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Sobre Smokeball
O Smokeball é um software de produtividade jurídica baseado na nuvem, criado para PCs. Gerencie sua equipe e todo o escritório em um só lugar.
Smokeball functions are so helpful and make my daily tasks much easier and quicker. The outlook integration is one of my favorite aspects as my job mostly involves emailing.
Some of my clients hae problems utilizing their encryption tools called "communicate" because it requires google Chrome, but most figure it out-- I would use it more if it worked more seemlessly.
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SmallLaw Review
Comentários: Overall, an excellent software and definitely worth considering for your law firm, especially if you handle real estate transactions.
Vantagens:
1. Smokeball is an "everything" platform. We realized we were only using the other softwares for billing/invoicing, but found little use for them otherwise. Smokeball, on the other hand, is much more versatile. We track our to-dos there, create workflows, assign tasks/projects to others at the firm (it avoids the back-and-forth internal emails), share our draft documents with client through a secure portal, and much more! 2. If you are a real estate transactions law firm (as we are), Smokeball is the only platform specifically designed for that practice area. We love that it automatically calendars deadlines, has templates built in, and otherwise automates much of the closing process for us (and avoids costly mistakes such as missing a deadline).
Desvantagens:
1. Cost (yup, it's one of the more expensive options you'll find out there). But when evaluating options, the thought process should be whether you will save some time by implementing the features of the software. And if so, a few extra bucks monthly is well worth it. 2. A little glitchy at times. We sometimes would create an invoice but would not be able to load it or send to a client until the next day. I have no idea why this happens, though it hasnt been a big issue for us. 3. Requires you to invest a lot of time to set up to automate your documents and learn how to modify them as you go. But, again, it is time well spent.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 2 anos
Thanks for the review, Furqan.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
One Year Later
Comentários: Overall, the experience has been excellent. Other than the mobile application leaving much to be desired, the desktop-based application has been fantastic. They offer a wide variety of functionality, and their technical development team has been incredibly helpful in responding to our communications with them. There is so much good to be said about the product offered. Having seen a number of other practice management solutions, nobody else comes close to the full functionality of Smokeball for most practice areas.
Vantagens:
Smokeball is an incredibly easy platform to use, and is a true "all in one" platform for practice management.
Desvantagens:
Smokeball's mobile application needs serious work.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 6 meses
Jacob, we're so glad to hear that your experience with Smokeball has been fantastic and that when it comes to practice management solutions, no one comes close to Smokeball! We so appreciate your 5-star review.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
Do not use
Comentários: Negative. Use MyCase instead. The year commitment was unbearable.
Vantagens:
Not much. It wasn’t special and it costs too much
Desvantagens:
The annual contract and the refusal of the staff to listen to my complaints.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 8 meses
We’re sorry to hear that your experience has been anything less than excellent, Patrick. In our 10+ years in business, we've rarely gotten this type of feedback. After receiving your inquiry about the contract term, our team reached out to see what issues you were facing but did not get a reply. Our goal is to deliver an excellent product and fantastic client service to help you run your best firm. We'd love to work with you to ensure you still have this experience as a Smokeball client. Your account manager will reach out to you shortly. Again, we apologize that your initial expectations did not align with your current experience and are eager to bring those two into alignment.
Smokeball is FANTASTIC!
Comentários: I highly recommend Smokeball to any law firm looking for a way to consolidate numerous software programs into one comprehensive system. It has increased my productivity by at least 30%! Being able to move between Word, Outlook, Smokeball and interoffice correspondence is seamless. Plus, the support team is extremely knowledgeable and wonderful to work with - response time on issues is fantastic!! We've been using the system for only a couple of months and don't know how we functioned without it!
Vantagens:
Ease of use across multiple software platforms
Desvantagens:
Not being able to restrict users on certain access/saving emails, etc.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 2 meses
Thanks for this glowing review, Maureen! We love reading that Smokeball has increased your productivity by 30%--that's what it's all about. Our Support Team takes great pride in their response rate. We're always here for you.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
I Love Smokeball
Vantagens:
I love Smokeballs features. The document automation saves me time and headache with formatting. The integration features make sure that nothing I do is missing in the client files. The cases are always complete. the ease of integration for the products that I use is excellent and seamless. The time tracking capabilities help make sure that I don't miss a billable.
