The Field Adjuster Daily Workflow for Roof Claims

Quick answerPlan the route by geography and access risk before you leave, document every roof in the same fixed order on site, order the measurement report either before the inspection (for a pre-loss square count) or immediately after (for a same-day file), and close each evening by reconciling field notes against the delivered report and queuing the next day's stops. Reports ordered by address before the sponsor's 6 PM Eastern cutoff deliver the same calendar day, which is what makes same-day ordering realistic on a full route.

The shape of a field day

Field days for roof claims break into four blocks: morning route planning, the on-site documentation pass at each stop, the decision of when to order the measurement report, and evening file work back at the truck or home office. Adjusters who lose time usually lose it in one of two places: an unplanned route that adds drive time between stops, or a documentation sequence that changes stop to stop, which forces re-checking photos later to see what was actually captured.

Building the day around a fixed sequence removes both problems. The route gets planned once in the morning. The on-site sequence is the same at every stop regardless of loss size. The report gets ordered on a rule, not a feeling. Evening work has a fixed checklist instead of an open-ended review.

Morning: route planning before you leave

Cluster stops by ZIP or corridor, not by claim-assignment order
Assignment order rarely matches geography. Re-sequencing by location before you leave saves drive time across a full day of stops.
Flag any address needing ladder assist, steep-slope access, or a second adjuster
These stops take longer and may need to be scheduled with the homeowner in advance, which changes their place in the route.
Check weather and daylight window for the last two stops
A roof inspection scheduled at dusk in bad weather is a stop you will likely have to repeat. Better to swap it earlier.
Decide, per stop, whether the roof report will be ordered before or after the inspection
This decision changes what you carry into the inspection (a pre-loss square count) versus what you do afterward (order immediately for same-day delivery). See the comparison below.
Confirm claim numbers and prior notes are loaded for every stop
Pulling up prior estimate history or a policyholder's stated damage points on site avoids a callback for information you already had.

On-site documentation sequence

Run the same order at every roof regardless of size or damage severity. A fixed sequence means the file looks the same claim to claim, which matters when a desk adjuster, IA firm reviewer, or Verisk™-connected carrier system pulls the file months later.

Exterior overview, all four elevations
Photograph the full structure from each elevation before touching the roof. This establishes the baseline condition and context for everything that follows.
Roof access and pitch note
Record how the roof was accessed (ladder, roof access, ground-level only) and note the approximate pitch by eye or pitch gauge. This becomes your cross-check against the measurement report's stated pitch, covered below.
Slope-by-slope damage photos with markers
Photograph each slope, marking hail hits, missing shingles, or wind damage with chalk or tabs so the count is visible in the frame, not just described in notes.
Test squares where required
Mark and photograph the test square location and count per the carrier's or IA firm's protocol, and note the count directly in the field file, not just in memory.
Penetrations, flashing, and edge detail
Photograph vents, chimneys, skylights, and all flashing and edge metal separately from the general slope photos. These line items are where estimates most often get challenged.
Interior, only if the roof damage points to a leak path
Document ceiling staining or active intrusion directly beneath any roof damage identified above, tying interior photos to the specific roof area that caused them.
Close-out note
Before leaving, write a one-line summary of scope and any outstanding items (report ordered, report pending, homeowner follow-up needed). This is what your evening file work will act on.

Order the report before or after the inspection?

Both orders work. The choice depends on what you need the report to do for that stop.

Order the report	When it helps	Trade-off
Before the inspection	You want a square count and facet layout in hand before you climb, useful on large or cut-up roofs where a pre-loss reference speeds the on-site pass	You are ordering from an address you have not yet confirmed matches the parcel, so verify the address carefully at order time
After the inspection	You have already confirmed access, elevations, and any detached structures on site, so the order can name exactly what to include	The report is not in hand during the inspection itself; you are working from your own field measurements until it arrives
Same day, either way	Orders placed before the sponsor's 6 PM Eastern cutoff deliver the same calendar day, so a report ordered after a midday inspection still supports evening file work	Stops scheduled late in the day should be ordered as soon as the address is confirmed, not left until end of route

Reports can be ordered by property address through Sketch My Roof roof measurement reports, published as Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only $25, and ESX + PDF $29, with no subscription and no minimum order.

