Connecting Smokeball to Thomson Reuters CoCounsel

Smokeball integrates with Thomson Reuters CoCounsel in two different ways, so you can choose the option that fits how your firm works with AI. This article walks through both, so you can decide which is right for your firm and get it set up.

In this article

• Which option should I use?
• Option 1: Knowledge Search (no additional cost)
• Option 2: Bulk Document Connector (additional Thomson Reuters fee)
• Alternative: bulk upload with Publish Online
• FAQ

Which option should I use?

If you're not sure which fits your firm, start with Knowledge Search since there's no added cost — you can always talk to your Thomson Reuters representative about the Bulk Document Connector if you find your team manually uploading large numbers of files.

Option 1: Knowledge Search

Knowledge Search lets you search your connected Smokeball files using plain language, then hand-pick the results you want to work with in a CoCounsel chat. There's no additional fee for this option.

How to use Knowledge Search

1. In CoCounsel, select Knowledge Search from the left-hand navigation.
2. Confirm Smokeball is included in your sources. You'll see a source count (e.g., "4 sources") near the top of the page — select Manage sources if you need to add or adjust which connectors are searched.
3. In the query box, type your request in natural language — for example: "Find all files referencing Harrington."
   
4. CoCounsel returns a results list pulled from your Smokeball files (grouped under a heading like "Smokeball US" with a result count).
5. Use the checkboxes to select the specific files you want to work with.
6. Select Add to chat.
7. A Confirm your file selection dialog appears, listing the files you selected along with details like document ID and file type. Review the list, then select Continue.
   
8. Your selected files are now attached to a CoCounsel chat, ready for you to ask questions, request summaries, or run any other CoCounsel task against them.

Tip: Knowledge Search is great for quick, one-off needs — like pulling a specific memo or demand letter into a chat — without setting up an ongoing sync.

Option 2: Bulk Document Connector

The Bulk Document Connector (powered by Syncly) sets up a one-directional, one-way sync that loads documents from a Smokeball matter into CoCounsel in bulk. Because it's a continuous sync rather than a manual upload, you don't have to worry about version mismatches between what's in Smokeball and what CoCounsel sees.

Before you start: Thomson Reuters charges an additional fee for this connector, and it isn't a nominal amount. Check with your Thomson Reuters representative on pricing before setting this up.

Setting up the connector (admin)

1. Log in to CoCounsel with an admin account.
2. Open Admin settings > Integrations.
3. Select the DMS integrations via Syncly tile.
4. Select + New integration.
5. In the Select connector window, choose Smokeball from the dropdown, then select Next.

6. Fill in the connection details:

   • Name — a label for this connection (e.g., "Smokeball")
   • Client ID
   • Secret Key
   • Redirect URI

   If you don't already have a Client ID and Secret Key for this integration, reach out to Smokeball Support to request API credentials.

7. Select Add Connector. Smokeball now appears in your integrations list with a connector status of Active and an authorization status of Not authorized.
8. Select the ⋮ menu next to the Smokeball row and choose Authorize.
9. You'll be redirected to a Smokeball sign-in screen. Log in with your Smokeball username and password.
10. Once you approve access, you're redirected back to CoCounsel and the authorization status updates to Authorized.

Bringing Smokeball documents into a chat

Once the connector is authorized, you can pull matter documents into a CoCounsel chat:

1. Start a New chat and select Attach.
2. In the Select connector window, choose the authorized Smokeball connector, then select Select connector.
3. In the Select files from Smokeball window, search or browse to the matter you need (for example, by matter number).
4. Select the checkboxes next to the folders or files you want (up to 200 files per upload — only supported file formats are shown).
5. Select Upload.

Your selected Smokeball files are now available in the chat.

Alternative: bulk upload with Publish Online

If you want to move a large batch of documents into CoCounsel without paying for the Bulk Document Connector, you can use Smokeball's Publish Online feature to bulk-upload files to CoCounsel. This is a good middle-ground option for firms that occasionally need to move a lot of documents at once but don't need an ongoing, automatic sync.

FAQ

Does Knowledge Search cost anything extra? No. Knowledge Search is included at no additional charge.

Is the Bulk Document Connector a two-way sync? No — it's one-directional. Documents flow from the Smokeball matter into CoCounsel, so there's no risk of a CoCounsel edit overwriting your Smokeball file.

Who do I contact about pricing for the Bulk Document Connector? Your Thomson Reuters representative can provide current pricing, since the fee is charged by Thomson Reuters rather than Smokeball.

Can I use both options at the same time? Yes. Many firms use Knowledge Search for everyday one-off lookups and only set up the Bulk Document Connector if they find themselves uploading large volumes of documents manually.

I don't have a Client ID or Secret Key for the connector setup — where do I get them? Contact Smokeball Support to request API credentials for the Syncly-powered integration.