Smokeball Release Notes

This month’s updates help you work through emails faster, capture more accurate client information from the outset, and keeps compliance records and trust accounts in order. Keep reading to see what's new this month.

Our new Outlook add-in for Smokeball’s desktop app is here

Tier: Grow, Prosper+
Region: US, AU and UK

Microsoft is transitioning to the new Outlook, and so are we. Our latest add-in for Smokeball’s desktop app supports new Outlook for Windows and Outlook’s web app, giving you more flexibility to work wherever you need and unlocking new features such as Archie AI and tasks. Your key workflows are supported. You’ll still be able to file emails and attachments to matters, track activity with AutoTime, and send emails directly from Smokeball or Word.

If you’re using Smokeball on the Grow and Prosper+ tiers, switching now gives you immediate access to the latest features as soon as they’re released. Plus, your entire team doesn’t need to move at once; you can switch at your own pace.

We'll continue to support classic Outlook for as long as Microsoft does (at least until 2029), but no new features or enhancements will be added. Our focus is on the latest add-in, and switching sooner means fewer disruptions as Microsoft continues its transition.

If you’re on the Boost tier, you now have access to Archie AI and tasks in the Outlook add-in.

Learn more about our new Outlook add-in:
US | AU | UK

See how:
US | AU | UK

AML/CTF compliance tools to help you reduce risk and admin

Tier: Grow, Prosper+
Region: AU

With Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) obligations expanding for Australian law firms, many practices are starting to think about how they’ll manage client due diligence, risk assessments, and compliance documentation.

To help, we’ve introduced new AML compliance features directly inside Smokeball. Through our enhanced integration with InfoTrack, firms can run AML checks, track risk assessments, and maintain compliance records without leaving Smokeball.

Learn more about our AML/CMF updates
See how

Translated intake forms your clients can complete with confidence

Tier: Included on Prosper+, or as part of the Intake add-on for Boost and Grow.
Region: US, AU and UK

Collect more accurate, complete client information from the outset with multilingual forms. Our forms support built-in translation across ten languages, presenting questions in your client's preferred language so they can respond with confidence.

See how:
US | AU | UK

Your trust records, anchored to when transactions occurred

Tier: Bill, Boost, Grow, Prosper+
Region: US and UK

Keep trust records aligned with when transactions occurred, not when you entered them, by setting the transaction dates for reversals and deletions. Both the transaction date and the entered date appear in summaries and reports, giving your firm a complete audit trail. By allowing reversals and deletions to be dated to the transaction date, trust balances will be more accurately reflected at the intended point in time.

Note: Deleting a transaction reverses it and hides it; the transaction remains on record but is hidden from the default ledger view and can be made visible again at any time.

See how

Clear, formatted intake forms your clients can follow

Tier: Included on Prosper+, or as part of the Intake add-on for Boost and Grow
Region: US, AU and UK

Bullet points, numbered lists, and indents built directly into the form builder let you present information, and questions in a format that's easy to scan and follow. A fixed toolbar keeps those options in reach alongside existing formatting such as bold, underline, italic, heading styles, and hyperlinks, so everything you need is in one place

Original source

Regarding Microsoft emails hosted on GoDaddy

The New Outlook integration does not support Microsoft 365 email accounts hosted on GoDaddy.

Connecting to New Outlook

1. Open Outlook in the web browser or the Outlook (new) app from your PC.
2. Select the Apps icon on the left panel and then select Add apps.
3. Search for Smokeball in the search bar and click on "Smokeball for Outlook".
4. Select Add.
5. Once the app has been successfully added, navigate back to your Outlook inbox.
6. Select an email and click on the Apps icon on the right-hand corner of the email.
7. Select Smokeball for Outlook. The Smokeball toolbar will appear from the right-hand side of the screen.
8. Confirm your Country and click on Connect to Smokeball.
9. A new window will open in your browser. Follow the prompts to log in. You may also be asked to log in to Microsoft to authorize the connection.
10. Once you have logged in successfully, the Smokeball for Outlook toolbar will appear on the right-hand side. This is where your most recently worked on matters in Smokeball will appear.
11. For your convenience, select the Pin icon to keep the toolbar in view every time you use Outlook.

If you accidentally close the toolbar, you can access it again by selecting the Apps icon in the email as seen in Step 6.

1. We also recommend adding Smokeball as an action in your reading pane, so that the Smokeball icon appears on your Add-ins bar at the top of the screen, and on the top-right corner of every email, for easy access.

