How can I automate logging in and exporting a report from a website?

Before building a browser automation script, check whether the site offers an API or a scheduled report-delivery option. An API or automatic email export would usually be more reliable than clicking through the interface, especially if the site changes its layout.

Playwright would be a good starting point. It works well with modern websites and includes automatic waiting for pages and elements to be ready. Its authentication documentation also explains how to save a logged-in browser state so you don’t have to sign in from scratch every time.

Another approach is using command-line tools such as curl or wget, if the site’s login and export requests are simple. You would need to handle cookies, sessions, and possibly form tokens yourself, so Playwright is probably easier for a beginner unless you specifically want a lightweight script.

Playwright has a recording feature that can watch you perform the steps and generate starter code. You can then clean it up, add your credentials securely, and adjust the selectors or download handling as needed.

I already asked about those options, but they aren’t available. Unfortunately, I have to sign in and download the report manually every day, so I’m looking for a practical way to automate the existing workflow.