Customise client messages in Intake Forms

When sending Intake Forms to clients, you can customise the messaging when they interact with the form. 

Currently, you can customise the messages that go out when:

• A client or prospect receives an email or Client Portal message to fill in a lead intake follow-up form or matter Intake Form (New Intake Message (Lead or Matter))
• Your firm sends a client or prospect a reminder message to complete a form (Reminder Message)
• A client submits a form (Confirmation Message)

Customise client messages across all forms

To customise client messages:

1. Select the Settings (gear) icon to access Smokeball Settings.
2. Select Intake Forms from the left menu.
3. Select the Client Messages tab.
   
   
4. Click on the message you wish to edit to open the text input box.
   
   

Customise client messages on specific forms

If you wish to make a one-off edit on a specific form, select Settings on the top-right corner of the Intake Form Builder, then select Message Templates.

Note: Settings in this Message Templates section will override the firm-wide configuration in Smokeball Settings.

Customise text in the client message text box

The toolbar in the text box allows you to change text styles (e.g. bold or italicised). 
You can also add links by selecting the link icon and entering the URL and the text it should display.

Select the black square icon (beside the link icon) to add common automated fields to the message. When the client or prospect views the message, these fields will be automatically populated with data from the matter or lead.

The data for the Firm Name and Firm Phone fields are gathered from your Firm Details in Smokeball Settings.

Send automatic reminders for intake forms

Smokeball can remind clients to complete intake forms you've shared through the client portal. Reminders go out on a schedule you set and stop once the client submits.

1. On the Smokeball Desktop App, select the Settings (gear) icon to access Smokeball Settings. On the Smokeball Web App, select the Settings (gear) icon and select Firm Settings.
2. Select Intake Forms from the left menu.

3. Select the Client Messages tab.

   

   

4. Click on Reminder Message to expand the setting.

5. Toggle on Schedule reminders via client portal.

   

   • Initial reminder: Enter the number of weekdays the first reminder will be sent after the form is shared.
   • Time zone: Choose the time zone that reminders should follow.
   • Shared from: Specify if the reminder message should be sent from all forms once they are marked as Shared in Smokeball, or forms marked as Shared on or after a specific date.
   • Reminders recur: Choose whether the reminder message should go out only once (One-time) or set a recurring reminder (Recurring)

     • If you choose Recurring, specify how many weekdays it should repeat, and the maximum number of reminders to be sent for the form. See below example:

       

     • Tick Cancel schedule if anyone sends a manual reminder on the matter if needed. This means the recurrence will stop after a staff member sends a manual reminder. 

6. Select Save. Changes can take up to 24 hours to take effect.

Important Notes:

• Scheduled reminders are solely delivered through the Client Portal; there are no automated email reminders.

• Weekends are not counted in fields that require a Days input. 

• Reminders start going out from 9:00 AM in the specified time zone.

• Reminders use the form's own reminder message if it has one, or your firm's default message if not.

• Reminders stop once the client submits the form, or when the matter or lead is no longer live.

Checking reminders across all forms

1. From the Smokeball Desktop or Web App, navigate to the Intake View. '

2. Select the Pending Forms tab. 

   • The Reminder sent column shows how many reminders each form has received.
   • Use the Reminder sent Status filter to find forms by number of reminders sent.

   

Sending a manual reminder

To send a reminder now:

1. From the Intake View, find the form you wish to send a manual reminder for.

2. Click on the Ellipsis (three dots) icon on the right-most side of the form entry.

   

3. A window will appear on the middle of the screen. Choose whether you would like to send a reminder via Client Portal or Email, then confirm the contents of the reminder message.

   • Scheduled reminders will stop upon sending a manual reminder.

   

4. Click Send reminder now.

What does my message look like from the client or prospect perspective?

Refer to these sample messages to see what clients and prospects receive:

New Intake Message (Lead or Matter)

Client Portal message view

Email view

Reminder Message

Client Portal message view

Email view

Confirmation Message

This message will appear after the client or prospect submits a form.