Every demo shows the happy path. These questions get at what happens when something breaks, when you want to leave, or when your practice looks nothing like the vendor's best customer.
August 7, 2026 ยท 6 min read ยท By Aktai Team
A vendor demo is a curated experience by design, that is not a criticism, it is what a demo is for. The questions below are not gotchas, they are the ones that separate a genuinely good fit from a good pitch. Bring this list, or the printable version below, to your next RA software demo.
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15-Question RA Software Demo Checklist
All 15 questions grouped by compliance, data ownership, pricing, and support
A blank column to fill in each vendor's answer side by side
A one-page printable reference for your next demo call
Compliance and audit trail
How is the Regulation 25 audit trail structured, and can I export it as CSV on demand?
If SEBI inspects me tomorrow, what exactly would this system show them?
Who is responsible if the audit trail has a gap, the vendor or me?
How is client consent and MITC acceptance recorded and timestamped?
Data ownership and portability
If I leave, what exactly can I export, and in what format?
Is there a fee or notice period to export my data?
Can you import my existing client book, including KYC and consent history?
Pricing structure
Is this a flat fee, a revenue share, or a hybrid, and what is the exact percentage or formula?
What happens to the price as my client book grows?
Are there fees for support, onboarding, or data migration that are not in the headline price?
Support reality
Who do I actually reach when something breaks, a support queue or a named person?
What is the typical response time for a compliance-critical issue versus a feature request?
What the demo did not show
What does this look like for a practice my size, not your best customer?
What is the one thing new customers wish they had asked before signing?
Why the audit-trail question matters most
Of everything on this list, the Regulation 25 questions are the ones with real downside if you get the answer wrong. Pricing and support quality are recoverable, you can switch vendors later. A gap in your audit trail during a SEBI inspection is not something a later vendor switch fixes retroactively. Ask that one first.
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Not financial advice. Aktai is software for SEBI-registered Research Analysts. It is not a financial adviser, broker, Investment Adviser, or Research Analyst, and is not registered with SEBI or any other financial regulator. It surfaces public filings and news and drafts factual notes for the registered analyst to review, edit, and sign. Aktai does not author research, make recommendations, or decide what any security is worth. The view, the recommendation, and the regulatory responsibility stay with the registered analyst who sends the note. Full disclaimer โ