Rate increases commonly occur as you grow and manage your business. Use the Rate Sets feature to efficiently incorporate rate increases and stay on top of your rate increase schedule.
Rate Sets provide a table for setting and scheduling rate changes. This table can be associated with any matter; you do not have to open every matter to update its rates individually.
Smokeball Desktop App
Rate Sets can be accessed by users with the Billing App permission enabled. Learn more about Smokeball permissions.
Create a rate set
- Navigate to Smokeball Settings.
- Select Time & Billing and then select Rate Sets.
- Select Add New.
Set current rates
- Enter a Rate Set Name.
- Select individual staff members using the dropdown menu and enter their hourly rates. Repeat this step for each staff member which needs to be included in the rate set.
- Toggle the Show rate set and allow it to be applied to new and existing matters option to off when you wish to prevent a rate set from being attached to a matter. A “hidden” rate set will continue to work for existing matters that it has already been applied to but no longer be selectable for additional matters.
- Select Save.
Set future rates
You can set rates to automatically apply on a future date by choosing a date under the Future Rate Set section.
Once you have picked a date, choose the relevant staff members from the dropdown menu and enter their rates for that future date.
Edit a rate set
Double-click on a Rate Set to make edits to it.
Attach a rate set to a matter
- Open a matter and double-click on the Info field under Matter Details.
- Select the Billing tab in the Matter Info window.
- Select the Use rate set option next to Hourly Rate and use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set.
- Select OK.
Note: You can only choose one rate set.
Apply Rate Set to a new Matter
You can apply rate sets to new matters. The rate set will be applied to any new matter of the selected matter type.
- Open Smokeball Settings and select Matter Configuration.
- Select Add New or right-click on an existing matter configuration and select Edit.
- Select Time & Fees.
- Use the dropdown menu next to Rate Set to choose the desired rate set.
- Select Save.
Smokeball Web App
Create a rate set
- Navigate to the Settings icon and select Firm Settings.
- Select Rate Sets from the left menu.
- Select Add Rate Set.
Set current rates
- Enter a Rate Set Name.
- Use the dropdown menu to select individual staff members and enter their hourly rates. Repeat this step for each staff member who needs to be included in the rate set.
- Toggle the Show rate set and allow it to be applied to new and existing matters.
- Turn this off to prevent a rate set from being attached to a matter. A “hidden” rate set will continue to work for existing matters that it has already been applied to but no longer be selectable for additional matters.
- Select Save.
Set future rates
You can set rates to automatically apply on a future date by choosing a date under the Future Rate Set section.
Once you have picked a date, choose the relevant staff members from the dropdown menu and enter their rates for that future date.
Edit rates
Click on a Rate Set to make edits to it.
Attach a rate set to a matter
- Open a matter and select Edit Matter under the matter name.
- Select Billing Fees & Rates.
- Select Rate Sets under Hourly Rates and use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set.
- Select Save Matter.
Note: You can only choose one rate set.
Apply Rate Sets in Bulk
- Navigate to Time/Fees from the left panel.
- Select the Rate Sets tab at the top of the screen.
- Filter matters by Client, Current Rate Set, Matter Type, Date Opened, Matter Status, or Person Responsible.
- Use the checkboxes to select which matter(s) will be updated.
- Select the Apply Rate Set button.
- Use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set.
- Select Save.