Assigning an email to a matter

1. To save an email to a matter, click on the Assign to matter section and select Assign under a relevant matter.
2. If the client linked to the matter has other matters with your firm, they may show up as Smart Matched Matters for you to save time assigning them.
3. Once assigned, the email will then appear in the Emails tab of the matter, as an .eml file.

Saving email attachments to a matter

Once you have assigned an email to a matter, you can choose which attachments you wish to save to Smokeball. Select the Attachments section to view a list of all attachments. Then, tick the ones to save and select Save Attachments to Matter.

Note: When attachments are selected and saved to a matter, they are successfully stored. However, upon re-checking, the UI may display them as not attached. This is a Microsoft limitation.

Composing an email from Smokeball

With the New Outlook Add-in, composing a new email from Smokeball will trigger New Outlook to open, and the email will automatically save back to the matter in the Smokeball Desktop App upon sending.

To send an email from Smokeball:

1. From your matter, navigate to the Emails tab and select the Email icon.
2. Add the recipients to the email from the To, Cc and Bcc fields. If you have Archie, you can ask it to write a draft at this point. There's another opportunity to use Archie later in Outlook, if you prefer.
3. Select Continue to Outlook.
4. New Outlook will open a New Draft Email window. Select the pencil icon on the top-right corner of the email in order to compose your email.

Note: You may have to log in to Outlook again if it's the first time you are composing an email after installing the New Outlook integration.

1. Select Apps from the toolbar, then select Smokeball for Outlook again to display the Smokeball toolbar. This is where you can view the matter that this email will save to, and also attach any files from the matter to your email.
2. Compose your email in the main window.

If you have the Archie add-on, you can select a Rapid Reply or Draft with Archie from the Smokeball toolbar.

Rapid Reply displays some AI-generated responses you can quickly insert into the email.

Use Draft with Archie to enter a prompt for Archie AI to work with when generating a draft email.

1. Once you are done composing your email, select Send.

Note: You will be redirected to the New Draft Email window after sending. This is expected behavior and it is safe to close that window at this point. If you don't close the window, it will automatically close after a few seconds. Disregard the "[Draft] This message hasn't been sent." messaging.

1. Your sent email will appear on the matter.

Creating a task from an email

The Tasks section in the Smokeball toolbar shows the top six upcoming tasks related to the matter. From this screen, you can also add a new task:

1. Click on Add Task.
2. Enter the details of the task. The Subject field is mandatory, while all other fields are optional.
3. Select Save Task.

Notes:

• It may take a few minutes for tasks created via New Outlook to appear in Smokeball.
• In the Assignee view, clicking anywhere within the add-in will close it as expected. However, if the Assignee view is open and the user clicks outside the add-in (anywhere else on the screen), it will not close.

Reverting back to Classic Outlook

If you wish to revert back to using the Classic Outlook integration, you can do so at any time by clicking Logout on the bottom corner of the New Outlook toolbar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of Microsoft accounts are supported?

The New Outlook Add-in only works if you are using Microsoft 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Education accounts. Personal Microsoft accounts (e.g. Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live) are not supported.

Am I on a version of Outlook that can run the New Outlook Add-in?

The New Outlook add‑in is supported on the following Microsoft 365 platforms:

• Outlook on Windows (Microsoft 365)
• Outlook on Mac (Microsoft 365)
• Outlook on the web (https://outlook.office.com/)

I'm getting an "Admin approval required" message.

This message is related to your organisation's Microsoft 365 permissions. To resolve this, contact your IT administrator to enable access to add-ins in Outlook.

The New Outlook Add-in disappeared when I switched inbox.

The add‑in will only appear when you have your Microsoft 365 Business or Education inbox selected.

It will not appear when viewing:

• Personal Outlook.com or Hotmail accounts
• Gmail or other third‑party email accounts

This is because these types of accounts do not support the new add‑in system used by Microsoft. The add‑in may appear and disappear depending on which mailbox you are currently viewing.

Original source

Version 9.16 of the Smokeball Desktop App is gradually rolling out to all users, and contains the following new features and refinements.

New Features

Prevent duplicate emails from being saved to a matter

When multiple staff save the same email to the same matter, the email will be saved one time, preventing duplication of emails that clutter the documents list.

An email is flagged as a duplicate if all three of the following conditions are true:

1. The email has already been saved to the same matter
2. The email is stored in the same folder within that matter
3. The email has the same file name

If it does not meet all these conditions, it will continue to be saved to the matter.

