Have you ever wished you could just re-assign your Xactimate estimates to someone else to write for you?

You know, like the way the big TPA firms do?  If only there was a way that, when an assignment hits your “Inbox” via XactAnalysis, you could simply re-assign it to someone else.

Then, once they were done creating the Xactimate estimate, it would magically re-appear in your “Inbox”.  Then all you’d have to do is hit “Complete” and the assignment and completed estimate would be automatically sent to XactAnalysis for the vultures… I mean “adjusters” to pick at.

Well, now you can do just that.

Now this just might not be a new development.  This very well could have existed since the old days of XM8 23.0 (oh, the good ‘ol days).  If it did exist, no one out there bothered to tell me. (Thanks for nothing guys).  So I just discovered this and it’s blowing my mind.  I thought it only right to share.

I’ve been writing Xactimate estimates for contractors for over fifteen years.  Along the way I’ve never received any formal training.  I’ve been writing estimates independently for the past three years and there’s always been some estimates I just couldn’t write for folks: program jobs.

You see, when USAA (Crawford) or State Farm (PSP) send out their assignments, they come in the form of Xactimate estimates downloaded via XactAnalysis.  These program assignments come pre-filled with all the profile and policy mumbo-jumbo that each carrier likes to use.  When you try to perform a “standard” data transfer operation (ESX email and import/export), this mumbo-jumbo has a tendency to get messed up – especially if the recipient doesn’t have the proper profile installed.

This means that the only way a guy like me could help these “program” contractors write estimates was to sit in their office or use their laptops with the properly installed Xactimate and profiles.  It was such a pain that most (that I know of) gave up on it.

Now things are different.

Using my Xactnet address (CLAIMS.PORTLAND.OR) and the process I’m about to lay out below, I am now able to manipulate Xactimate estimates and send them back to my clients for upload without the carrier or TPA being any wiser.  Sound cool? Let’s take a look…

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1) Open Xactimate Control Panel

Do this on the computer which already has the assignment/estimate downloaded.  If you haven’t downloaded it yet, hit “Connect”, select the intended assignment, and click “Accept”.

Now look up at the top right side of the Control Panel and click on “Data Transfer.”

2) Transfer Type

Select “Transfer Type – XactAnalysis” and “Action – Send data via XactAnalysis.”

3) Type Recipient’s Xactnet Address

Each instance or install of Xactimate should have its own Xactnet address.  If you don’t know what yours is, look at the top bar of your Xactimate screen.  Also, at the top left you can click on “Xactimate” , “Help”, then “About Xactimate..” and it will be right there below your Serial Number.

IMPORTANT: Whoever you are sending this assignment to needs to have the proper profile installed prior to receiving the assignment from you.  If not, they’ll still get it, but it won’t transfer back to you the way you want it.

If you want me to explain how to get new profiles installed, you’ll have to send a Tweet to @TheClaimDoctor.  If I get a tweet, I’ll go ahead and write another post explaining how I do it.

Now click “Select Item(s)” to choose which estimate/assignment to send.

4) Choose Which Assignment to Send

Once again, it is important that the person you are sending the estimate to has the correct Profile installed.  Also, you can only send estimates that are marked “A/In Progress” or “In Progress.”

Be sure to select “Show All” in the top right.
showall

Select the project you would like to send then click, you guessed it, “Send.”  If you would like to send multiple projects at once, simply hold the CTRL key while clicking on the projects.  Xactimate, in their infinite wisdom, made this a multiple-page form.  You may have to rearrange the order by date or name to get the projects you want in the list at the same time.

You should see a “Transfer Results” window with a “Succeeded” message in the Status box.  Close this window.

5) “Connect” to Send

The last step on your end of things is to click on “Connect.”  This will send any assignements in your Outbox to their recipients.

Congratulations! You just sent your first assignement via XactAnalysis!  XactAnalysis calls this a “re-routed” assignment.

Now it’s up to the recipient, your estimator, to do the next steps.

6) Estimator Receives Xactimate Assignment

The recipient, the person who’s Xactnet address you typed into Step 3, now only has to click their own “Connect” button.  Your assignment will be downloaded into their Inbox.  Like any other normal assignment, they simply select it and click “Accept” to bring it into their Xactimate.

7) Mark Estimate Complete and Exit

This process should be familiar to most.  In order to upload completed estimates, you first have to change its status to “A/Completed”.  The only difference is that now, instead of the estimate being sent to the adjuster or carrier, it is sent back to YOU or the Xactnet address that “re-routed” it in the first place.

Click to Exit the estimate once the Estimate Status is “Completed.”

8) Connect to Send Back

When you “Complete” an estimate which has been assigned, either from the carrier or re-routed from a contractor, that estimate is moved to the Outbox.  If you want to double check before sending, simply select the “Outbox” and the “Assignments/Projects” folder.

The assignment in question should already be marked to “Send”.  Now they just have to “Connect” to return the completed estimate.

Now it’s back to you for final preparations.

9) Connect to Accept

After your estimator has Completed and sent the estimate, you should receive it shortly.

Have them email or text you that it has been uploaded.  Then you will know to open the Xactimate Control Panel and click “Connect.”  You should see the assignment come through as a “Corrected Estimate.”  Select it and click “Accept” like you would any other assignments.

Congratulations!

You just sent an Xactimate assignment like a Pro!  Now all you have to do is review it, make sure it fits your company guidelines and expectations, and “complete” it.

This time, the assignment will be sent to Xactanalysis for the adjuster or TPA.  When they request changes, and you’d like your estimator to make them, simply repeat the process.  Returned assignments will usually be marked with a “1” or “2” depending on how many times it has been returned.

That’s it.  Any questions?  Feel free to email me: [email protected]