loaded
├── STYLE_PRESETS.md          # 3 consulting styles — loaded at Phase 2
├── a4-report-template.md     # A4 HTML architecture — loaded at Phase 3
├── scripts/
│   ├── audit-checklist.md    # Data audit guide — loaded at Phase 7
│   └── export-pdf.sh         # PDF export reference
└── .claude-plugin/
    ├── marketplace.json
    └── plugins/a4-report/

The skill uses progressive disclosure — only the files needed for the current phase are loaded, keeping context lean and generation fast.

Requirements

• Claude Code CLI
• Modern browser (Chrome / Safari / Firefox) for PDF export

License

MIT — Taste is all you need.