Quick answerOrder ESX when the estimate is being built in Xactimate®, XML when the platform is Symbility®, and PDF when the deliverable is a document for the claim file or the homeowner rather than a line-item estimate. From the site sponsor, Sketch My Roof: Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only $25, ESX + PDF $29, with Symbility® XML available at the order page. None of the three formats changes the underlying measurements, only how the data is opened and used.

What each file actually is

ESX is the sketch and estimate file format Xactimate® reads natively. Importing an ESX brings the roof sketch, facets, and pitch data directly into the estimate as an editable Xactimate® sketch, ready for line items.

XML, in this context, is the claim sketch format Symbility® reads. It carries the same underlying roof geometry into a Symbility® claim so the estimator can build the scope inside that platform.

PDF is a static, human-readable document. It cannot be imported into an estimating platform as a working sketch; it is meant to be read, printed, or attached, by an adjuster, a homeowner, or a file reviewer.

None of the three changes the measured roof itself. They are three different containers for the same footprint, facets, and pitch data, built for three different consumers: an Xactimate® estimate, a Symbility® estimate, or a claim-file exhibit.

Format comparison at a glance

FormatConsuming applicationEditable after deliveryExhibit useSponsor price
Standard ESXXactimate®Line items are fully editable once imported; the measurement itself is fixed unless a revision is requested from the delivery emailNot a standalone exhibit; export a sketch or report from Xactimate® if the file needs one$19
Complex-roof ESXXactimate®Same as Standard ESX, sized for roofs with many facets or cut-up rooflinesNot a standalone exhibit; export from Xactimate®$25
Symbility® XMLSymbility®Opens as an editable claim sketch inside Symbility®; measurement itself is fixed unless revisedNot a standalone exhibit; export a sketch or report from Symbility®See order page
PDF-onlyAny PDF readerNot editable; it is a finished documentBuilt for exhibit use: attach to the file, the estimate, or hand to the homeowner$25
ESX + PDFXactimate® and any PDF readerESX is editable in Xactimate®; the PDF portion is a fixed documentOne order covers both the working estimate file and the exhibit document$29

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

When to order which

  • Estimate is being built in Xactimate®

    Order Standard ESX ($19) or Complex-roof ESX ($25) so the sketch and facets import directly rather than being re-drawn.

  • Estimate is being built in Symbility®

    Order Symbility® XML so the claim sketch opens inside that platform without a separate re-measure.

  • File needs a measured document, not a sketch to estimate from

    Order PDF-only ($25); it is built to be read and attached, not imported.

  • Same roof needs both a working estimate and a file exhibit

    Order ESX + PDF ($29) once rather than ordering ESX and PDF separately.

  • Desk works through Verisk™ tools

    Use Xactimate® Integration ordering so the file routes the way that desk's assignment tracking (including XactAnalysis®) expects.

Ordering both without paying twice

The most common mistake in mixed-platform shops is ordering an ESX for the estimator and then separately ordering a PDF for the file, on two different orders. The ESX + PDF bundle at $29 covers both from a single address entry, which is cheaper and faster than two orders and avoids two different revision threads if a correction is needed later.

You can start an order from order a roof report by address and choose the format on that same screen; there is no subscription and no minimum order.

Importing each format

Bringing an ESX into Xactimate® is done via the Sketch import option inside the estimate; menus vary by version, so verify the exact path in your build against the vendor's official documentation before relying on a screenshot from an older release.

Bringing an XML claim sketch into Symbility® follows the equivalent import step inside that platform's claim workspace; again, verify the current path against the vendor's documentation, since Symbility® and CoreLogic update their claims tools on their own schedule.

A PDF is opened, not imported. There is no menu path because there is nothing to bring into an estimating platform; it goes into the claim file or is handed to whoever needs the document.

For Verisk™ desks

Desks running on Verisk™ tools can order through Xactimate® Integration ordering rather than the general residential order page. The delivered ESX still opens the same way inside Xactimate®; the ordering path is what changes, so it lines up with how the assignment is already tracked, including in XactAnalysis® where that is in use.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Ordering PDF-only when the estimate still needs to be built in Xactimate® or Symbility®, then re-ordering ESX or XML separately instead of choosing the bundle up front.
  • Assuming an XML file will open in Xactimate® or an ESX will open in Symbility®; each format is built for one platform.
  • Treating an ESX or XML import as an exhibit; neither is meant to stand alone as a document in the claim file, that is what the PDF is for.
  • Re-ordering a full report to fix one measurement instead of requesting a revision from the delivery email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn an ESX file into a PDF myself instead of ordering both?
Xactimate® can export a sketch or estimate report as a PDF after the ESX is imported, but that export reflects however the sketch has been edited inside the estimate. If you need the original measured document as delivered, order ESX + PDF ($29) so both come from the same source file.
Will a Symbility® XML file open in Xactimate®?
No. XML is built for Symbility®'s claim sketch workspace and ESX is built for Xactimate®. Order the format that matches the platform the estimate will actually be built in.
Which format should go to the homeowner or into the claim file as documentation?
PDF. It is a finished, readable document rather than a working sketch file, which is what a claim file, a demand package, or a homeowner handout needs.
Does choosing PDF instead of ESX change the measurements?
No. All three formats carry the same footprint, facet, and pitch data from the same report. The format only changes how that data is opened and used, not what was measured.
Is Symbility® XML priced the same as ESX?
XML is available as its own order; check the current XML order page for the exact published price rather than assuming ESX pricing applies, since the sponsor prices each format on its own order screen.

Sources