What is an SDE?
An SDE is a detailed calculation record that estimates damage costs and compares them to a building’s depreciated market value. When the calculated percentage reaches or exceeds 50%, the property qualifies as substantially damaged under NFIP requirements and must be brought into compliance with current floodplain standards. Key capabilities:- Automated depreciation calculations based on building condition
- Element-by-element damage assessment with pre-configured percentages
- Automatic percentage calculation (damage cost ÷ market value)
- Summary page with formatted calculation breakdown
- One-click generation of linked SI/SD determination records
SDEs are calculation records that feed into SI/SD Tracking. After completing an SDE, you can generate an official SI/SD determination record with pre-populated data.
SDE form types
Forerunner provides two SDE form configurations optimized for different building types:Residential SDE
For single-family homes, townhouses, manufactured homes, and other residential structures
Non-Residential SDE
For commercial buildings, public facilities, and other non-residential structures
Residential SDE fields
General information:- Inspector/team name
- Event name
- Cause of damage (flooding, earthquake, hail, wind, wildfire, winter weather, landslide, tornado, etc.)
- Flood depth above floor and ground (if applicable)
- Flood duration
- Assessment date
- Residential type (single family, town/row, manufactured, unknown)
- Number of stories
- Foundation type
- Superstructure type
- Roof covering
- Exterior finish
- Heating and cooling systems
- Depreciation determination (condition scale 1-6)
- Construction quality (optional)
- Property market value calculation method:
- Square footage estimate (sqft × cost/sqft × adjustment ratio)
- Other replacement cost estimate
- Replacement cost source
| Category | Elements |
|---|---|
| Exterior | Foundation, Superstructure, Roof covering, Exterior finish, Skirting/Forms/Piers |
| Interior | Interior finish, Doors & windows, Cabinets & countertops, Floor finish, Appliances |
| Utilities | Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC |
- Additional market value options (square footage estimate, automated assessed value, or other estimate)
- Notes field
- Photo uploads (up to 10 images, JPEG/PNG, 30MB per file)
Non-residential SDE fields
Non-residential SDEs include similar sections but with element breakdowns appropriate for commercial and public buildings. Your Customer Success Manager configures these based on your community’s assessment standards.Automatic calculations
The SDE module performs several calculations automatically as you enter data:Depreciation calculation
Depreciation is calculated based on the building’s condition rating:| Condition | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Very Poor | 1 | Significant deterioration, major repairs needed |
| Poor | 2 | Notable wear, repairs recommended |
| Fair | 3 | Average condition, normal maintenance |
| Good | 4 | Above average, well maintained |
| Very Good | 5 | Excellent condition, minor wear |
| Excellent | 6 | Like new, minimal depreciation |
Element breakdown
Each structural element has a standard percentage of the total structure cost. When you enter a damage percentage for an element:Total damage calculation
Total damages are the sum of all element damage values:50% threshold determination
The final percentage determines if the property is substantially damaged:Creating an SDE
Navigate to the property
Find the property on the map or in the Properties table and open its details page.
Start a new SDE record
From the property page:
- Click Add Record
- Select the appropriate SDE type (Residential or Non-Residential)
- System pre-populates property information
Enter general information
Complete the assessment context:
- Inspector name
- Event name (if disaster-related)
- Cause of damage
- Flood details (if applicable)
- Assessment date
Document structure information
Enter building characteristics:
- Building type and configuration
- Foundation and construction type
- Number of stories
- Condition rating for depreciation
Calculate market value
Choose a valuation method:
- Square footage estimate: Enter sqft, cost per sqft, and adjustment ratio
- Other estimate: Enter a direct replacement cost value
- System calculates depreciated value automatically
Assess element damages
For each structural element:
- Review the element (foundation, roof, electrical, etc.)