Desvantagens:
They recently updated the mobile software so it is more difficult to use on a tablet or my phone.
Useful and Intuitive
Vantagens:
Smokeball is useful for managing any number of client files. The fact that it keeps contacts across all cases makes it easy to send form letters and make service lists. It also auto-generates captions.
Desvantagens:
I wish I could download documents from smoke ball directly rather than opening them and clicking save as and saving it. Maybe there's a better way to do it, but I haven't learned it.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 8 meses
Thanks for your review, Brennan. To quickly download a document from Smokeball to your computer, you will just right-click on the file and select export. If you have any other questions, our Support team is always here for you! https://support.smokeball.com/hc/en-us
We couldn't practice law without it
Comentários: We are so happy that we found Smokeball four years ago and couldn't imagine our business running as seamlessly with any other case management software.
Vantagens:
It is very easy to use and they keep updating the product. If we have an issue, they are quick to help us.
Desvantagens:
Sometimes there are glitches and the calendars don't update or we have to wait for tickets to get responded to.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 8 meses
Thanks for your review, Michelle. We love to hear that Smokeball is essential to your practice. We're always here for you!
Highly recommend
Vantagens:
I've been using Smokeball for a couple years now, at my previous law firm and now my current. The system is super easy to use and I even recommended it to my current firm as they were searching for a new system. Would highly recommend.
Desvantagens:
I can't think of anything I dislike about Smokeball. The setup and use of the system has been easy and super helpful in cleaning up our previous system.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 5 meses
Amanda, this is wonderful to hear! We're so glad that Smokeball is easy to use and helping your firm run more efficiently. Thanks for your great review and high recommendation.
Smokeball works well
Vantagens:
It is more robust than browser based formats. Many people use it and in general its pretty strong.
Desvantagens:
Outlook and smokeball dont always go together like peas and carrots. Sometimes syncing can take a bit.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 8 meses
Thanks for your 5-star review, Tim!
Smokeball is a game changer for Family Law
Comentários: Great customer service and friendly team,
Vantagens:
Document Automation and Auto Time Tracking
Desvantagens:
Mobile Apps Communicate is clunky on mobile. IOS app is hard to use and doesn’t include auto time tracking.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 9 meses
Thanks for your review, Matt! So glad Smokeball has been a game-changer for your family law firm.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
Best practice management software!
Comentários: Our firm literally cannot work without Smokeball. I am not exaggerating one bit when I tell you that it is as essential to our practice as air. When the pandemic began, other lawyers were struggling to figure out how to work from home. Luckily for us, Smokeball is everywhere we are. With help from Smokeball's cloud-based system, we were able to transition to working from home very quickly and easily. Thanks to Smokeball's features -- file notes, memos, timeline, phone messages, email tracking, and activity tracking -- it is easier than ever for multiple staff members to collaborate on a file even though they are not physically in the same space. The integration with InfoTrack/Docusign means that we obtain client signatures without even leaving our desks. And the document automation and contact database make working much easier and more productive in general! I highly recommend Smokeball to any small law firm.
Vantagens:
Email tracking, file notes/timeline. These features make it so much easier for two or more people to collaborate on a file!
Desvantagens:
I wish that "to-do" tasks in the system would auto-delete if a matter is canceled or closed.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 2 anos
Thanks for your feedback, Sandra.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
Smokeball Legal Software is leading the pack
Comentários: Love Smokeball - I have been in the legal field for 18 years now and have worked with a number of different Legal Billing/Case Managment Programs. Smokeball, hands down, is leading the pack.
Vantagens:
Time tracking, integration with Microsoft, intakes, Secure client portal, templates, document management system
Desvantagens:
I wish we had the option to create reports by selecting different fields.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 12 meses
Thanks so much for your 5-star review, Tabatha. Love to hear that you're using so many features from automatic time capture to integrations to intake forms. Sounds like Smokeball is a one-stop shop for your firm. And appreciate your feedback about the ability to create reports.
Great Software for small law firms
Comentários: Overall, Smokeball is a great program for large and small law firms. The ability to integrate e-mail, Word and Adobe is way better than the program we used to have, and the layout and organization is wonderful.
Vantagens:
I love the ease of use and the ability to always have access to documents even after they are deleted. Nothing is ever lost. I also like the ease of converting documents to .pdf for filing with the court.
