Expense Entry

There are several ways to enter your firm costs and expenses in Smokeball.

Most Smokeball Grow and Prosper users enter their expenses in the desktop version of Smokeball. However, all expenses can be added or edited in the web app as well. Any entries made in Smokeball Desktop or the web app will be available in both places.

Create expense entries on Smokeball Desktop

There are two places to review, enter, or edit expense entries on the desktop version of Smokeball. The recommended practice is to always enter expenses on a matter.

1. Navigate to the Time & Expenses tab on your matter and then select the Expenses button on the Action Bar.
2. Enter a date, staff, and subject manually or use an Activity Code.
3. Enter an optional description.
4. Enter the quantity and price and then confirm whether this is a billable expense.
5. Designate the expense 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 an expense to the matter. Reimbursement for these expenses will happen as the client pays the invoice. These expenses are not qualified as income.
     • Examples 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 include printing/copying costs, internet, and phone service. 
6. Select Save.
   • You can also use Save & New to open another window to enter an additional expense.

Expenses can also be entered under the Time & Expenses page from the Home Screen.

1. Select the Time & Expenses tab on your home screen.
2. Select the Expense Entry button.
   • Note: Make sure to always tag a Matter for each entry if you enter your time manually on this screen.

For quick manual entry of expenses, set up Activity Codes and use the quick expenses entry bar.

All expenses can be reviewed and edited within any matter on the Time & Expenses tab.

Print checks to pay for expenses

You can print checks from operating accounts to pay for expenses in the web app.

1. Select the Time & Fees view and then select New Expense Entry.
2. Select the Print Check checkbox in the New Expense Entry window.
3. Complete the Pay To, Check Memo, and Printing Method fields.
4. Once a check is printed in Smokeball, a journal entry will be created in QuickBooks Online as an advance cost.
   • Learn more about Operating Checks.

Did You Know

You can add last-minute expense entries while creating an invoice in the web app.

You can generate a report to review a summary of the amount of expenses billed for a specified time period in the web app.

You can add an expense entry directly from the Time & Fees view on the web app so long as you specify an appropriate matter.