Rate increases commonly occur as you grow and manage your business. Smokeball includes a 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 Native app
- In Smokeball, select the gear icon on the top-right corner to enter Smokeball Settings.
- Select Time & Billing from the left menu.
- Select Rate Sets tab.
- Select Add New.
- Enter a Rate Set Name.
- Select individual staff members using the dropdown menu and enter their hourly rates. Select Add to add this staff member to the rate set. Repeat this step for each staff member which needs to be included in the rate set.
- Optional: Add a Future Rate Set by entering the rate start date and completing the future rates for each relevant staff member.
- Select Show rate set and allow it to be applied to new and existing matters for this rate set to appear and be selectable for new and existing matters.
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Note: Deselecting this checkbox will "hide" the rate set. A hidden rate set will continue to work for any existing matters that it has already been applied to, however it will not be selectable for additional matters.
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Note: Deselecting this checkbox will "hide" the rate set. A hidden rate set will continue to work for any existing matters that it has already been applied to, however it will not be selectable for additional matters.
- Select Save.
To Edit an existing Rate Set, double-click on the rate set to open the edit window, make necessary changes, then select Save.
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 also add rate sets to your Matter Configuration. This will automatically apply the rate set 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.
- Use the blue select... link to choose a matter type if you select Add New.
- Select Time & Fees tab.
- Use the dropdown menu to pick the desired Rate Set for this matter type.
- Select Save.
Learn more about Matter Configurations.
Did You Know
- You can apply rates sets in bulk to matters in the Smokeball Web App.
Smokeball Web app
- Open Smokeball Web App and select the gear icon on the top-right corner then select Firm Settings.
- Navigate to the Rate Sets tab and select Add Rate Set.
- Enter a Rate Set Name.
- Select individual staff members using the dropdown menu and enter their hourly rates. Select Add to add this staff member to the rate set. Repeat this step for each staff member which needs to be included in the rate set.
- Optional: Add a Future Rates set by entering the rate start date and completing the future rates for each relevant staff member.
- Use the toggle to Show rate set and allow it to be applied to new and existing matters for this rate set to appear and be selectable for new and existing matters.
- Note: toggling this off will "hide" the rate set. A hidden rate set will continue to work for any existing matters that it has already been applied to, however it will not be selectable for additional matters
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Select Save.
You can edit an existing rate by clicking on the rate set to open the edit window, make necessary changes, then select Save.
Attach a rate set to a Matter
- Open a matter in Smokeball Web App and select Edit Matter.
- Select Billing Fees and Rates.
- tab in the Matter Info window.
- Select Use rate sets under Hourly Rates and use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set.
- Select Save Matter.
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Note: You can only choose one rate set.
Apply Rate Sets in Bulk
- Navigate to the Time & Fees view.
- Select the Rate Sets tab.
- Optional: Filter matters by Client, Current Rate Set, Matter Type, Date Opened, Matter Status, or Matter Fee Earner.
- 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.
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Did You Know
- You can apply rate sets to Matter Configuration in Smokeball native app. This will automatically apply the rate set to any new matter of the selected matter type.