Enter, modify, or delete a disbursement entry

Learn how to enter, edit, and delete disbursement entries in Smokeball to keep track of your firm's costs on a matter.

If you need to pay several disbursements to the same supplier at once, see Mark multiple disbursements as paid in bulk.

Using the Smokeball Desktop App

Enter a disbursement entry

1. Open an existing matter, then select the Time & Disbursements tab.
2. Select Disbursements to open the Disbursement entry window.
   
3. Enter the Date of the disbursement, then enter the following details:
   
   • Activity (optional) - set up activity codes so you can use this drop-down menu to automatically fill in most of the entry fields and save time entering the same type of disbursement.
   • Subject - limited to 1,000 characters. This appears on invoices.
   • Description
   • Type of cost - choose Hard or Soft. Learn the difference between hard costs and soft costs.
     • Hard costs are costs paid directly to the supplier, e.g. search fees.
     • Soft costs are costs that your firm can choose to pass to the client, e.g. costs of printer paper and ink.
   • Quantity - enter at least 1 so Smokeball can calculate GST.
   • Price
   • GST - if Input GST or Output GST differs for this disbursement, enter the correct amounts. For disbursements with no GST, such as court filing fees, change the GST amount to 0.
4. Tick Billable to make this disbursement billable on invoices, or tick Write Off if you don't plan to bill this disbursement.
5. Select one of the following options to save the entry: 
   • Save - save only this entry
   • Save & New - save the entry and create another
   • Save & Duplicate - save the entry and create a duplicate entry.

Other ways to enter a disbursement entry

You can open the Disbursement entry window from the Time & Disbursements tab on the Home screen. Assign the entry to a matter before saving.

You can also create entries from the bar at the top of the Disbursements tab in a matter.

Edit a disbursement entry

1. Go to the Disbursements tab under Time & Disbursements, either from the Home screen or within a matter.
2. Double-click the disbursement.
3. Make your changes, then select Save.

Delete a disbursement entry

1. Go to the Disbursements tab under Time & Disbursements.
2. Right-click the disbursement and select Delete Disbursement.
   
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Using the Smokeball Web App

Enter a disbursement entry

1. Open a matter, then select the Disbursements tab.
2. Select New Disbursement Entry.
3. Enter the Date of the disbursement, then enter the Subject, Description, Quantity, and Price.
   • Enter at least 1 in Quantity so Smokeball can calculate GST.
   • Set up activity codes so you can use the Activity drop-down menu to automatically fill in most of the entry fields and save time entering the same type of disbursement.
4. Choose whether this is a Hard Cost or Soft Cost. Learn the difference between hard costs and soft costs.
   • Hard costs are paid directly to a supplier, such as search fees.
   • Soft costs are costs your firm can choose to pass on to the client, such as printer paper and ink.
     
5. Use the toggles to choose whether the disbursement is able to be billed on invoices (Billable), or if you wish to write it off (Write Off).
6. If the Input or Output GST differs for this disbursement, enter the correct amounts in the Input GST and Output GST fields. 
   • For disbursements with no GST, such as court filing fees, change the amount to 0.
     
7. Select whether this is a regular or anticipated disbursement.
   
   • For a cost that's already incurred, choose regular (Disbursement).
   • For a cost you expect to incur, choose Anticipated Disbursement. Learn more in [Enter and manage anticipated disbursements].
8. If you've already paid the supplier, turn on the Supplier Paid toggle and enter the payment details.
   • This marks the disbursement as paid.

   • If your firm uses Xero or MYOB, Smokeball sends a journal entry dated today to your accounting software.

     

     

9. Attach a receipt to the disbursement if applicable using the Attach File option.
10. Select one of the following options to save the entry: 
    • Save - save only this entry
    • Save & New - save the entry and create another
    • Save & Duplicate - save the entry and create a duplicate entry.

Other ways to enter a disbursement entry

You can also create disbursement entries from the bar at the top of the Disbursements tab in a matter.

Edit a disbursement entry

1. Go to the Disbursements tab, either in a matter or under Time/Fees in the main Smokeball window.
2. Select the disbursement you want to change.
3. Make your changes, then select Update.

Delete a disbursement entry

1. Open the relevant matter, then select the Disbursements tab.
2. Select the disbursement from the list.
3. Select Delete Disbursement at the bottom of the entry.
   
   

Helpful tips

• Disbursements you've marked as billable appear on your next invoice. Use Find unbilled time and disbursements to check nothing's been missed.
• Need to pay lots of disbursements to one supplier? Mark multiple disbursements as paid in bulk.