Cross-checking pitch on site against the report

A roof measurement report states area in squares (1 square = 100 sq ft) using a pitch multiplier applied to the footprint: multiplier = sqrt(rise squared + run squared) divided by run. A field note of the pitch, even estimated by eye, lets you sanity-check the report's stated area against what you saw on the roof before you finalize the estimate.

The table below shows the multiplier at common pitches, derived from that formula, so a footprint estimate can be converted to squares in the field without waiting on the delivered report.

Pitch	Multiplier	1,500 sq ft footprint -> squares
4/12	1.054	15.8
6/12	1.118	16.8
8/12	1.202	18.0
12/12	1.414	21.2

If your field pitch read and the delivered report's stated pitch disagree by more than one step (for example 6/12 read on site versus 8/12 on the report), request a correction from the delivery email before the figure goes into the estimate.

Evening file work

Import the delivered ESX into Xactimate®, or the XML into Symbility®
Import via the Sketch import option in your estimating platform; menus vary by version, so verify the exact steps in your build against the platform's own documentation.
Reconcile field pitch notes and photo-counted facets against the report's square count
Catching a mismatch the same evening means a revision request goes out immediately rather than after the estimate is already built on the wrong number.
File the PDF exhibit alongside the photo set and close-out note from that stop
A complete file for each claim, assembled the same evening, is what holds up under IA firm or carrier audit later.
Push or log the estimate through the carrier's transfer process (for example XactAnalysis®) if that stop is complete
Same-day transfer keeps the desk adjuster or carrier system moving on the claim rather than waiting on a batch of files at week's end.
Flag any stop needing a revision, reinspection, or missing document
An open item logged the same night gets scheduled into tomorrow's route instead of surfacing as a surprise days later.
Set tomorrow's route from the stops still open
Closing the loop each evening means the next morning's route planning starts from a clean list, not a backlog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I order the roof report before or after inspecting the property?

Either works. Order before if you want a square count and facet layout in hand while you are on the roof, particularly on large or cut-up structures. Order right after if you would rather confirm access and detached structures on site first, then name exactly what the report should include. Orders placed before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff still deliver the same calendar day either way.

How do I keep documentation consistent across a full day of stops?

Run the same fixed sequence at every roof: exterior elevations, access and pitch note, slope-by-slope damage photos, penetrations and flashing, interior only where indicated, then a one-line close-out note. Consistency, not speed, is what makes a file usable by someone reviewing it later.

What is evening file work supposed to cover?

Import the delivered ESX or XML into your estimating platform, reconcile your field pitch and facet notes against the report's stated squares, file the PDF exhibit with the day's photos, push or log completed estimates through the carrier's transfer process, and flag anything needing a revision before setting tomorrow's route.

How do I check whether a delivered report's pitch matches what I saw on the roof?

Apply the pitch multiplier formula, multiplier = sqrt(rise squared + run squared) divided by run, to your field-read pitch and compare the resulting square count to the report. If the two disagree by more than one pitch step, request a correction from the delivery email before finalizing the estimate.

Can a report ordered mid-route still make it into the same day's file work?

Yes, as long as it is ordered before the sponsor's published 6 PM Eastern cutoff. Orders placed earlier in the day from an inspection stop typically arrive well before evening file work begins.

Sources

Published residential menu (Standard ESX $19, Complex-roof ESX $25, PDF-only $25, ESX + PDF $29), no subscription, no minimum, order by address: Sketch My Roof residential order page (as of August 2026)
Same calendar day delivery for orders placed before the 6 PM Eastern cutoff, no expedite fee: Sketch My Roof service facts page (as of August 2026)
ESX import steps and menu locations for Xactimate®: Xactimate® official help center (as of August 2026)
XML import steps and claim workflow for Symbility®: CoreLogic Symbility® claims documentation (as of August 2026)

The field adjuster daily workflow for roof claims