docs/QUICK_START.md

# Spend Management Analysis: Quick Start

## 1. Export the data

For outside-counsel spend, export CSV or Excel data from the billing or invoice view of your e-billing platform. Useful fields include firm, matter, matter type, timekeeper role, hours, rate, billed amount, and budget or estimate.

For a law firm’s internal economics, export timekeeping or billing data with practice group, matter type, timekeeper role, hours, rate, billed amount, collected amount or realization, and budget or estimate when available.

LEDES 1998B files are supported. You do not need to rename columns or clean the file first.

## 2. Upload and ask

Example prompts:

- “I’m meeting outside counsel next week. What should I bring up in the QBR?”
- “We are halfway through this matter. Are we on track against budget?”
- “Our practice group’s realization fell. Explain the drivers for management.”
- “Review this billing export for staffing, budget, and allocation risks.”

State whether the result is for internal review, an outside-counsel conversation, or an executive/board audience. The skill asks if that context is missing.

## 3. Review the deliverables

You receive an audience-tailored written report, a sortable Excel workbook, and a findings CSV. The report includes a ranked action plan, staffing-mix findings, budget variance, allocation patterns, and supported AI-leverage opportunities when line-item detail permits them.

## Limits

The plugin analyzes supplied files; it does not connect to billing systems, make binding vendor decisions, judge fee reasonableness under ethics rules, or invent missing budgets and savings estimates.

Questions or feedback: [info@lecg.com](mailto:info@lecg.com).