Smokeball Release Notes

From recovering expenses first on partial payments to tailored intake messages and more ways to filter invoices, this month’s updates help your firm work more efficiently by reducing manual rework and supporting cleaner, more reliable data.
If you’re a US personal injury firm, try the TryNovo Archie app to create source-cited medical chronologies and demand letters in minutes.

Apply partial payments to expenses first

• Tier: Bill, Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

Recover expenses (i.e., disbursements) first, so your firm isn’t left out of pocket on partial payments. With expense-first payment allocation, payments are applied to expenses in full before fees, reducing overstated fee income and supporting clearer compensation reporting. This firm-wide setting applies when you finalize an invoice and flows through to Income Allocation reports.
Note: In the US, this setting will also be reflected in the journal entries synced to QuickBooks Online.
See how: US | AU | GB

Intake: Create tailored message templates for forms

• Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

Send clearer, more relevant Intake form messages, without rewriting them each time. Instead of relying on firm-wide messages, you can set form-specific templates for when a form is shared, when reminders are sent, and when the confirmation message displays on completion. These templates are used automatically when you share a form by email or via a client portal message.
See how: US | AU | GB

Get medical chronologies and demand letters in minutes with the TryNovo Archie app

• Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US

TryNovo (built by Novo) is a new Archie app for personal injury that turns medical records, invoices, and case documents into source-cited medical chronologies and evidence-based demand letters in minutes, right insight your Smokeball matters. With flat, per-matter pricing, complex cases are covered whether the file is 100 pages or 10,000+, helping you reduce hours of manual record review and move cases forward with fewer errors and less rework.
Try the TryNovo app on your first three matters at no extra cost.
See how: Support article | Webinar: AI-Powered Medical Chronologies & Demands

Filter invoices by originating attorney and timekeeper

• Tier: Bill, Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

You can now filter the Invoices tab by originating attorney (i.e., introducer) and timekeeper to quickly narrow invoice lists for review and approval workflows. The timekeeper option is only available when filtering for draft invoices.
Coming soon, you’ll be able to access the Originating Attorney filter across other tabs on the Invoices page.

Intake: Clients fill out forms faster with contact autofill

• Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

Clients can complete Intake forms sooner by reusing details they’ve already entered. This cuts repeat typing and reduces inconsistencies, giving clients a smoother intake experience and your firm cleaner data. When the same person appears in multiple roles (for example, executor and power of attorney), clients can select the contact and the related details auto-fill. This functionality is now also available when entering company details.

Original source Report a problem

January 8, 2026

Invoice reminder title improvements

The title and subtitle on invoice reminders now match with the title and subtitle specified in the Invoice Settings of the matter, or the Invoice Template.

January 6, 2026

The following updates are only available for Smokeball Boost firms with the Intake Add-on :

• Auto-fill on names in Intake Forms

  If a person’s contact details have already been entered in an Intake Form, typing the first two letters of their name will allow the respondent to reuse those details instead of entering them again.

• Auto-fill on company contact details in Intake Forms

  If a company's contact details have already been entered in an Intake Form, typing the first two letters of their name will allow the respondent to reuse those details instead of entering them again.

• Contact Name column in the Intake tab of a matter/lead

  We have added a column that displays the Contact the Intake Form was sent to, providing better visibility when forms have been sent to multiple parties.

• Copy a group and section in the Intake Form builder

  A Copy icon has been added to the top-right corner of a Group in the Intake Form builder.

• A Copy icon has also been added to the Edit Sections area.

Original source Report a problem

January 8, 2026

Invoice reminder title improvements

The title and subtitle on invoice reminders now match with the title and subtitle specified in the Invoice Settings of the matter, or the Invoice Template.

January 6, 2026

Auto-fill on names in Intake Forms

If a person’s contact details have already been entered in an Intake Form, typing the first two letters of their name will allow the respondent to reuse those details instead of entering them again.

Auto-fill on company contact details in Intake Forms

If a company's contact details have already been entered in an Intake Form, typing the first two letters of their name will allow the respondent to reuse those details instead of entering them again.

Contact Name column in the Intake tab of a matter/lead

We have added a column that displays the Contact the Intake Form was sent to, providing better visibility when forms have been sent to multiple parties.

Copy a group and section in the Intake Form builder

A Copy icon has been added to the top-right corner of a Group in the Intake Form builder.

A Copy icon has also been added to the Edit Sections area.

Original source Report a problem

December 11, 2025

Pending payment improvements
We have made some changes to the behavior of pending payments/receipts to prevent overpayments from landing into the trust account.
In the Invoice screen:

• When there is a pending payment for the full amount of the invoice (i.e. it is within its clearance days period), the Add Payment, Pay By Credit Card, and Waive buttons will be disabled.
• When there is a pending payment for a partial amount of the invoice, the Waive button will be disabled, and the debtor can only pay the remaining balance of the invoice.
  When doing a Bulk Trust to Office transfer:
• Invoices with full pending payments will still appear but they cannot be selected for payment.
• Invoices with part pending receipts will show and allow for the remaining balance to be paid.

December 10, 2025

[Smokeball Boost] Updates to the New Outlook Integration
The following features are now available in New Outlook:

• Assign & Save to a Matter: Assign emails and attachments to a matter, auto-saving them in Smokeball.
• Tasks: View upcoming tasks and create new ones from an email.
• Smart Matched Matters: Suggested matters for quick filing.
• Dark Mode Support
• Archie Features (only available if your firm has the Archie add-on)
  • Email summaries
  • Draft With Archie
  • Rapid reply options

December 4, 2025

New Report - Historical Work in Progress Entries (Historical WIP)
This report shows all unbilled time, fee, and expense entries as at a specified date.

