Smokeball Release Notes

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.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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