Brief Accounting
Brief Accounting is software for law firms that brings legal billing, trust accounting and office accounting together.
What Brief Accounting is
Brief Accounting is software for law firms that brings legal billing, trust accounting and office accounting together. Brief Billing handles slip entry, prebills, invoice processing, accounts receivable and batch receipts. Its included Brief EnCounter application supports default rates and one-click start and stop timing. Invoice choices include consolidated-client, split-billing, task-based and LEDES formats. For trust work, the software supports multiple bank accounts, reconciliations, transaction audit trails and trust ledgers. Office Accounting adds accounts payable, a general ledger, automated tax tracking and financial statements. Billing reports can be exported for use in Excel. The company says it can import Excel data and other machine-readable formats, and regularly converts Timeslips and PCLaw users. Subscriptions include unlimited phone and email support, plus an online knowledge base and training materials. The software is paid and runs on macOS and Windows. The Brief Office Accounting add-on is $30 a month; pricing for other listed plans is not provided.
Good
- Supports multiple trust bank accounts and reconciliations
- Offers several invoice formats, including LEDES
- Exports billing reports to Excel
- Subscriptions include unlimited phone and email support
Watch out
- Timekeeper licenses are needed for users billed under their names
- Brief Accounting Pro pricing requires contacting the company
Who it suits
It suits solo practitioners and law firms of varying sizes that need billing and accounting tools. Larger teams needing simultaneous access can consider Brief Accounting Pro.
Verdict
Brief Accounting combines billing, trust records and office finances in one law-firm product. Its range of invoice formats and accounting features may suit firms looking to manage these workflows together.
Plans and prices
From Brief Accounting's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | C$24.95 a month | Pricing shown by Capterra; feature-based billing · Per Feature, Per Month |
| Brief Office Accounting add-on | $30 a month | General office accounting and financial reporting · $30/month |
| Brief Accounting Pro | Priced on request | Client/server solution for firms needing simultaneous access for multiple bookkeepers or office administrators · Contact for pricing |
| Brief Accounting subscription for small and medium sized firms | Priced on request | Setup, training, unlimited telephone and email support, updates and version upgrades |
The facts
Each one read from Brief Accounting's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Accounts receivable
- Accounts-receivable tools include receipts, payments across matters, aged receivables reports, client ledgers, statements, flat-fee invoices, and integrated accounting entries.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Architecture
- The product uses web-based time entry alongside a desktop client/server accounting application for billing, trust, receivables, payables, and reporting.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Data control
- The maker says firms retain control of accounting data, backups, and the hosting environment.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Data import
- The company says it can import data from Excel or other machine-readable formats and regularly converts Timeslips and PCLaw users.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The Zendesk help center organizes documentation into time and billing, receivables, office accounting, trust, general ledger, payables, reports, exports, installation, permissions, and troubleshooting sections.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Brief EnCounter exchanges matter lists and slips with Brief Accounting through text export and import files.checked 21 Oct 2026
- File-sharing integrations
- The support documentation describes shared folders, Dropbox, Google Drive, or email as ways to move EnCounter exchange files.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Historical pricing
- A 2007 Canadian Lawyer software survey listed Brief Accounting's starting cost as $995 and its current release year as 2007.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes Brief Accounting as suitable for solo practitioners and firms of varying sizes, with Brief Accounting Pro for larger teams needing simultaneous access.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Invoice formats
- Invoice options include consolidated client, split-billing, task-based and LEDES formats.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Licence
- The reviewed official pages do not identify an open-source licence or state that Brief Accounting is open source.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: scale
- That Capterra reviewer said the product became uncomfortable for a larger operation handling roughly 100 to 1,500 daily operations.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: workflow clicks
- The G2 reviewer described the interface as sometimes clunky and wished it required fewer clicks.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Migration
- Brief Legal offers review and conversion of client and matter data, unbilled time and disbursements, trust and receivables balances, chart of accounts, and trial balance.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Module purchasing
- Billing, Trust, and Office Accounting are integrated but can be purchased according to the firm's requirements.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Office accounting
- Office accounting includes general-office cheques, accounts payable, vendor invoices, a general ledger, chart of accounts, and adjusting journal entries.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Offline operation
- The maker says the central accounting team can continue working when internet connectivity is unavailable.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Operating history
- The maker says it has been in law firms since 1985 and serves clients across North America.checked 21 Oct 2026
Money
- Billing
- Brief Billing supports slip entry, prebills, invoice processing, accounts receivable and batch receipts.checked 4 Oct 2026
The company
- Company founded
- LinkedIn lists Brief Legal Software Inc. as founded in 2002.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Brief Legal Software Inc. as privately held with 2–10 employees.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1985checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- The maker identifies Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as its location and lists a Vancouver contact address.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Maker history
- Brief Legal Software says it has been in law firms since 1985 and develops, sells and supports Brief Accounting across North America.checked 4 Oct 2026
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