Quick answerThe field adjuster (or the desk, depending on the carrier's workflow) orders the roof report by address once the claim is assigned. The desk adjuster typically imports the file into Xactimate® or Symbility® and builds the estimate from it. Whoever closes out the file attaches the PDF exhibit, and a supervisor or IA reviewer checks the measured report against the field inspection before the estimate goes final.

The handoff in five steps

Order. Once a claim is assigned and the address is confirmed, someone orders the roof measurement report against that address. On many desks this is the field adjuster, submitted from a phone or laptop the same day as the inspection. On others, the desk adjuster places the order the moment the claim lands, so the report is already waiting when the field inspection is scheduled.

Deliver. The report arrives by email as ESX for Xactimate®, XML for Symbility®, or PDF, depending on what was ordered. Same-day delivery for orders placed before the cutoff means the file is usually in the inbox before the inspection notes are even written up.

Import. The desk adjuster (or whoever is building the estimate) imports the ESX or XML into the estimating platform via the Sketch import option; menus vary by version, so verify the exact steps in your build against the platform's own documentation.

Attach. The PDF version, or a print of the ESX summary, gets attached to the claim file as the measurement exhibit. This step is easy to skip because it happens after the estimate is 'done', but a file without the attached report has no record of where the numbers came from.

Review. A supervisor, QA reviewer, or independent adjuster compares the measured report to the field inspection photos and notes before the estimate is finalized or sent to the carrier. Discrepancies in facet count, pitch, or waste get flagged here, not after the estimate is issued.

Who typically owns each step

StepTypical ownerWhat movesWhere it lands
OrderField adjuster or desk, by carrier workflowProperty address, claim number, format choiceOrder form or Xactimate® Integration ordering
DeliverReport providerESX, XML, or PDF fileDelivery email, same calendar day before cutoff
ImportDesk adjuster or estimatorESX into Xactimate® or XML into Symbility®Estimating platform sketch
AttachWhoever closes the file segmentPDF exhibit or ESX summaryClaim file documentation folder
ReviewSupervisor, QA, or IA reviewerMeasured report compared to field notesEstimate sign-off

Order matters more than titles. On some desks the field adjuster never touches the ESX file at all; on others the field adjuster orders, imports, and attaches, and the desk only reviews. Confirm which model your carrier uses before assuming a step is someone else's job.

What the field adjuster typically owns

In most workflows the field adjuster's job with the roof report starts and ends at the ordering step: confirm the address, note any detached structures that should be included or excluded, and submit the order so the report is ready before the estimate is built. On carriers that route roof reports through Xactimate® Integration ordering, the field adjuster may place the order directly from within the platform rather than a separate site.

The field adjuster's own inspection notes and photos remain the record the measured report gets checked against later. That comparison only works if the field notes are specific about facet count, pitch changes, and any access limitations, since a generic 'roof inspected, no issues' entry gives the reviewer nothing to reconcile against the report.

What the desk adjuster typically owns

The desk adjuster is usually the one who imports the delivered file into the estimating platform and builds the line-item estimate on top of it. For Xactimate® files this means importing the ESX via the Sketch import option in the estimate; the exact menu path varies by Xactimate® version, so the platform's own help documentation is the source of truth for that click path, not a generic walkthrough.

For Symbility® files the desk adjuster imports the XML the same way, following the platform's documented import procedure rather than a memorized sequence, since claims-platform menus change between releases.

Desk adjusters working Verisk™-connected files can order directly through Xactimate® Integration rather than a separate order form, keeping the whole chain, order, deliver, import, inside one workflow instead of switching between systems.

Where the handoff breaks

  • Report ordered to the wrong unit or a nearby address

    If the field adjuster and the desk adjuster are working from different address formats (unit number, building letter), the report gets built to the wrong structure and nobody catches it until the estimate does not match the roof in the photos.

  • ESX imported but the PDF exhibit never attached

    The estimate can be technically correct and the file still fails documentation review because there is no measured exhibit showing where the squares and pitch came from.

  • Format ordered does not match the platform in use

    An XML file ordered for a desk that estimates in Xactimate® has to be re-ordered as ESX, which costs a cycle. Confirm the platform before choosing the format on the order page.

  • Review happens after the estimate is already sent

    Catching a facet or pitch discrepancy after the estimate is issued means a revision and a delay. The review step belongs before sign-off, not after.

  • No one owns the revision request

    If a measurement needs correcting, requesting the revision from the original delivery email is faster than re-ordering, but only if someone on the file is responsible for making that request.

Choosing the format before the handoff starts

Picking the format at order time avoids a re-order later. Standard ESX ($19) suits most residential roofs going straight into Xactimate®. Complex-roof ESX ($25) is built for heavily cut-up roofs with many facets. PDF-only ($25) covers files where the exhibit is the point and no estimate import is needed. ESX + PDF ($29) gets both from a single order, which is the common choice when the desk needs the import file and the file needs the printed exhibit.

You can order a roof report by address in either format, and Verisk™ desks can route the same order through Xactimate® Integration instead of a separate order form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the field adjuster or the desk adjuster order the roof report?
It depends on the carrier's workflow. Some route ordering to the field adjuster at the time of inspection; others have the desk adjuster order it as soon as the claim is assigned so it is ready before the inspection. Either way the order is placed by property address and can be placed by whoever owns that step on your file.
Who imports the file into Xactimate®?
Usually the desk adjuster or whoever is building the line-item estimate. The ESX is imported into the estimate via the Sketch import option; the exact menu path varies by Xactimate® version, so verify the current steps in the platform's own help documentation.
Does the PDF exhibit still need to be attached if the ESX was imported?
Yes. The ESX drives the estimate, but the PDF is the documented exhibit showing measurements, pitch, and facet layout. A file review that only finds the imported ESX and no attached exhibit is missing the documentation trail.
Who reviews the roof report before the estimate is finalized?
Typically a supervisor, QA reviewer, or independent adjuster compares the measured report against the field inspection notes and photos before the estimate is signed off or sent to the carrier. That review belongs before finalization, not after the estimate has already gone out.
What happens if the wrong format was ordered for the platform in use?
Request a correction rather than starting a new order from scratch where possible. If the platform simply does not read the format ordered (XML ordered for an Xactimate® desk, for example), a new order in the correct format is needed; confirm the platform before ordering to avoid the extra cycle.

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