Enter a cost recovery entry

Enter cost recoveries in the Smokeball web app

1. Open a matter, then select the Cost Recoveries tab.
2. Select New Cost Recovery Entry to open the Cost Recovery entry window.
   
3. Enter a date, staff, and subject manually or use an Activity Code.
4. Enter an optional description.
5. Designate the cost recovery as a hard cost or soft cost.
   • Hard costs are expenses incurred on behalf of a client that require direct payment to a vendor. These expenses are usually paid upfront by the firm and then added as a cost recovery to the matter. Reimbursement for these expenses will happen as the client pays the invoice. These cost recoveries are not qualified as income.
     • Examples might include process server fees, court reporter fees, and filing fees.
   • Soft costs are expenses that your law firm charges to the client without direct payment to a vendor for the client's portion. It is not required for firms to charge these, but some firms pass these costs to the client. Some law firms choose to write off soft costs as part of their business overhead. 
     • Examples might include printing/copying costs, internet, and phone service. 
6. Enter the quantity and price and ensure the correct VAT type is selected.
7. Select whether this is a billable cost recovery, or if you wish to write off the entry.
8. Select whether this entry is a regular cost recovery or an anticipated cost recovery.
   
   • If it's an anticipated cost recovery, enter the supplier name, supplier reference and your payment due date.
     
9. If you toggle the Supplier Paid option, you will be presented with fields to enter the supplier's payment details. 
   • This option marks the cost recovery as paid, so a journal entry dated to today's date will be sent to Xero, if your firm uses this integration.
     
10. Attach a file to the cost recovery if applicable.
11. Select Save or Save & New to continue entering cost recoveries.
    

Cost Recoveries can also be entered under from the Time / Fees view in the web app.

1. Select the Time/Fees view.
2. Select the Cost Recoveries tab.
3. Select New Cost Recovery Entry button.
   • Note: Any entries created here must have the Matter field entered before saving.
     

You can also create cost recoveries using the quick entry bar at the top of the Cost Recoveries tab.

Edit a cost recovery

Click on the cost recovery in the Cost Recoveries tab to re-open the Cost Recovery Details window. Make your edits, then select Update.

Delete a cost recovery

To delete a cost recovery, open the entry and select Delete this cost recovery.

• Deleting a cost recovery is permanent; there is no way to restore the entry once it has been deleted.
• You cannot delete a cost recovery that is already associated with a finalised invoice.