Smokeball Glossary

Click on the icon to view a definition of the term. You can learn more about each term by clicking on the provided hyperlinks. 

Matter Productivity

Activity

A feature which keeps track of every action you complete throughout the day, such as tasks, document work, memos, emails, and matter administration to ensure billing is comprehensive and accurate. Learn more about Activity

Automation

The process by which information in documents, forms, and templates is automatically generated using editable fields with the Smokeball Toolbar in Microsoft Word. Learn more about Automation

AutoTime

A feature which uses Activity data to automatically generate time entries. Learn more about AutoTime.

Dashboard

The "front door" of Smokeball which uses customizable widgets to centralize all the things you need to track and manage your work for the day. Learn more about the Dashboard. 

Document Container

Template-specific top and/or bottom sections of a document that remain relatively the same whenever a new document is opened. Learn more about Document Containers

Forms & Templates Library

A repository within Smokeball for your proprietary templates, Smokeball-generated templates, and key court/jurisdictional forms. Learn more about the Forms & Templates Library

Matter

A client case file in Smokeball. Learn more about Matters

Matter Configuration

Specific Matter settings for standardizing your a Matter's folder structures, tags, stages, and more. Learn more about Matter Configuration.

MatterFlow
A tool to collect data from your clients and automate its entry into your Matters. MatterFlow is included with Prosper+ and is available to Grow users as an addon. Learn more about MatterFlow
Matter Stages

A way to organize a matter into steps to help you stay on top of a matter's progress. Learn more about Matter Stages.

Matter Type

A matter's area of law/legal specialization. Learn more about Matter Types.

Right-click

A common interface action you can use in many parts of Smokeball desktop to access extra features which may not be otherwise visible on the interface. For example, you can right-click on a file in your matter's Documents section to create a PDF. If you ever are in doubt about what Smokeball can do, it is good to try right-clicking first.

Task

A Matter to-do which can be assigned to your attorneys/staff. Learn more about Tasks

Time & Expenses

The section within all versions of Smokeball which provide line-item breakdowns of all billable Activities. Time, fees, and expenses can be added, edited, or removed in this section. You can access a firm-wide overview of Time & Expenses or matter-specific Time & Expenses. Learn how to create a time entry or an expense entry

Workflow

A series of tasks/sub-tasks that can be applied to new and existing matters. Learn more about Workflows. 

Lead Productivity

Lead

A case file for potential clients in Smokeball. Learn more about Leads in Smokeball

LeadPro
Smokeball’s client intake solution. LeadPro is included with Prosper+ and is available to Boost and Grow users as an addon. Learn more about LeadPro.
Prospect
A colloquial term for clients in the Lead state who have yet to be converted to a Matter.

Products and Services

Client Portal

Smokeball’s secure file sharing and messaging service to enhance your client interactions. Formerly known as “Communicate." Learn more about the Client Portal

Communicate App

A mobile-phone compatible version of the Client Portal which can be installed by both your staff and clients. Learn more about the Communicate App

Billing Q&A

Q&As reserved for billing topics and must be scheduled separately from General Q&As. Book a Billing Q&A.

General Q&A

Q&As are focused 1-on-1 sessions with a Smokeball training expert where you can ask specific questions about how to use Smokeball's productivity features. While virtually any topic is covered, billing-related questions should be reserved for Billing Q&As. Book a General Q&A.

Help Icon

The Help icon (it is a question mark) in the upper-right corner of Smokeball desktop will take you to our Support Hub in one click. Select the Help icon whenever you need more information about Smokeball features or need to get in contact with our support team. 

Integration

The incorporation of third-party software features and functionality into Smokeball and vice versa. Some integrations are one-way (e.g., data is only sent from Smokeball to the third-party software) and others are two-way (data is sent back and forth between Smokeball and the third-party software). Learn more about Smokeball’s many productivity and billing integrations

Mobile App

A mobile-phone compatible version of Smokeball which allows you to access your Matters on the go. Learn more about the Mobile App

Smokeball Bill

Our introductory product tier which provides everything you need to invoice your clients and get paid. Learn more about our product tiers

Smokeball Boost

An expanded version of Smokeball Bill which adds more sophisticated matter management along with tasks, calendar support, document management, and more. Learn more about our product tiers

Smokeball Community

An online forum where you can meet Smokeball staff and other Smokeball users, exchange advice and tips, and learn more about Smokeball. Click here to go to Smokeball Community.

Smokeball Web App

The Smokeball application which is launched from your web browser. Also available to Grow and Prosper+ clients, the web web app shares many of the same features as the desktop app, but certain features (e.g., document automation) are only available on the desktop app.

Smokeball desktop/desktop app

The Smokeball application which is installed locally and launched from your computer. This is the most feature-rich Smokeball platform and is available to Grow and Prosper+ clients.

Smokeball Grow

An expanded version of Smokeball Boost which includes access to our desktop software and adds new features such as Automation, the Forms & Templates Library, email management, and more. Learn more about our product tiers

Smokeball Prosper+

The ultimate version of Smokeball includes everything from Smokeball Grow while adding Firm Insights, workflows, Activity tracking, AutoTime, and much more. Learn more about our product tiers

Webinar

A live presentations hosted by a Smokeball expert which offer area of law specific tips or a lesson on advanced topics. Webinars are open to all Smokeball users. You can also watch past Webinars on demand.

Billing

Bulk Billing

The process by which multiple invoices are drafted and/or finalized at the same time. Payments can be applied to invoices in bulk as well. Learn more about Bulk Billing

Draft Invoice

An invoice which has yet to be finalized. Learn more about creating invoices

eInvoice/eInvoice Portal

A portal which makes it easier for clients to review and pay their invoices without having to contact their firm. This is a toggle feature which will add a button to your electronic invoices that takes the invoice recipient to the portal. Learn more about eInvoices

Finalized Invoice

An invoice which is ready to be sent to your client and/or have payments applied. Learn more about invoices

Rate Set

A feature for scheduling and executing rate increases. Learn more about Rate Sets

Time & Expenses

The section within all versions of Smokeball which provide line-item breakdowns of all billable Activities. Time, fees, and expenses can be added, edited, or removed in this section. You can access a firm-wide overview of Time & Expenses or matter-specific Time & Expenses. Learn more about Time Entries or Expense Entries

Reporting

Billing Report

Reports in Smokeball Bill, Boost, and the Web web app which summarize important billing data, such as account balances, trust balances, income statements, credit history, and more. Learn more about Billing Reports

Firm Insights

Specialized reports which present a record and visualization of your firm’s business trends. Firm Insights are available to Prosper+ users. Only the firm owner or users designated by the firm owners can access Firm Insights. Learn more about Firm Insights

Reports

Data summaries in Smokeball desktop of your clients, matters, leads, and more. Learn more about Reports

Settings

Firm Settings

The version of Smokeball Settings available on the web app or Smokeball Bill/Boost users. This is also accessed via a gear icon in the upper-right corner and will allow you to configure many different settings for managing your Matters, billing, trust accounts, and more. Learn more about web app Settings.

Smokeball Settings

The gear icon in the upper-right corner of Smokeball Desktop will allow you to configure many different settings for managing your Matters, time entries, integrations, and more. Learn more about Smokeball Settings.

Was this article helpful?
8 out of 10 found this helpful

Articles in this section