Save and duplicate option when creating time/fee/expense entries

You can now quickly duplicate a time, fee or expense entry when you need to record the same or very similar work on another matter.

Note: The Save & Duplicate action is not available for Timers, Grouped Time Entries, editing the Time/Fee/Expense on the right-hand-side panel, or Archie/AutoTime-generated entries.

Firm override of timekeeper classifications

You can now set a firm-wide default for the timekeeper classification code format used in LEDES billing files. The code can be between 2-6 characters, and can be overridden at the matter level if needed.

Access the timekeeper classifications setting from Smokeball Settings > Time & Billing > UTBMS Billing:

Matter override of LEDES Client ID

You can now override the LEDES Client ID on a per-matter basis in the Smokeball Desktop App. This allows you to specify a unique Client ID for each matter when generating LEDES billing files, rather than relying on a single Client ID for a client's matters.

This option can be found under the Matter Info > Billing tab in a matter:

Note: The override applies only to the current matter and is reflected in the generated LEDES file.

Refinements

New Outlook Integration - send emails directly from Word

You can now compose and send emails (with documents such as body text, Word or PDF attachments) to New Outlook when clicking on the Send button in Microsoft Word.

Sortable columns in Time & Fees and Expenses tabs

You can now sort the Matter Number, Matter, Billable and Billed columns of the Time & Fees and Expenses tabs.

Original source

Smokeball’s new Outlook Add-in for Microsoft 365 is now available

Smokeball’s new Outlook Add-in for Microsoft 365 is now available, bringing smarter, faster ways to manage email directly from your inbox. The add-in helps legal teams work more efficiently with improved filing, email-to-task creation directly within Smokeball, and new Archie AI features for drafting responses. With improved auto-filing, the ability to create Smokeball tasks from emails, and new Archie AI features to help draft tailored emails, the add-in is designed to help legal teams get more done with less effort.

Built for the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web, the latest add-in now supports Smokeball's Grow and Prosper+ tiers, in addition to Boost, and is ready for Microsoft’s shift away from classic Outlook.

Built for how growing law firms work

At Smokeball, we help growing law firms work more efficiently, deliver better client service, and streamline the ‘busywork’. Email is at the center of that work, so your Outlook integration needs to be fast, reliable, and intuitive.

Smokeball’s new Outlook Add-in keeps every client email, attachment, and note connected to the right matter, without adding extra admin. Whether your team works in desktop Outlook or in a browser, the add-in offers the same seamless experience.

With just a few clicks, staff can file emails and attachments to the correct matter. The add-in takes care of the rest in the background, helping maintain a complete communication record while saving time on manual filing.

What’s new in the latest Outlook Add-in

As Microsoft transitions customers away from Classic Outlook, many firms told us they needed a modern Outlook integration that would not disrupt existing workflows. This release delivers exactly that, while adding new intelligence and automation along the way.

Key updates include:

1. Support for new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web
   One add-in that works consistently across modern Microsoft 365 experiences.

2. Archie AI and task creation from Outlook
   Turn emails into action without leaving your inbox.

3. Mobile app support (coming soon)
   File emails and attachments when you’re on the go with the Outlook mobile app.

4. Matter suggestions as you file
   When filing an email, the add-in surfaces recent matters and, where available, smart matter suggestions, so you can file to the right one without searching

5. Always-on email and attachment capture
   Emails and attachments are reliably saved in the background - even when Outlook isn’t open or your device isn’t active.

6. Dark mode option
   Choose dark mode to reduce eye strain, especially during long periods of screen use.

Together, these enhancements keep work organized, visible, and moving forward.

Ready for Microsoft’s new Outlook experience

The new Smokeball Outlook Add-in is built on Microsoft’s modern add-in framework, ensuring compatibility as Microsoft phases out classic Outlook.

Your team can continue saving emails, tracking activity with AutoTime, and jumping into Smokeball directly from Outlook, without workflow disruption. By aligning with Microsoft’s roadmap, the add-in helps future-proof your firm and reduces the risk of last-minute changes when classic Outlook support ends.

Turn emails into action with Archie and tasks

Much of a firm’s work starts in the inbox, including new inquiries, client updates, document reviews, and follow-ups. The new Outlook Add-in brings Smokeball’s intelligence closer to where that work begins.

With Archie AI, Smokeball’s AI matter assistant, you can:

1. See what’s been discussed at a glance with email thread summaries.
2. Generate tailored emails guided by matter details such as key dates, contacts, tasks, and documents, without leaving Outlook.
3. Easily refine email drafts before sending by adjusting tone, length, or writing style.