Desvantagens:
The biggest drawback for me is the inability to customize containers for info that we would use in our office setting. The information containers are set by the developer and even though we have input on what we would like to see, they do not always implement our suggestions because it would not be used widely by other users.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 2 anos
Thanks for your feedback, Karen.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
If you are serious about case management, and wanted a billing program, that will blow your mind!
Comentários: Fantastic!
Vantagens:
Smokeball ability to track all of my activities throughout the day is a game changer. When they tell you it will pay for itself, they are not kidding. But they don’t tell you is how Smokeball intelligently generates to-the-second-accurate billing entries without the need for additional data entry.
Desvantagens:
I haven't found a feature that I do not like, but I have one client who doesn't want to use the communication portal, and an occasional opposing counsel who needs some assistance, accessing files set through the portal
Resposta do Smokeball
ano passado
Alan, thanks so much for your glowing review. We're thrilled you agree that Smokeball is a game changer that pays for itself. If you ever have feedback, please share with your account manager!
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
Great for small law firms
Comentários: We've gotten more efficient and better at communications and organization. We can offer clients a better overall experience.
Vantagens:
Smokeball really changed how our small firm runs. We are much more organized and efficient than ever before. Smokeball tech support is readily available and fantastic. There is so much functionality to what this software can do.
Desvantagens:
The only drawback is that if you sign your contract with a certain number of users, you can't drop below that number for that year. As a small business that grows and changes frequently, it's hard to know that if we happen to have 5 users when we sign our annual contract, we're paying for 5 users all year, even if we go down to 4 users or 3 users, etc.
Alternativas consideradas anteriormente:
Great CRM for Law Firms
Vantagens:
Smokeball is very helpful in streamlining processes and increasing efficiency. You can assign tasks to users and auto populate a procedure with deadlines and assignments. Very useful.
Desvantagens:
There are still some bugs with the reporting feature of the software but the developers and support are easily accessible to assist and they are working on updates and fixes.
Best Software for Legal Document Management
Comentários: I have nothing but great things to say about Smokeball. It has made the practice of law easier than its ever been.
Vantagens:
I've been waiting for a document management program like Smokeball my entire legal career! I liked many things about Smokeball, but in particular is the ease of use and variety of features.
Desvantagens:
It takes a bit of time to load when first powering up in the morning.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 12 meses
Nadine, it's so awesome to hear that Smokeball was the solution you were seeking your whole career! Glad you're finding it easy to use. Thanks for the feedback on the slow load time. We're working on updates to address this, which should be released early next year.
A Good Investment
Comentários: We are moving toward a paperless office, and have a better sense of organization, because with Smokeball, we know where everything is, and it's easy to find.
Vantagens:
That it is cloud-based makes is usable anywhere: home, office, while traveling. That's especially important now, given the limitations imposed by Covid 19. I appreciate the ability to have all emails related to a case appear in the same place. I like the automation features, particularly for drafting quick letters.
Desvantagens:
There are still technical issues involving the relationship between Smokeball and Outlook, and even when everything works smoothly, which is most of the time, the loading of both programs takes a while.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 4 anos
Thanks for your positive response. We'll gladly admit to being a bit more than some competitors but we're also happy to point out that our users get more features and value for the price, too.
Great high tech automation but misses on basic options
Comentários: I have gained a lot from using Smokeball, but I have had to give up things that I view as basic and simple needs in exchange. The company is open to hearing suggestions, but they are not quickly implemented. They are aware of the complaints that new users have, but they still don't discuss them in the sales demo. I would suggest buying one license only if you decide to try the software. You can add more later if you find that it works for you, but really use the software before adding more as it will take you a minute to realize all of the simple tasks it can't perform. If you have used other major software programs like Abacus or Practice Panther, you may not feel like the benefits are worth the hassle of the change. If this is your first case management system, you will be happy.
Vantagens:
The integration with Microsoft Word and Outlook are great. Unlike other software programs, they work all the time and are easy to use. The templates and automation features help you save tremendous amounts of times doing routine work. The software does not crash and have bugs all the time like the previous software I used.
