Using grouped AutoTime entries

If your firm needs to group time and fee entries, read on to learn how to enable this feature and implement recommended best practices.

Enable grouped time entries

1. Select the gear icon on the top-right corner of Smokeball to access Smokeball Settings.
2. Double-click on a user from the Staff & Users tab to open their settings, then select the Billing tab.
3. Tick Enable automatic creation of time entries and tick Group activities as one time entry.
   

Viewing and editing grouped time entries

Grouped time entries will appear as a single entry under the Time & Disbursements tab.

When you double-click on the entry to open it, the individual activities are itemised in the Description section. 

You can make several changes to the grouped entry using the Time/Fee entry window: 

• You can change the Subject field.
  • By default, Smokeball will describe a grouped time entry on an invoice as “Services Provided on [date].” You can choose to display or hide the individual time and fee activities under the grouped entry by selecting Show description for entries under Invoice Settings on Smokeball Billing. 
    • Note: If you choose to hide the individual time and fee entries, then you can edit the subject of the single grouped entry in Smokeball desktop to be more descriptive.

• You can edit the Description of each individual activity. 
• You can edit the Hours for each individual activity and choose to mark them as Billable or non-Billable. 
• Use the add item... link to add another activity.
• Select the bin icon to delete the individual activity. 

• You cannot use Activity codes with a grouped time/fee entry. 

View and edit grouped time entries on Smokeball Billing

It is also possible to revise grouped time entries on Smokeball Billing.

1. Select Time & Fees within your matter.
2. Select the grouped time entry to open Time/Fee Details.

This window includes the same functionality as the Time/Fee Entry window in Smokeball desktop described above. 

Manually adding activity to a grouped time entry

You can also add activity to a grouped time entry by selecting the Activity button in a matter.

It is best practice to manually add an activity on the same day the other grouped activities are recorded. 

This specific feature is only available on the Smokeball desktop app.