You can also create Smokeball tasks directly from linked emails, ensuring that actions and follow-ups are tracked immediately and at the matter level rather than lost in individual inboxes.

Transitioning to the new Outlook Add-in

Firms will continue to have access to classic Outlook in Smokeball for as long as Microsoft supports it, so there’s no immediate need to change. However, as Microsoft shifts its focus to the new Outlook experience, Smokeball will not be adding new features or enhancements to classic Outlook going forward. This update is about providing clarity on where Microsoft is headed and where we’re investing, so you can make the move when the timing is right for your firm.

When you do choose to transition, you’ll gain access to the latest features, improvements, and innovations as they’re released. To use the new add-in, you'll need a paid Microsoft 365 email account, available with Business and Education plans. There’s also no need for everyone in your team to switch at once. You can have some team members stay on classic Outlook while others use new Outlook with the latest add-in.

Ready to learn more?

Learn more about how to transition to the new Outlook add-in by visiting the support hub article.
Learn more about Archie AI.
Get in touch with the team at Smokeball.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Smokeball build a new Outlook Add-in?

Microsoft is transitioning from "classic" Outlook to a "new Outlook" experience. Our new add-in is built on Microsoft’s modern web-based framework to ensure your firm remains future-proof.

How is this different from the Classic Outlook integration?

Unlike the classic Outlook integration, the new add-in is built specifically for Microsoft’s modern Outlook experience. It works consistently across desktop, web, and mobile Outlook and supports Microsoft’s move away from classic Outlook without disrupting how your firm works today.

Which versions of Outlook are supported?

Smokeball’s new Outlook add-in supports:

• New Outlook for Windows
• Outlook on the Web
• Outlook mobile app

Classic Outlook for Windows is not supported by this add-in, in line with Microsoft’s transition to the new Outlook.

What are the requirements to use the new add-in?

You must have a Microsoft 365 business account. The add-in is not compatible with one-time purchase versions of Office (such as Office 2019 or 2021) that do not include M365 cloud services.

Does this work with M365 accounts purchased through 3rd Party resellers (e.g., GoDaddy)?

Currently, full compatibility with Microsoft 365 accounts provisioned through third-party resellers (such as GoDaddy) is out of scope for the current release. These resellers often use custom authentication layers that may interfere with the add-in. Support for these environments is captured on our future roadmap.

Original source

17 March, 2026

Version 9.15 of the Smokeball Desktop App is now available to all users. Version 9.15 contains the following new features and refinements:

• Workflows no longer trigger on closed matters

  • Fixed an issue where Workflows were automatically triggering when viewing a Closed matter for the first time (usually after a data migration).

• Branch filter added to the Matter List

  • You can now filter your Matter List by
  • Branch.

• Enable user license upon creating a new staff member

  • When adding a new user in
  • Staff & User settings, you will be prompted to enable a license upon saving the user, if this has not already been done.
  • If you would like to activate them on a later date, you can do so by selecting
  • No on the prompt.

• Improvements to Data Backup

  • The
  • Smokeball Settings
  • Data Backup tool to back up Matters and Contacts has been updated:
  • •
    • Select
    • Create Data Backup in the
    • Matters & Contacts tab to generate a data backup of your Contacts, Matters and Matter Roles in a .CSV.
  • •
    • You can now only access data backups from within the Data Backup section in Smokeball Settings. Previously, data backups were sent via email, which posed a security concern.
  • •
    • Data Backups will expire 7 days after they are requested.

• Notable Bug Fixes

  • •
    • Fixed a bug where some matter activity was not recorded if the matter was opened for the first time or the matter type was changed.
  • •
    • Fixed a bug where the Billing widget erroneously appeared in Lead files.
  • •
    • Fixed a bug where after a Staff Role was re-assigned on a Matter, the new assignee was not notified of the assignment.
  • •
    • Fixed a bug where the Confirm Workflow window did not appear when opening a lead or matter for the first time.
  • •
    • Fixed a bug where Asks were not appearing in the correct order when generating a document.
  • •
    • Fixed a bug where matter layout windows appeared blank upon opening.
  • •
    • Resolved the error "Some files were not saved to the matter" when assigning emails to matter.
  • •
    • Fixed an issue with saving Documents and Excel spreadsheets.

