Let Smokeball matters drive the rest of the firm, not sit beside it.
We connect Smokeball to your docketing, intake and Microsoft 365, so a new matter, a changed court date or a new team member reaches every system without being typed twice.
Smokeball integration, built around your firm
Smokeball holds the matter, its client and staff, and the case details your firm records in matter layouts: the court, the case number, opposing counsel and key dates. It also holds the time, tasks and calendar your staff work from every day, which makes it the natural place for other systems to take their lead from.
When Smokeball isn't connected to the rest of the firm, those layout fields get copied by hand into docketing, deadlines calculated elsewhere have to be re-entered as Smokeball events, and a matter that converts from a lead starts life in one system only. Staff changes have to be repeated in each system, and closed matters linger in the ones nobody remembered. Every copy is a chance to get a date wrong.
We build those connections with the Smokeball API and its webhooks. The code runs in your firm's Microsoft 365 / Azure tenant, follows rules your firm approves, and routes anything uncertain to a person for review. Your firm owns the code and can see every change it makes. If an app in the Smokeball marketplace already covers what you need, we'll tell you.
The Smokeball data we work with
Matters and leads
Create and update matters, read status and matter type, and pick up the moment a lead converts to a matter.
Layouts, roles and relationships
The matter-specific fields your firm keeps in Smokeball layouts, such as court, case number and key dates, plus the parties attached to each matter role.
Contacts and staff
People and companies, and the firm's staff list, matched to Microsoft 365 users by email for team sharing.
Events and tasks
Create and update non-recurring calendar events with reminders, and tasks with subtasks, linked to the matter and assigned to staff. Recurring events can be read but not created or changed through the API.
Fees, expenses and memos
Time entries (fees) and expenses on a matter, and memos recording what the integration did. Invoices can be read but not created.
Files and folders
Matter documents and folders, including uploads and downloads, with a notification when files on a matter change.
How the Smokeball integration works
- A private app for your firm. Your firm requests API access through its Smokeball account manager, and we build a private app that serves your firm only. Private apps can use a server-to-server login, so the integration doesn't depend on any one person's account.
- Two credentials, held in your Key Vault. Every call carries both an API key and an OAuth access token. Both are stored in your firm's Key Vault, and access is limited to the scopes the build needs.
- Webhooks for nearly everything. Smokeball pushes changes to matters, layouts, contacts, staff, events, tasks, files, fees and invoices, signed so we can confirm they came from Smokeball. Smokeball accepts most writes and processes them shortly afterwards, so a failed write arrives later as an error notification, which we log and alert on.
- Subscriptions checked daily. Smokeball removes webhook subscriptions when an app's access expires or is revoked. A daily check confirms the subscription exists and re-creates it if not. Requests are rate-limited per app, so the integration queues its work rather than sending it in bursts.
- Runs in your tenant. The integration runs in your firm's Azure subscription under its own identity, with every change logged. Your IT team can disable it at any time without us.
Where Smokeball fits
Two-way matter sync: practice management ↔ docketing
One matter, identical in every system, without anyone keying it twice.
Signed client → matter open everywhere at once
Matter opening goes from days of handoffs to minutes, and every system starts with the same data.
Client call → transcript in the DMS → summary, follow-ups and calendar
The call is documented, filed and on the calendar before the attorney has hung up the headset.
Often connected with
Questions about connecting Smokeball
Do we need to be a Smokeball partner to do this?
No. A firm can ask its Smokeball account manager for API access and use a private app built only for that firm. We help you make the request and set up the app under your account.
Smokeball already syncs with Outlook. Won't deadlines show up twice?
They can, if two systems both write the same date to Outlook. During the analysis we decide with you which path puts each kind of date into Outlook, and the integration is built so every deadline appears once.
Our case details live in custom layouts. Can you use them?
Yes. Layout fields such as court, case number and trial date can be read and written, and Smokeball notifies us when they change. We map your layouts field by field during onboarding, because every firm sets them up differently.
What if a write to Smokeball fails?
Smokeball reports failed writes as a separate error notification. The integration records it, retries where that is safe, and alerts your designated contact when a person needs to look.
Running Smokeball with other systems?
Tell us what you use and where your staff re-key data. We’ll tell you honestly what’s possible, and what your vendors already cover.