Mark multiple cost recoveries as paid in bulk

If your firm handles a large number of cost recoveries from suppliers or providers such as InfoTrack, you can mark them as paid in bulk in Smokeball to make it easier to reconcile them in your accounting software.

Marking multiple cost recoveries as paid

To mark multiple cost recoveries as paid:

1. Select Time/Fees from the left menu, then select the Cost Recoveries tab.
2. On the left panel, enter the name of the supplier in the Supplier section. 
   
3. If needed, use the rest of the filters on the left panel to further filter for specific cost recoveries.
4. Tick the relevant cost recoveries listed on the page, then select Mark As Paid from the top bar. 
   
5. The New Office Payment window will open. Enter the payment method (Bank Transfer, Cheque or Direct Debit) and other relevant details.
   
6. Enter Account Name and Reference if applicable (applies to Bank Transfer or Direct Debit).
7. Select Save. 

Your selected cost recoveries will all update in Smokeball to be paid, and a single consolidated payment entry will be sent to Xero.

Designate InfoTrack as a supplier

If your firm uses the Smokeball InfoTrack integration to automatically create InfoTrack cost recoveries, follow the steps below to turn on Smarter Entry Handling for InfoTrack entries. This enables Smokeball to identify which supplier in your Contacts list you have been using when recording InfoTrack entries. 

1. Select the Settings (gear) icon on the bottom-left corner of the Smokeball Web App, then select Firm Settings.

   

2. Select Entries & Activities from the left menu, then select Cost Recoveries from the top bar.
   
3. Click on the Enable Smarter Entry Handling toggle.
4. Type in the name of the InfoTrack supplier contact and select it. Alternatively, you can create a new contact for this by selecting the plus icon.
   
5. Select Save.
   

Once enabled, automatic cost recoveries for InfoTrack entries will be created as Anticipated Cost Recoveries using the selected supplier contact. These InfoTrack entries can then be easily reviewed and marked as paid in bulk from the Time/Fees view.

FAQ

Q: Will Smarter Entry Handling of InfoTrack cost recoveries apply to InfoTrack entries that have already been created?

A: No. Only cost recovery entries created while Smarter Entry Handling is enabled will be created as anticipated cost recoveries with the designated supplier contact. Entries created prior to enabling this feature, or if you later choose to turn smart entry handling off, will remain as standard cost recovery entries.

Q: Does bulk payment of cost recoveries change how payments are recorded in Xero?

A: Yes. A single consolidated payment entry will be sent to Xero for the selected items being marked as paid. You can group your cost recovery payments on how they were paid, ensuring that the consolidated entry in Xero matches the correct payment source.

Q: What if I make a mistake - can I unmark items after bulk marking them as paid?

A: Yes, you can reverse the bulk payment.