5 March, 2026

We have made the following refinements in the Smokeball Web App:

• • The Invoices List now contains filters for Timekeeper and Originating Attorney.
• • The Originating Attorney filter now appears on the following sections:
  • Create Invoices
  • Finalize with Payments
  • Trust to Office
  • Reminders
• • A
  • Reconciliation Reporting tab is now available next to the Bank Reconciliation tab. For each completed reconciliation, Smokeball creates a single PDF containing:
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Trust Balances Report (as at the reconciliation end date, for the reconciled account)
  • Account Balance Receipts Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)
  • Account Balance Payments Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)
  • Account Balance Transfers Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)
• • A new
  • Save & Duplicate button is now available when recording time/fees/expenses. This does not apply to timers, grouped time entries, right-hand-panel editing, or AutoTime-generated time entry links and Archie buttons.

Original source

This month's updates give your firm more control over the moments that matter, from how clients first encounter your firm to how your team drafts emails, bills, and meets its compliance obligations.
Keep reading to see what's new this month.

Draft Email with Archie: AI email drafting, now built into your workflow

Tier: Grow, Prosper+
Region: US, AU and GB
Draft client emails faster with Archie, now built directly into the Smokeball Desktop email workflow. Instead of starting from a blank page in Outlook, you can describe what the email should say and Archie will generate a first draft using matter details, recipients, and any attached documents.
This makes it easier to send clear, professional emails without switching back and forth to check dates, documents, or context. Once you’re happy with the draft, continue to Outlook with the email body already filled in and ready to review, edit, and send.
See how:

• US | AU | GB

Brand your intake forms to make a strong first impression

Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
Region: US, AU and GB
Give your new clients a consistent, branded experience from their first interaction with your firm. With the Branding tab in your form settings, you can apply your brand color, logo, and preferred styling to all intake forms, including forms embedded on your website. Choose how your header appears, set the shapes of input fields and buttons, and preview changes in real-time before publishing.
See how:

• US | AU | GB

Refine your prompts instantly with Archie

Tier: Boost, Grow, Prosper+
Region: US, AU and GB
Writing the right AI prompt can be tricky to get the output you're aiming for. To help make it easier, we've launched Archie Improve Prompt to instantly improve what you have already written. Archie helps clarify structure, reduce ambiguity, and strengthen your instructions while preserving your legal intent. You get a clearer, more effective prompt without having to create a detailed prompt from scratch. Refine in seconds, run with confidence, and get better AI results with ease.
See how:

• US | AU | GB

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 originating attorney filter is also available across the other tabs on the Invoices page.

Download trust statement exports through authenticated, secure links

Tier: Bill, Boost, Grow, Prosper+
Region: US, AU and GB
Trust statement exports (i.e., retainer statements in the US) are more secure and available for longer, with authenticated downloads that remain active for 7 days. Downloadable files are now delivered through an authenticated landing page within our platform. Access requires your standard login credentials, including any two-factor or SSO authentication your firm uses. Expiry dates are shown in both the notification email and the landing page, so you always know how long you have to download your files.

Original source

Streamline intake, preserve client context, and reduce admin by connecting HubSpot to your practice management software

Written by Smokeball

March 11, 2026

4 min read

Smokeball’s enhanced HubSpot integration is now available, giving growing U.S. law firms a seamless way to connect
HubSpot CRM with legal practice management software. Designed for firms using HubSpot to manage contacts, marketing, and deals, the integration supports a smoother transition from first interaction to active legal matter.

As more
mid-sized firms choose Smokeball as their legal practice management platform, many already rely on HubSpot to manage client relationships and business development. This integration brings those systems together, allowing law firms to scale without disrupting established workflows.

Built for how modern U.S. law firms use HubSpot

At Smokeball, our mission is to help growing law firms work more efficiently, deliver better client service, and streamline the busywork. For many firms, HubSpot plays a central role long before legal work begins.

Law firms commonly use HubSpot CRM to manage contacts, track enquiries and deals, run email campaigns, and capture interactions across marketing and intake teams. Rather than asking firms to change how they use HubSpot, Smokeball’s integration is designed to support those workflows and connect them seamlessly with legal matter management.

HubSpot remains the system of record for CRM and deal activity, while Smokeball becomes the system of record for legal work. Together, they create a connected experience across the full client lifecycle.

Better together: Smokeball’s practice management and HubSpot CRM software for lawyers

As law firms grow, disconnected systems can slow teams down. Client information often lives in one platform, while legal work happens in another, leading to unnecessary system switching, duplicated data entry, and lost context.

As firms mature, their use of HubSpot typically expands beyond basic contact management to include deal tracking and detailed client interactions. The Smokeball + HubSpot integration is designed to support these more advanced workflows, connecting business development and matter management seamlessly.

