Final answer:
To generate a custom-formatted report as a PDF programmatically, one may use Python with ReportLab or platform-specific solutions like SSRS, design a template, populate with data, and render to PDF.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario presented involves generating a custom report in PDF format. To achieve this programmatically, one could use a high-level programming language like Python with libraries such as ReportLab for PDF generation, or use a platform-specific solution like Microsoft's SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) for a .NET environment. The steps typically involve designing the report template, implementing the logic to populate the report with data, and rendering the report to a PDF file using the chosen library or service. This process could be integrated into a web page using server-side scripting, which will allow users to view and download the report in PDF format.