Add your firm logo and signature to documents

Learn how to upload signature images for each staff member and use automation fields to display those signatures in your firm's documents. The same functionality also exists for firm logos.

Configuration

Firm logo

If you have Firm Owner permissions in Smokeball, you can edit the Firm logo.

1. Navigate to Smokeball Settings and then select Firm Details.
2. Select the blue Edit link in the upper right corner of Firm Details.
   
3. Select the firm logo you wish to use from your computer's local directory and then select Open.
   • Note: You should use .jpeg files for both firm logos and signatures.
4. The logo should now display in the upper right corner of Firm Details.
   

Staff signatures

If you have Firm Owner permissions, you can set a signature for yourself and each staff member in Smokeball.

1. Navigate to Smokeball Settings and then select Staff & Users.
2. Double-click on a staff member's name to open the staff card.
3. Select the blue Add link next to the Signature field.
   
4. Select the signature image you wish to use from your computer's local directory and then select Open.
   • Image size notes: We recommend uploading an image around the 200x150px - 300x200px range. This reduces the need to resize the image every time you generate a new letter or Precedent. 
5. The staff member's profile should now have a blue View link next to the Signature field. Click on View to preview the signature. You have the option to replace or delete the signature.
   
6. Once you are happy with the uploaded signature, select the Save button at the bottom of the staff card.

Add a staff signature or firm logo to a Document Container or Letterhead

1. Navigate to Smokeball Settings and then select Document Containers.
2. Right-click on the document container you wish to add the signature to, then select Modify.
   
3. The document container will open in Microsoft Word. 
4. To add your firm logo:
   1. Click on the location in the document where you want to place the logo.
   2. Insert the logo by selecting Letterhead and then selecting Firm - Firm Logo from the automation panel.
   3. Double-click it to insert the automation field into your document container.
      
5. To insert a signature field:
   1. Click on the location in the document where you want to place the logo. 
   2. Select Matter Info > Person Responsible or Person Assisting or Introducer > Signature from the automation panel.
   3. Double-click it to insert the automation field into your document container.
      
6. Select the Save & Close button from the Smokeball Word ribbon and then select Save.
   
7. Return to Smokeball Settings and make sure to select Save.
   
   

Create a letter with a staff signature or firm logo from a matter

1. Open a matter in the Smokeball desktop app.
2. Ensure there is a Person Responsible, Person Assisting or Introducer assigned to the matter in the Matter Info section.
   
3. Select New Document, then select Letter/Fax.
4. Choose your Letterhead, select a recipient, and then select Create.
   
5. The document should display the automated fields you added to the letterhead earlier. You can use your mouse cursor to re-size these images, if necessary, in Word.
   
6. Compose the letter contents. Once you are done, select Save & Close from the Smokeball Word ribbon. Rename the letter, then select Save.
   
7. The document will now be saved to the Documents section of your matter.

How to resize an image

If you freely insert the automation field for your signature/firm logo image or insert the image within a table cell without a fixed height, then any re-sizing you do to the image will not be saved.

To avoid this problem, we recommend to upload an image with a smaller file size to ensure that the image will be produced without requiring you to manually resize it. 

To make a signature or firm logo image preserve its clarity and original file size:

1. Open your document in Modify mode.
2. Insert a table into the document.
3. Insert the relevant signature automation field.
4. Right-click on the table and select Table Properties. 
5. On the Row tab > Size section, check the Boolean for Specify height and insert a non-arbitrary value, and then choose Exactly from the dropdown menu. 
6. On the Table tab, select Options.. and then un-check the Boolean for Automatically re-size to fit contents and then select OK twice. 
7. On the Smokeball toolbar, toggle Show Values and re-size the image until it is fully visible in the table. 
8. Save & Close the document using the Smokeball Word ribbon.
9. Re-open the document in Open mode. The image should persist in its re-sized state.

If necessary, you can copy and paste the table into a Document Container (which do not have the Show Values function). 

Good to know

• If this feature isn't appearing in your Smokeball client, ensure you have updated to Version 9.3 or later. 
• We recommend uploading Firm Logos and Signatures as .JPEG/.JPG files, as they are the most stable.
• The Firm Logo and Signature automation fields are also available when modifying or creating Precedents.
• We recommend uploading an image around the 200x150px - 300x200px range. This reduces the need to resize the image every time you generate a new letter or Precedent.