A Guide to Choosing and Implementing Board Management Software

As an increasing number of organisations implement technology to run their business, the use of board management software, also known as board portals, have also increased in popularity.

This technology offers board directors and key staff members access to digital governance documents on a wide variety of devices.

Because of its widespread use, an optimal board portal experience is crucial. If you are unfamiliar with board portals, BoardPro’s guide to board management software walks you through everything you need to know, from the benefits of board portals to when to adopt the technology to how to determine which software best suits your needs and how to successfully adopt board management software.

The benefits of board management software are numerous.

Board portals provide greater efficiency than hard copies of board documents. These documents can be up to hundreds of pages long, so editing and distributing them takes up a lot of time and leaves room for error.

Board management software, on the other hand, can be easily updated online and sent out immediately, eliminating the slow dissemination of outdated information. It also promotes open communication and collaboration between the board, executives and key stakeholders, allowing the organisation to operate more efficiently.

So, if you are considering implementing board management software, start by assessing the technology maturity of your organisation to understand how technology can provide support to the board. Figure out what matters for your organisation. For example, is it managing administrative aspects and transitioning to an online platform? Is it adding value to your organisation with your decision-making?

Selecting the most fitting board management software for your organisation is not a decision you should make lightly, as the software you choose will likely be with your organisation for many years. It is hugely important that you identify your organisation’s needs and issues and prioritise them accordingly. That way, it will be much easier to focus on and compare key factors of different board management softwares, such as the board portal’s reputation and expertise, the solutions they offer, other user experience and more.

Once your organisation has selected a board portal, there are still several steps to ensure the successful adoption of the new technology within the organisation. Get all board members involved with the idea and do a trial run to address all issues and familiarise yourself with the board portal. This ensures that your organisation and team are aligned and can begin using the software with as few problems as possible. You can sign up for a free BoardPro trial here.