# What is an Xactimate ESX file, and what RoofQuery puts in one

> An ESX file is the estimate file used by Xactimate, the estimating software most North American property insurers and restoration contractors write claims in. Every completed RoofQuery report can be downloaded as an ESX carrying the measured roof geometry, so an adjuster opens a roof that is already sketched instead of redrawing it. Pass a claim number on the order and the file downloads under that number. The ESX route needs no API key.

Category: How it works. Last updated 2026-09-09.
Canonical: https://roofquery.com/guides/what-is-an-xactimate-esx-file

Xactimate, made by [Verisk](https://www.verisk.com/), is the estimating software most North American property insurers and the restoration contractors who work with them use to write and settle claims. An `.esx` file is Xactimate's estimate file. It carries the sketch, the roof geometry and the line items for a job, and it is how a measurement gets from whoever measured the roof into the estimate an adjuster or contractor is writing.

## Why does the ESX matter?

Because a claims user does not want a PDF of measurements. They want the roof already in Xactimate, with facets, pitches and edge lengths in place, so they can price the job without re-drawing anything. A measurement report that does not produce an ESX means someone types every number in by hand, and every retyped number is a supplement waiting to happen.

## What does RoofQuery put in the file?

The measured geometry: every roof plane with its pitch and area, and every edge by type. Every completed report can be downloaded as an ESX from [GET /api/v1/reports/orders/:id/esx](https://roofquery.com/docs/esx). It is built from the same parse as the XML and the PDF, so the ESX cannot disagree with the report.

Pass a `claim` number on the order and the technicians put it on the ESX, and the file downloads as `.esx`, so it lands under the number the estimator already has open. The claim number is set at order time or not at all.

```
curl "https://api.roofquery.com/api/v1/reports/orders/rq_ord_8f3a21c9/esx" \
  -o report.esx

# Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="CLAIM12345.esx"
```

## How does it fit an insurance workflow?

1. A claim is opened and your platform orders a report with the claim number on it.
2. About two hours later for residential, the `completed` webhook fires with the file links.
3. Your platform attaches the ESX to the claim record and the PDF to the file.
4. The adjuster or contractor opens the ESX in Xactimate and starts on line items, not on sketching.

The ESX route needs [no API key](https://roofquery.com/docs/sharing-a-report), so the link can be handed to a field adjuster or a contractor directly. The full workflow is in [roof measurements in insurance claims](https://roofquery.com/guides/roof-measurements-in-insurance-claims).

## How does ESX compare with the other formats?

| Format | Who it is for | Branding |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF | Homeowners, sales, anyone reading | Yours, applied at download |
| XML | Your own software | None |
| ESX | Xactimate users | Carries the claim number |
| Diagrams | Proposals, portals, your own PDFs | SVG or PNG, embed anywhere |

## Frequently asked questions

### Does RoofQuery export to Xactimate?

Yes. Every completed report is available as an Xactimate ESX file from the API, at no extra cost, under the claim number you set on the order.

### Can I open a RoofQuery ESX without an API key?

Yes. The ESX, PDF, XML and diagram routes are keyless. The order id is the credential, so the link can be sent to an adjuster or contractor directly.

### Is the ESX included in the $13 residential price?

Yes. The PDF, XML, ESX and diagrams are all part of one report at $13 residential or $35 commercial.