Quick answerA roof measurement report transfers into Symbility® only if it is delivered as an XML file built to Symbility®'s sketch interchange, not as an ESX (the Xactimate® format) and not as a PDF. The XML carries the roof sketch itself: facets, pitches, edges (eave, rake, hip, valley, ridge), and the area and waste table. Photos, condition notes, and narrative text do not travel inside that file; they live in the PDF or the claim file instead. The import step is generic across builds, so bring the XML in through the platform's sketch or import option and confirm the exact menu path in your version.

The literal answer: the format decides, not the source

Symbility® reads a sketch built as XML. Xactimate® reads a sketch packaged as ESX. A PDF is a document, not a sketch file, and no estimating platform imports a PDF as a measured roof. So the honest answer to "does a roof report transfer to Symbility®" is: only the reports ordered or exported as Symbility® XML do. An ESX ordered for Xactimate® will not open inside Symbility®, and a PDF-only report will not either, regardless of which service produced it.

This is why the ordering step matters more than the platform question. If the estimate is going to be built in Symbility®, the format has to be XML at the point of order, not converted after the fact.

What a roof measurement XML actually carries

In short, the XML is the geometry: what the sketch tool needs to draw and measure the roof inside Symbility® without re-drawing it by hand.

  • The roof sketch itself: facet outlines, pitch per facet, and the ridge, hip, valley, eave, and rake lengths that make up the edge report
  • Total area and the squares-with-waste table used to price the line items
  • Facet identifiers that line up with the sketch so the estimate can reference specific planes
  • Structure-level totals (total area, total edges) used to check the estimate against the sketch

What does not travel in the file

  • Photos of the roof or the property

    Photo attachments live in the PDF and in the claim file, not inside the sketch interchange. The XML has no image payload.

  • Condition notes, damage narrative, or adjuster comments

    The sketch format carries geometry, not text notes. Narrative belongs in the estimate or the file, entered separately.

  • Line items, pricing, or scope

    The XML gives the sketch measurements the estimate is built from; it does not carry pre-built line items or pricing decisions.

  • Claim number, insured name, or file metadata beyond what was entered at order

    Only what was supplied at the time of order populates the file header; nothing is pulled from the claim system automatically.

Generic import path into Symbility®

Menus vary by build and by version, so treat the steps below as the shape of the workflow, then verify the exact click path in your own installation or in Symbility®'s own documentation.

  1. Confirm the file is XML, not ESX

    Open the delivered file's extension before doing anything else. An ESX file will not import into Symbility® no matter which import option is used.

  2. Open the claim or estimate you're building

    Have the Symbility® claim file open and ready to receive a sketch before starting the import.

  3. Use the sketch or import option for the roof

    Bring the XML in through the platform's sketch import path rather than attaching it as a document; the import option is what actually reads and draws the geometry.

  4. Check the imported sketch against the file

    Compare total area, edge lengths, and facet count in the imported sketch against the numbers on the source report before building the estimate on top of it.

  5. Add narrative and photos separately

    Since none of that content lives in the XML, attach photos and enter notes the same way you would for any other estimate.

Format by destination: quick reference

DestinationFormat that transfersPublished price
Xactimate®ESX (Standard or Complex-roof)$19 standard, $25 complex-roof
Symbility®XMLSee order page
Claim file or homeowner documentPDF$25 PDF-only, or $29 for ESX + PDF
Verisk™ desksXactimate® Integration orderingSee order page

Figures are the sponsor's published rates as of the date in the sources below; the order page is authoritative for current pricing.

If the file won't import

The two most common causes are a format mismatch (an ESX handed to a Symbility® workstation, or the reverse) and a version gap between the file and the installed build. Check the extension first, then check that the software is current, since older builds sometimes reject sketch files produced against a newer schema. If the geometry looks wrong after a successful import, treat it as a measurement question and request a revision from the order rather than redrawing by hand; correcting the source is faster than correcting the sketch inside the platform.

Sketch My Roof roof measurement reports are available as Symbility® XML for exactly this workflow, alongside the ESX and PDF formats, ordered by address with same-day delivery before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff. See the XML page for current details, or order a roof report by address when you already know which format the file needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a roof report transfer to Symbility® automatically once it's ordered?
No. It transfers only if it is delivered as XML. An ESX or a PDF version of the same report will not open as a sketch inside Symbility®.
Do photos and adjuster notes come across in the XML file?
No. The XML carries the roof sketch, facet pitches, edge lengths, and the area and waste table. Photos and narrative live in the PDF and the claim file, not inside the sketch interchange.
Can I convert an ESX into Symbility® XML after the fact?
The reliable path is to order the report in the format the destination platform reads in the first place. If the estimate is being built in Symbility®, request XML at order time rather than converting a file built for Xactimate®.
Why did the XML import but the sketch look wrong?
Check the software version first; sketch schemas can shift between releases. If the version is current and the sketch still looks wrong, treat it as a measurement question and request a revision rather than redrawing the roof by hand.

Sources