By allowing firms to control how data is synced and ensuring relevant deal context flows into Smokeball at the right time, legal teams can start matters with greater visibility and confidence when a deal is won.

This supports:

• Smoother handovers between marketing, intake, and legal teams
• Better-informed lawyers and support staff
• Less manual data entry and duplicated effort
• A more consistent and professional client experience

For firms using HubSpot for legal services, the integration creates continuity from prospect to client to matter, reflecting Smokeball’s ongoing commitment to listening to customers and evolving our platform in line with how growing U.S. firms actually work.

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What’s included in the Smokeball + HubSpot integration

The enhanced
HubSpot legal practice management integration gives firms flexibility, control, and richer data connectivity.

Flexible sync direction

Choose the direction of contact syncing when enabling the integration. Firms can sync contacts from Smokeball to HubSpot or from HubSpot to Smokeball, depending on where their CRM data is managed.

Customizable sync scope

Select how much data is synced:

• Contacts only
• Contacts and won deals

Smarter deal-to-matter creation

When a HubSpot deal is marked as
Closed Won , a general matter is created in Smokeball. In addition, key HubSpot activities attached to the deal can be carried across, including:

• Notes, created as Notes in Smokeball
• Tasks, created as Tasks in Smokeball
• Meetings, created as completed Tasks with recorded duration using the Meeting category
• Calls, created as completed Tasks with recorded duration using the Phone Message category

This ensures legal teams can see relevant client interactions directly within Smokeball.

Built around customer needs

This integration reflects direct feedback from firms using both HubSpot and Smokeball at scale. Customers told us they wanted greater control over how data flowed between systems and better continuity when a deal transitioned into active legal work.

By enhancing the integration in this way, Smokeball continues to support growing U.S. law firms with tools that reduce friction, streamline workflows, and improve collaboration across teams.

Ready to learn more?

Learn how to set up the HubSpot integration with Smokeball.

https://support.smokeball.com/hc/en-us/articles/30106320242967-HubSpot-Integration

Learn more about HubSpot for law firms.

https://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing-for-legal-services

Get in touch with the team at Smokeball.

https://www.smokeball.com/book-demo

FAQs

What are the benefits of integrating HubSpot with legal practice management software?

Connecting HubSpot with your practice management platform reduces manual data entry and keeps client context intact as work moves between teams. Won deals and their associated activities carry across Smokeball automatically, and syncing contacts back to HubSpot gives your marketing team an up-to-date audience to work with. Your firm gets a connected loop between intake, matter management, and marketing.

Is there an additional cost for the integration?

No, the HubSpot integration is available to firms already on Smokeball at no extra charge. There's no add-on fee or separate license required. Simply connect through HubSpot and select the sync option that suits your firm's workflow.

Does the integration support multiple deal pipelines?

Yes. If your firm uses a paid HubSpot plan with more than one deal pipeline, the integration automatically detects and supports each of them. No extra configuration is needed on Smokeball’s side, so your existing setup works as-is.

How do I connect HubSpot to Smokeball?

You can connect to Smokeball directly from within your HubSpot account. Select your region, log in to your account, accept the terms and conditions, and you'll see a confirmation once connected. From there, open HubSpot's connected apps list, select Smokeball, and select your preferred sync settings.

Does Smokeball have its own intake features?

Yes, if your firm prefers a single system for intake and matter management, Smokeball includes built-in
intake forms to capture leads on your website and collect information from new clients during onboarding. This can work alongside or independently of HubSpot, depending on how your firm manages new enquiries and clients.

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Original source

5 March, 2026

View all new features and refinements to Smokeball Bill and Boost for this month.

• The Invoices List now contains filters for Timekeeper and Originating Attorney.

• The Originating Attorney filter now appears on the following sections:

  • Create Invoices
  • Finalize with Payments
  • Trust to Office
  • Reminders

• A Reconciliation Reporting tab is now available next to the Bank Reconciliation tab. For each completed reconciliation, Smokeball creates a single PDF containing:

  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Trust Balances Report (as at the reconciliation end date, for the reconciled account)
  • Account Balance Receipts Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)
  • Account Balance Payments Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)
  • Account Balance Transfers Report (for the reconciliation date range and account)

• A new Save & Duplicate button is now available when recording time/fees/expenses. This does not apply to timers, grouped time entries, right-hand-panel editing, or AutoTime-generated time entry links and Archie buttons.

Original source

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

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

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

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

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