What Is an Xactimate Supplement (and How Do You Build One Fast)?
By Chaz Jaco, Co-Founder & Software Architect, ESXPress - Last updated:
A supplement is a second estimate that asks the carrier to pay for work the original scope missed: same claim, new money. The difficulty is not writing the estimate, it is knowing what the carrier left out. ESXPress reads the carrier's scope PDF, or a scope XML export when you have one, and rebuilds it as an import-ready Xactimate ESX file in about two minutes, with line items mapped to SEL codes and the printed price kept on every line. Dashboard conversions then run a 93-rule completeness check, and every flag carries a citation behind it, the IRC and IECC where the requirement is code-based, so omissions such as ice and water shield, drip edge, ventilation, and code-required upgrades appear as written findings, not memory tests. Scopes of 1,000+ line items count as one conversion; five a month are free, no card.
A supplement is a second estimate that asks the carrier to pay for work the original scope missed — same claim, new money. When tear-off exposes decking rot the first scope never listed, that is a supplement, not a new claim. The estimate is written against the carrier's own document, and it dies or wins on documentation.
When you need one
- Tear-off revealed damage: decking, rafter tails, fascia, underlayment the original scope never listed.
- Code requirements: regional codes demand items the estimate omitted — the required set varies by jurisdiction.
- Quantities changed: more squares, different pitch, extra layers — discovered reality replaces the estimate.
- Photo/satellite scopes: an estimate written before full access; the roof after tear-off is a different job.
The supplement workflow
Step 1: Get the original scope
The carrier's scope, usually a PDF, sometimes a scope XML export, is the baseline: line items, quantities, and the prices they listed. A supplement is built against this document, not from memory.
Step 2: Find what the scope missed
Tear-off exposes what the estimate could not see: decking rot, code-required items, damaged underlayment, quantities that changed. Run the scope against the completeness rules to catch the omissions.
Step 3: Price the missed work
Every line maps to a real Xactimate SEL code, and the price follows the source - the carrier's own document or the current catalog. Never a guess.
Step 4: Write the supplement estimate
The supplement is its own estimate with its own structure - folders, line items, notes. The original estimate stays untouched; the supplement claims only the new work.
Step 5: Cite the requirement
Each flagged line carries the citation behind it, the IRC or IECC where the requirement is code-based, the manufacturer's or standard's guidance where it is not. A supplement with citations moves; one without documentation drags the claim.
Step 6: Send and rebut
Send the supplement with the before-picture and the per-line comparison. When the carrier replies with a partial denial, the appeal is the same discipline: citations, comparisons, and the line items the original scope omitted.
Where ESXPress fits
ESXPress converts the carrier's scope: PDF or scope XML, into an import-ready Xactimate .esx — line items mapped to real SEL codes, priced from the scope. Dashboard conversions then run the 93-rule completeness audit with the citation behind every flag, which flags the line items the original scope left off: the supplement's shopping list. Convert the scope with Convert scope to ESX, understand what happens on import with Repricing explained, and start from what an ESX file is.
Sources and standards cited on this page
Cited for the code and completeness requirements referenced above.
Common questions
What is an Xactimate supplement?
A supplement is a second estimate that asks the carrier to pay for work the original scope missed - same claim, new money. In Xactimate, it is usually its own estimate or a merge into the original project.
When do I need one?
When the tear-off reveals damage the original scope never listed, when regional codes require items the estimate omitted, or when quantities changed between estimate and reality.
How does ESXPress help with supplements?
ESXPress converts the carrier's scope: PDF or scope XML, into an import-ready .esx: line items mapped to real SEL codes, priced from the scope. Dashboard conversions then run a 93-rule completeness audit with the citation behind every flag, so you see exactly what the original scope carried and what it left off.
What does a supplement cost to produce?
ESXPress charges per conversion (PDF or XML to .esx), not per line: the free plan includes 5 conversions a month, paid plans start at $179/mo, and pay-as-you-go credit packs start at $29 for 1 file. See pricing for the current table.
Will Xactimate change my supplement prices on import?
Xactimate reprices estimates on import against the price list loaded on that machine - that is the platform's behavior, not an error. The explainer covers what moves and why.
Related: insurance supplement for roofers — the roofer's version of this walkthrough — the roofing supplement software comparison, and the PDF to ESX converter page.
Xactimate is a registered trademark of Verisk Analytics, Inc. ESXPress is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Verisk/Xactware. Published per-conversion pricing is the site's own; Xactimate's own pricing is not published here.