What an ESX file is

An ESX is the file format Xactimate®, the estimating platform most carriers and adjusters run, uses for an estimate. When a roof measurement arrives as an ESX, the roof geometry (facets, pitches, eave, rake, ridge, hip, valley lengths) is already in the file as a sketch, so you price line items instead of drawing a roof. Import behavior varies by Xactimate® version; the platform's own documentation covers the steps.

Why a contractor cares

Because half of most roofing shops in hail country is insurance work, and the insurance side runs on Xactimate®. A PDF report is a picture of a roof; an ESX is a roof the software understands. If your measurement tool only gives you a PDF, somebody is redrawing the roof in Xactimate® on every claim, and that somebody is you or an employee you are paying.

Which tools give you one

On our board: Sketch My Roof delivers ESX as its standard product ($19 standard, $25 complex), with XML for Symbility® shops; EagleView delivers ESX via EagleView One / Xactimate® integration; HOVER includes ESX among its exports; RoofScope offers ESX as an add-on on top of a plan. Roofr, GAF QuickMeasure, RoofSnap, and iRoofing are, in our read, retail-first tools that are not positioned around the ESX deliverable; check each vendor's current export list if you need one. See the insurance restoration ranking.

ESX vs XML vs PDF

ESX is for Xactimate®. XML is the equivalent for Symbility®. PDF is a static exhibit for the claim file or the homeowner. A shop on Xactimate® orders ESX; a shop on Symbility® orders XML; both usually want the PDF too. Sketch My Roof publishes ESX + PDF at $29 as one order.

When it won't open

Check the Xactimate® version and import path first; official documentation covers it. If it is the measurement rather than the import, use the provider's revision policy. Sketch My Roof publishes that reports are reviewed before delivery and revised at no charge; check each provider's terms.

The short version

If you write insurance estimates, buy a tool that delivers ESX as the standard product, not an export you hunt for. It is the single biggest time saver on the restoration side of a roofing shop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ESX file?
The estimate file format for Xactimate®. A roof measurement delivered as ESX arrives with the roof sketch already in it.
Which roof measurement tools deliver ESX?
Sketch My Roof (standard product), EagleView (via EagleView One / integration), HOVER (export), RoofScope (add-on).
Do I need ESX for retail work?
No. ESX matters for insurance estimates written in Xactimate®. Retail-only shops usually want a PDF and a proposal tool.
What is XML for?
Symbility®, the other estimating platform. Sketch My Roof delivers XML for Symbility® shops.

Sources & verification