Columns in this report

Report Filters
The Run By filter selection The Subtotal By filter selection Expense Value Expense % (If you select Show Percentage = True) Hours Hours % (If you select Show Percentage = True) Fees Value Fees % (If you select Show Percentage = True) Total Value Total % (If you select Show Percentage = True)
As At This is the date filter Can only select one date No default value Includes the date selected in the results. E.g. selecting 31 Dec includes all results through to the end of day on 31 Dec. Run By Timekeeper (default) Originating Attorney Attorney Responsible Practice Area Matter Type Client Matter Billable? Subtotal By (default) Timekeeper Introducer Person Responsible Practice Area Matter Type Client Matter Billable? Show Percentage Options: True, False Default: False Include Non-Billable True False (default) Matter Status Multi-Select Default: All except Cancelled and Deleted Branch Multi-Select Default: Select All Save Filters as Firm Default? Default: No

Notes:

• This report includes time, fee, and expense entries dated before the selected date, where the corresponding invoice date is after the selected date or remains unbilled.

Original source Report a problem

New Report in the Smokeball Web App - Historical Work in Progress Entries (Historical WIP)

This report shows all unbilled time, fee, and expense entries as at a specified date.

Columns in this report

• The Run By filter selection
• The Subtotal By filter selection
• Expense Value
• Expense % (If you select Show Percentage = True)
• Hours
• Hours % (If you select Show Percentage = True)
• Fees Value
• Fees % (If you select Show Percentage = True)
• Total Value
• Total % (If you select Show Percentage = True)

Report Filters

• As At
  • This is the date filter
  • Can only select one date
  • No default value
  • Includes the date selected in the results. E.g. selecting 31 Dec includes all results through to the end of day on 31 Dec.
• Run By
  • Timekeeper (default)
  • Originating Attorney
  • Attorney Responsible
  • Practice Area
  • Matter Type
  • Client
  • Matter
  • Billable?
• Subtotal By
  • (default)
  • Timekeeper
  • Introducer
  • Person Responsible
  • Practice Area
  • Matter Type
  • Client
  • Matter
  • Billable?
• Show Percentage
  • Options: True, False
  • Default: False
• Include Non-Billable
  • True
  • False (default)
• Matter Status
  • Multi-Select
  • Default: All except Cancelled and Deleted
• Branch
  • Multi-Select
  • Default: Select All
• Save Filters as Firm Default?
  • Default: No

Notes

This report includes time, fee, and expense entries dated before the selected date, where the corresponding invoice date is after the selected date or remains unbilled.

Original source Report a problem

View a running changelog of new features and refinements to Smokeball Bill and Boost for this month.

November 6, 2025

New features

[Smokeball Boost] You can now enable Split Origination Credits to divide matter payments equally or by percentage among multiple Originating Attorneys.

Refinements and Bug Fixes

• [Smokeball Boost + Intake Add-on] The Payment Amount field in the Payment component of Intake Forms can no longer be editable by the form respondent if a fixed amount was specified.

Original source Report a problem

View all new features and refinements to Smokeball Grow and Prosper+ for this month.

November 6, 2025

New features

• You can now add multiple Persons Assisting and Originating Attorneys to a matter.
• You can now enable Split Origination Credits to divide matter payments equally or by percentage among multiple Originating Attorneys.

Refinements and Bug Fixes

• The Payment Amount field in the Payment component of Intake Forms can no longer be editable by the form respondent if a fixed amount was specified.

Original source Report a problem

Fine-tune how Archie AI responds with settings

• Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

With Archie’s advanced settings, you can now control how it handles prompts and documents. Whether you’d like to try a different AI model or set preferences for how Archie approaches complex tasks, these settings are designed to deliver more relevant, thoughtful responses while prioritizing quality over speed when it matters.

See how: US | AU | GB

Customize Client Portal emails for a better client experience

• Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
• Region: US, AU and GB

Customize the emails triggered when a client is first invited to the Client Portal or notified of a new message. Update the subject line and body to reflect your firm’s tone, add automation fields, and preview changes as you go.

See how: US | AU | GB

Mark multiple supplier payments as paid

• Tier: Grow, Prosper+
• Region: AU and GB

Streamline supplier payments across multiple matters. Select multiple disbursement (i.e., cost recovery) entries from the same supplier, choose a payment method, and mark them as paid in a single step. We’ll send one consolidated payment to Xero or MYOB to keep your records accurate and reduce manual effort.

See how: AU | GB

Send and sign documents in Smokeball Boost

• Tier: Boost
• Region: US

Smokeball Boost now integrates with InfoTrack’s eSignature solution, bringing built-in electronic signing to your matter workflows. Send documents for signing, track their progress, and automatically sync executed copies, without leaving Smokeball. Get started with InfoTrack’s InfoSign option at no extra cost.

See how: US

Edit your firm’s letterhead template directly in Microsoft Word

• Tier: Boost
• Region: US and AU

Edit your template to adjust the text, formatting, and layout, and insert fields that automatically populate with firm, matter, and addressee details. The template is used for every letter generated in Smokeball, keeping your letters consistent and professional.

See how: US | AU

Reminder: Two-factor authentication required soon. Set it up now.

• Tier: (not specified)
• Region: (not specified)

To help further protect your firm and client’s data, two-factor authentication (2FA) will soon be required to log in to Smokeball. 2FA adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorised access, and it only takes a few minutes to set up.

We recommend setting up 2FA as early as possible to strengthen account security and avoid any last-minute disruption.

How to set up 2FA: US | A | U | GB

Original source Report a problem