Set Up Rate Sets for Staff

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. 

You can access Rate Sets in both Smokeball Desktop and Smokeball Boost.

Create a Rate Set in the desktop app

1. Navigate to Smokeball Settings.
2. Select Time & Billing and then select Rate Sets. 
3. Select Add New. 

1. Enter a Rate Set Name and select add it to individual staff members using the dropdown menu. Repeat this step for each staff member which needs to be included in the rate set.
   • You can also choose which date to update rates.
   • You can also use the checkbox to show the rate set and apply it to both new and existing matters. 
2. Select Save. 

Create a Rate Set in Smokeball Boost

1. Navigate to Billing Settings and then select Rate Sets.
2. Select Add Rate Set. 

1. Enter a Rate Set Name and select individual staff members using the dropdown menu. Repeat this step for each staff member which needs to be included in the rate set. 
   1. You can also choose which date to update rates.
   2. You can also use the toggle to show the rate set and apply it to new and existing matters. 
2. Select Save.

Edit a Rate Set

You can also edit Rate Sets to schedule updates on a specific date. Once you choose a date, the current rates will appear below the date selector and can be updated to the target rate. 

Double-click on a Rate Set to make edits in Smokeball Desktop:

Select a Rate Set to make edits in Smokeball Boost:

Toggle the Show rate set and allow it to be applied to new and existing matters option to off when you wish to prevent a rate set from being attached to a matter. A “hidden” rate set will continue to work for existing matters that it has already been applied to but no longer be selectable for additional matters. 

Attach a Rate Set to a Matter

You can attach a rate set to an individual matter as well.

In Smokeball Desktop:

1. Select Info under Matter Details. 
2. Select the Billing tab in the Matter Info window. 
3. Select the Use rate set option next to Hourly Rate and use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set.
4. Select OK. 

In Smokeball Boost:

1. Select Edit Matter.
2. Select Billing Fees & Rates.
3. Select Rate Sets under Hourly Rates and use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set. 
4. Select Save Matter.

Note: You can only choose one option within Hourly Rate(s). 

Apply Rate Sets in Bulk

1. Navigate to the Time & Fees view. 
2. Select the Rate Sets tab.
3. Filter matters by Client, Current Rate Set, Matter Type, Date Opened, Matter Status, or Attorney Responsible. 
4. Use the checkboxes to select which matter(s) will be updated.
5. Select the Apply Rate Set button.

1. Use the dropdown menu to pick the desired rate set. 
2. Select Save.

Apply Rate Set to a new Matter

Note: This can only be done in Smokeball Desktop. 

You can also apply rate sets to new matters. The rate set will be applied to any new matter of the selected matter type. 

1. Open Smokeball Settings and select Matter Configuration.
2. Select Add New or right-click on an existing matter configuration and select Edit.
   1. Use the blue select... link to choose a matter type if you select Add New. 

1. Select Time & Fees.
2. Use the dropdown menu next to Rate Set to choose the desired rate set.
3. Select Save.