Xactimate is the estimating platform most US carriers write roofing claims in, and its estimates pack a lot into a dense grid. Once you know what each part means, you can check the carrier's numbers in minutes instead of squinting at a PDF.
The line-item grid
The body of the estimate is a table where each row is one line item. Across the row you will typically see: a code, a description, the quantity, the unit, the unit price, tax, then the RCV, depreciation, and ACV. Every roof component — shingles, underlayment, flashing, ridge, gutters — gets its own row.
Codes and descriptions
Each line carries a category/selector code from Xactimate's price list (for example RFG for roofing). The description spells out the work in plain language. The code matters because it ties the line to the current month's pricing.
Quantities and units
Watch the units. Roofing is measured in squares (SQ) — one square is 100 square feet — while flashing and edges are in linear feet (LF) and some items are each (EA). A quantity that looks low is often just a unit you read wrong.
The money columns: RCV, depreciation, ACV
RCV is the full replacement cost of the line today. Depreciation is the value lost to age and wear. ACV is RCV minus depreciation — what the carrier usually pays first. If the policy has recoverable depreciation, the rest is released after the work is done and invoiced.
The summary page
At the end you will find the totals: the line-item total, overhead and profit (O&P) where it applies, sales tax, the net claim, the deductible, withheld depreciation, and the net amount payable. This is where you confirm the bottom line matches the line items.
How to check it fast
The quickest way to audit an estimate is to get it out of the PDF and into a spreadsheet, where you can sort, total, and compare it against your own inspection line by line.