- Enter the estimated damage percentage (0-100%)
- System calculates the damage cost for that element
SDE summary page
After saving an SDE, Forerunner displays a summary page with: Calculation breakdown:- Basis for replacement cost (method used)
- Total replacement cost
- Depreciation applied
- Depreciated market value
| Element | Structure % | Cost | Damage % | Damage Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 8% | $16,000 | 50% | $8,000 |
| Superstructure | 15% | $30,000 | 25% | $7,500 |
| … | … | … | … | … |
- Total damage cost
- Percentage of market value
- Whether 50% threshold is exceeded
Generating SI/SD determinations
When an SDE shows the property exceeds the 50% threshold, you can generate a linked SI/SD determination record:- Review the SDE summary page
- Click Create SD record button
- System creates a new SI/SD determination with:
- Property information pre-populated
- Calculation results from the SDE
- Link back to the source SDE
- Determination date
- Add any additional notes or documentation
- Save the SI/SD determination
Creating SI/SD records from SDEs maintains the connection between calculations and determinations. This is valuable for audits and CRS verification visits.
Invariants (persisted calculations)
SDE records store calculated values as “invariants” that persist even if the form structure changes in the future:- Total structure cost
- Total depreciation percentage
- Depreciated value
- Total damage cost
- Percentage of value
- Element-by-element breakdowns
Mobile data collection
SDEs can be created in the field using the mobile app: Field workflow:- Navigate to property on mobile device
- Open property details and create new SDE record
- Enter structure information while on-site
- Assess damage element-by-element
- Capture photos documenting damage
- Save record (syncs when online)
- Review summary in office
- Generate SI/SD determination if threshold exceeded
Integration with other workflows
From PDAs to SDEs
After completing Preliminary Damage Assessments:- IA PDA identifies property with Major or Destroyed damage
- Create detailed SDE for accurate cost calculation
- Review SDE summary to determine if threshold is met
- Generate SI/SD determination if ≥50%
To SI/SD determinations
SDEs feed into the broader SI/SD Tracking workflow:- Complete SDE with damage assessment
- Generate linked SI/SD determination record
- SI/SD record tracks compliance requirements
- Multiple SDEs over time support cumulative tracking
Permit integration
Reference SDE calculations in permit workflows:- Link SDE findings to repair permits
- Use damage percentages for compliance requirements
- Track rebuild progress against SDE baseline
Exporting SDE data
Export SDEs for reporting and documentation: Included in exports:- All form field values
- Calculated invariants (totals, percentages, breakdowns)
- Property information
- Record metadata
- Links to related SI/SD records
- CSV - Spreadsheet format with all data
- Shapefile - GIS format with spatial data
- GeoPackage - Modern GIS format
Configuring SDE record types
If the Record Builder is enabled for your account, you can customize SDE forms yourself—adding fields, adjusting labels, and configuring permissions. See Customizing Records for details. Your Customer Success Manager can help with specialized SDE module configuration:Standard configurations
- Residential SDE with standard element percentages
- Non-residential SDE with commercial element breakdowns
- Depreciation scales matching your methodology
- Market value calculation options
Custom configurations
Your CSM can help with:- Additional structure types or elements
- Custom depreciation formulas
- Integration with local assessor data
- Modified element percentages
- Additional documentation requirements
Contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss SDE configurations or align forms with your community’s assessment protocols.
Best practices
Accurate assessments
Use consistent methodology:- Apply the same condition ratings across properties
- Follow established damage assessment standards
- Document your basis for percentages
- Photograph each damaged element
- Include wide shots and close-ups
- Capture context showing damage extent
- Review the summary page before finalizing
- Check that element percentages reflect actual damage
- Confirm market value source is appropriate
Data quality
Complete all fields:- Don’t skip optional fields that provide context
- Document flood depth and duration for flood events
- Note any limitations on your assessment
- Don’t delete SDEs—create new ones for updated assessments
- Link SDEs to their resulting SI/SD determinations
- Keep photo documentation accessible
Compliance documentation
Support audits:- Export SDE data for CRS verification visits
- Maintain calculation history for each property
- Document your assessment methodology
- Use SDEs for both damage and improvement tracking
- Reference previous SDEs when properties are reassessed
- Maintain cumulative records for rolling period calculations
Related topics
- SI/SD Tracking - SI/SD determinations and compliance tracking
- Preliminary Damage Assessments - Initial damage assessments
- Creating Records - Step-by-step creation guide
- Exporting Records - Export data for reporting