A billing software demo should prove how the system handles the firm’s real workflow.
A polished dashboard is not enough.
The demonstration should show what happens when:
A lawyer records time late
A time entry uses the wrong matter
A client requires UTBMS codes
A rate changes during the year
A prebill needs several corrections
An invoice is rejected by an eBilling portal
A payment is partially applied
A user lacks permission
An integration fails
The firm needs to find the audit history
The best demo is built around realistic matters and exceptions rather than a generic feature tour.
Before the Demo
Prepare a short requirements document containing:
Firm size
Practice areas
Offices and jurisdictions
Number of timekeepers
Billing arrangements
Current systems
Required integrations
Client eBilling portals
Accounting requirements
Security requirements
Migration scope
Reporting needs
Main workflow problems
Select two or three representative matters.
Example scenarios:
Hourly litigation matter with UTBMS codes and outside counsel guidelines
Fixed-fee transaction with a budget and milestone invoices
Multi-office matter with currency, taxes, and several approved rates
Ask the vendor to use these scenarios during the demo.
Define the Product Category
Before scoring the product, confirm what it actually is:
Timekeeping software
Time and billing software
Practice-management software
Accounting software
eBilling administration software
Client eBilling platform
Payment software
Reporting and analytics software
A product may cover several categories, but the depth varies.
Ask:
Which system is the source of truth for clients and matters?
Which system owns time entries?
Which system owns rates?
Which system creates invoices?
Which system records payments?
Which system maintains the ledger?
Demo Scenario
Ask the vendor to demonstrate this end-to-end sequence:
Create or select a client and matter.
Add approved timekeepers and rates.
Configure a billing arrangement.
Record time and expenses.
Apply task and activity codes.
Review and correct entries.
Generate a prebill.
Apply a write-down and preserve the reason.
Approve the invoice.
Generate a LEDES file.
Handle a validation rejection.
Resubmit the invoice.
Record a partial payment.
Show WIP, receivable, realization, and audit reports.
A vendor that cannot demonstrate the workflow should explain which external systems are required.
Timekeeping Demo Checklist
Ask the vendor to show:
Manual time entry
Start-and-stop timer
Multiple draft timers
Mobile entry
Calendar-based entry
Passive activity capture
AI-assisted time entry
Billable and non-billable time
Fixed-fee time tracking
Entry templates
Matter suggestions
Billing-code suggestions
Narrative drafting
Daily review
Split, merge, edit, and exclude
Approval before release
Late-time reminders
Missing-time reports
Duplicate and overlap detection
Key questions:
Can lawyers review time where they already work?
Can the system show source activity?
Can personal activity be excluded?
Is captured activity automatically billable?
Can the firm require same-day submission?
Can different clients use different code sets?
Client and Matter Setup
Test:
New client creation
Matter intake
Matter numbering
Multiple billing contacts
Multiple entities
Matter status
Matter phases
Responsible and billing lawyer
Team permissions
Matter budgets
Purchase orders
Client-specific guidelines
Alternative fee arrangements
Closed-matter controls
Conflict with duplicate names
Ask how changes synchronize across integrated systems.
Timekeeper and Rate Management
Ask the vendor to demonstrate:
Timekeeper setup
Role and classification
Standard rate
Client rate
Matter rate
Effective-dated rate change
Discount
Alternative fee
Rate approval
Rate history
Rate exception
Multi-currency rate
Timekeeper deactivation
Test what happens when:
A timekeeper is not approved
The invoice uses an old rate
A rate changes mid-period
The client rejects a rate
A timekeeper changes role
Prebill Review
Ask to see:
Prebill generation
Billing-attorney assignment
Batch review
Narrative editing
Matter transfer
Time splitting
Write-down
No-charge treatment
Expense removal
Rate correction
Budget warning
Approval routing
Locked periods
Version history
Commenting
Reversal and reissue
Ask whether changes update the source entry and whether the original value is preserved.
Invoice Generation
Test:
Hourly invoice
Fixed-fee invoice
Blended rate
Retainer application
Discount
Credit
Tax
Multiple currencies
Expense documentation
Detailed and summary formats
Multiple billing contacts
Consolidated invoice
Split billing
Invoice numbering
PDF generation
Email delivery
Client portal delivery
Ask to see the exact invoice templates and editing controls.
eBilling and LEDES
Ask the vendor to demonstrate:
Supported LEDES formats
UTBMS task and activity codes
Timekeeper classification
Matter identifier mapping
Rate validation
File validation
Error message
Correction workflow
Resubmission
Portal status
Accrual submission
Timekeeper and rate updates
Invoice attachment
Rejection report
Key questions:
Does the product generate, validate, submit, or only export?
Which portals have direct integrations?
Can the system use standardized LEDES error codes?
Can corrections be returned to the source system?
Can the firm see all pending invoices across portals?
Accounting and Payments
Confirm whether the software provides or integrates with:
General ledger
Accounts receivable
Accounts payable
Bank reconciliation
Cash receipts
Client or trust accounting
Tax records
Financial statements
Expense reimbursement
Credit card
ACH
Payment plans
Payment allocation
Refunds
Write-offs
Multi-entity accounting
Do not assume that invoice generation equals full accounting.
Ask the vendor to explain which accounting controls are native and which require another product.
Reporting and Analytics
Request reports for:
Billable hours
Non-billable hours
Utilization
Missing time
Submission lag
WIP
WIP aging
Prebill status
Billing realization
Collection realization
Accounts receivable aging
Write-downs
Write-offs
Invoice rejections
Matter profitability
Timekeeper performance
Budget variance
Client concentration
Billing-code analysis
Ask:
Can users drill into the source entries?
Are formulas documented?
Can reports be scheduled?
Can data be exported?
Can role-based dashboards be created?
Can the firm connect a separate BI platform?
Authoritative References
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask during a legal billing software demo?
Ask the vendor to demonstrate a complete matter from time capture through prebill, invoice, eBilling, payment, and reporting, including realistic errors.
Should a demo use the vendor’s sample data?
Sample data is useful, but the firm should provide representative scenarios and requirements.
How many vendors should a law firm demo?
There is no required number. Compare enough qualified products to understand the available approaches without creating an unmanageable process.
Should security be covered in the live demo?
Yes, but the firm should also request written security, privacy, architecture, and contractual documentation.
Is MIRA a legal billing system?
MIRA is an AI timekeeping and time-entry solution that can integrate approved time with supported finance systems. It is not a full billing or accounting replacement.