Desvantagens:
This is an out of the box, canned solution. Even on simple requests, ZERO customization is allowed. Also, they are HORRIBLE with allowing you to import data from other software systems. They basically expect each firm to just start over from scratch, other than importing contacts. This is crazy and unrealistic for small or large firms. Smokeball is a one size fits all tool that frequently falls short. It is very difficult to run reports. You have the ability to add labels and input data, but extremely limited ability to run reports to transform the data you have collected into useful information. During the demo, they show you nifty features like automated time keeping, but they neglect to tell you that if you turn on that feature, your invoices will get all messed up. You won't have the ability to itemize or discount each line item of work performed on the case, instead they group them together with a list of daily worked. There is a reason why they do not offer a try before you buy option or a month to month option. You have to sign up for a full year and then you are locked in.
We Love Smokeball
Comentários: We have found Smokeball helped us to increase our revenue due to the automatic posting of billable hours. It was easy to learn and the customer service has been great. The Smokeball staff is friendly and responsive.
Vantagens:
Smokeball streamlined our time tracking and billing.
Desvantagens:
I can't really think of anything negative about the version we have. We wish we could afford the more comprehension system, but we are a solo office, and it gets pricey for our firm.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 11 meses
Kathleen, thanks so much for your review. Love to hear that your firm is getting value out of Smokeball and capturing your billables with automatic time capture. We appreciate you!
I'd be lost without Smokeball
Comentários: My firm has used Smokeball for almost 5 years, and I'm still as happy with it as the day we onboarded. There are certainly cheaper options out there (most of them browser based), but you really do get what you pay for and Smokeball does pretty much everything. The main PC software is a tank, and there's also a lighter phone/tablet app for use on the go. My office uses tons and tons of features (most of which I don't see any other firms in our area using), and I bet we still don't utilize even half of what Smokeball has to offer. The integrations are excellent, and from both efficiency and organization standpoints I just don't think it can be beat.
Vantagens:
Tons of features, useful integrations, time-saving, organization
Desvantagens:
There are so many features that sometimes it's hard to wade through everything at a glance, but when I make time to sit down and do a deep dive I almost always find what I'm looking for and the setup is easy and straightforward.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 12 meses
Thanks so much for your review, Laura. Really smart that you invest time to learn about the new functionality. If you ever need assistance, training is included in your subscription and our Training and Support teams are here for you!
Easy to maneuver
Comentários: Very good. Happy I made the change to use Smokeball for my practice.
Vantagens:
I like how easy it is to access the client's file. I do not need the hard file in order to review documents, share documents, and file documents.
Desvantagens:
The fact that the free website went away. When Smokeball was initially being presented to me, it included a free website, which I used for several years. Eventually they decided to do away with the website; now I pay $100 per month for a website. AND my smokeball subscription cost went up.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 10 meses
We're so glad that Smokeball is easy to use and was a positive change for your practice. To ensure we were providing the best solution to our clients, we partnered with LawLytics for website service. We understand that no one likes increased costs, but we're glad you believe Smokeball is worth the money. Thanks for your review, Sharbel!
Great system for big or small
Comentários: One of the most impressive items is that we can answer a call from a client whether it is our matter or not, we can communicate with our client giving them what they called for without delay. We have had other firms ask what we use as they were impressed with are detailed fast response.
Vantagens:
We are a law firm in the Chicagoland area, it is such a relief to have all of our communications and files in one location so that all of us can share the data at any time. Having the court forms at our finger tips, not having to go to each county is such a time saver. We have only scratched the surface using the many efficiency's that are offered.
Desvantagens:
Sometimes, when the documents are populating they could load just a tad quicker.
Smokeball Review
Vantagens:
Since I began using Smokeball, I must say that without it, I'm not sure how some Law Firms operate at a high level. Smokeball allows for such a great user experience that benefits the Firm and the clients. Case management software can be clunky and difficult to understand however, Smokeball is user friendly, as a UI that makes sense, and they have a wonderful team of experts ready to help in any way that they can.
Desvantagens:
I wouldn't say there are many cons about using Smokeball. I guess it would be that you become super dependent on the software. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Resposta do Smokeball
há 6 meses
Zaia, we're so glad that Smokeball is essential to your firm and its success. Love knowing that the user experience has been positive and intuitive for you. We're always here if you need anything!
Smokeball - get it!
Comentários: Great
Vantagens:
I would have to say customer service is their best attribute. You never have to wait for a live person or have to wait for a response. They are very knowledgeable and on their game at all times
Desvantagens:
There are a couple areas in the calendaring spots that could be better tailored so you could change the categories, and in boost billing, you should be able to see the operating retainer balance as well as the trust balance