Quick answerA roof measurement report arrives as ESX for Xactimate®, XML for Symbility®, or PDF, depending on the format ordered. Each file type opens in a different application and belongs in a different part of the claim folder; filing or importing the wrong one is the most common failure point in the workflow. Confirm the format ordered matches what the desk's software consumes before the delivery email is closed.

What arrives and where each file goes

The delivery email can carry one attachment or two, depending on the format selected at checkout. The table below maps each file type to the application that opens it, the place it belongs in the claim folder, and the specific way the file or the estimate breaks if that mapping is ignored.

File typeOpens inBelongs inFails if
ESXXactimate®Estimate folder, imported before line items are builtImport fails or facets are missing if the file was built for a different Xactimate® profile version than the one installed; check the version noted in the delivery email against the desk's build.
XMLSymbility®Estimate folder, imported at claim setupImport is rejected if the schema predates the platform version in use; confirm the supported schema list before filing the estimate.
PDFAny PDF reader, no claim software requiredDocumentation folder, attached to correspondence with the homeowner or the carrierPitch table or facet labels become unreadable if the PDF was flattened or recompressed by an email gateway; keep and file the original attachment, not a forwarded copy.
ESX + PDF bundleXactimate® (ESX) and any PDF reader (PDF)Estimate folder (ESX) and documentation folder (PDF), filed separately from one orderOne file goes missing if only the first attachment in the delivery email is saved; the bundle arrives as two separate files, not one. Sketch My Roof roof measurement reports lists this bundle at $29, alongside Standard ESX ($19), Complex-roof ESX ($25), and PDF-only ($25).

File naming

The file name on delivery usually carries the property address or an order number, not the claim number. Rename the file to the claim number before it is filed, using whatever naming convention the desk already applies to other claim documents.

A workable pattern is claim number, file type, and date, for example 24-0451-ESX-0815. The exact pattern matters less than applying it the same way across every claim in the file room, since that consistency is what makes the file findable when it is reopened months later for a supplement or a subpoena.

Folder placement and storage

Store the ESX or XML in the same location as the estimate file itself, not in a general attachments folder, since that is where the estimator will look before opening Xactimate® or Symbility®. Store the PDF in the documentation folder with the photos and scope narrative; it functions as a printed exhibit, not a working file.

Keep the original delivery email in addition to the saved file. It records the order details and is the reference point if a revision is requested later. If the file server enforces a version limit or retention policy, treat the email as the backup copy of record.

Importing without breaking the file

  1. Confirm the application and version

    Check which Xactimate® build or Symbility® platform version is installed before importing. Menus vary by version; verify in your build.

  2. Import the ESX or XML

    In Xactimate®, bring the ESX in via the Sketch import option (the exact menu path varies by version). In Symbility®, import the XML through the platform's estimate setup step.

  3. Cross-check against the PDF

    Compare the imported facet count and pitch values against the PDF exhibit before removing the PDF from the review queue.

  4. File the PDF and the delivery email

    Once the ESX or XML is confirmed to import cleanly, save the PDF and the original delivery email into the documentation folder.

Format by claim system

Verisk™ desks ordering through Xactimate® Integration ordering receive the same ESX format used for standard Xactimate® imports; the ordering path is different, the delivered file is not. Desks that run both Xactimate® and Symbility® on the same claim should file the ESX and the XML side by side in the estimate folder, named for the platform each one targets, so the estimator opens the correct file for the correct software.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I ordered PDF-only but the desk needed ESX?
Request the additional format from the delivery email rather than placing a new order; the published terms allow corrections and revisions from that email without re-measuring the roof.
Can one order deliver both ESX and PDF?
Yes. The ESX + PDF bundle delivers both files from a single order. Save the ESX to the estimate folder and the PDF to the documentation folder separately.
Does the ESX file work in any version of Xactimate®?
Confirm compatibility before filing the estimate. Menus and supported profile versions vary by build; verify in your installed version before importing.
The PDF looks different after being forwarded by email. Why?
Some email gateways compress or flatten attachments in transit. Keep and file the original attachment from the delivery email rather than a forwarded copy.
Where does the XML file belong if the desk uses both Xactimate® and Symbility®?
File it in the estimate folder alongside the ESX, named for the platform it targets, so the correct file is opened for the correct software.

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