Migrate from Bilr to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales

Bilr client records map to Dynamics 365 Accounts representing law firm clients or organizations. Client name, address, and contact information translate directly. Primary client type (individual vs. organization) determines whether a Contact record is also created alongside the Account. The mapping preserves the original client ID for referential integrity across the migration.

Bilr contact records associated with clients map to Dynamics 365 Contacts linked to the corresponding Account via parentcustomerid. Multiple contacts per Bilr client translate to multiple Contact records sharing the same AccountId lookup in Dynamics 365. Each contact's email, phone, and role fields map to corresponding Dynamics 365 Contact columns. The parentcustomerid lookup ensures the hierarchical relationship is maintained.

Bilr matters have no direct CRM equivalent. We create a custom Matter table in Dynamics 365 with a lookup to Account. Matter number, title, status, responsible attorney, and billing arrangement fields migrate as custom columns on the Matter record. The lookup field links each Matter to its parent Account, and all original matter identifiers are retained for downstream reference.

Billable hours logged in Bilr migrate to a custom TimeEntry table in Dynamics 365 linked to the Matter and the responsible Contact. Date, hours, billing rate, description, and billable/non-billable flags preserve as custom columns for reporting continuity. The TimeEntry records are linked to the Matter via a custom lookup field, and the responsible Contact is recorded as the owner for audit trail.

Bilr invoices migrate to a custom Invoice table linked to the Matter and Account. Invoice number, date, total amount, status (draft/sent/paid), and line items preserve as custom fields. Dynamics 365 Sales does not natively create invoices — firms typically use Business Central for full invoicing post-migration.

Bilr trust account transactions migrate to a custom TrustTransaction table linked to the Account. Transaction type (deposit/withdrawal), amount, date, and matter reference preserve as custom columns. Trust balance calculations are not replicated — Dynamics 365 does not handle trust accounting natively.

Attorney and staff billing rates defined in Bilr migrate to a custom BillingRate table linked to Contact (for attorney records) or as a standalone table. Rate type (hourly/fixed/contingency) and amount preserve for reference in Dynamics 365 reports. The BillingRate table links to Contact for attorney rates or stands alone for firm-wide schedules. All original Bilr rate identifiers are retained to support reconciliation after migration.

Bilr users and attorneys resolve to Dynamics 365 SystemUser records by email address match. Unmatched users are flagged before migration — firms either pre-create Dynamics 365 user accounts or assign records to a fallback user during migration. Bilr role assignments map to Dynamics 365 security roles.

Documents attached to Bilr matters re-upload to Dynamics 365 SharePoint integration linked to the Matter Account or custom Matter record. Original filenames and attachment dates preserve. Microsoft SharePoint Document Center provides the storage layer for migrated files, and version history is retained where available.

Bilr workflows, automation rules, and templates have no direct equivalent in Dynamics 365. We export Bilr workflow definitions as a structured JSON reference document for the firm's Dynamics 365 admin to rebuild using Power Automate or Dynamics 365 native workflows post-migration.