Your AI agent built PDF export but who owns the next change

Description and use

When a coding agent creates a PDF export, ownership of the report and future changes is unclear. By defining a template contract with ID, revision, and JSON schema, and splitting responsibility between integration and layout teams, ownership is clarified and quality is maintained.

Problem

When a coding agent generates a PDF export feature, ownership of the resulting report and future changes is unclear.

Outcome

By establishing a clear document contract and separating integration from layout, teams can confidently own and evolve PDF reports while keeping automated code focused on data handling and API calls.

Workflow

• 1. Define a template contract with templateId, revision, and JSON schema.
• 2. Provide the contract to the coding agent as a brief.
• 3. Agent writes integration code that posts to the template API, uses an idempotency key, and handles errors.
• 4. Team reviews and approves the template layout in the visual editor.
• 5. Production requests a specific tested revision via the API.
• 6. Future changes to layout or data fields are reviewed separately and mapped to new revisions or schema mappings.

Evidence

The agent says done. Then another team sends a message: "Looks great. Could we add a column, use the new font, and make six client versions?"

Source

If the acceptance test only checks that a response starts with a PDF signature, a report with missing headings may pass.

Source

Give the agent a document contract. "Make it professional" leaves the agent to make choices about both presentation and integration.

Source

The application team owns data selection, authorization, and the integration. The people responsible for the document own its layout and review.

Source