Board portals provide advantages that go beyond the digitization of paper documents. They allow directors to organize meetings, manage tasks, and work with other members.
For instance, if director receives a message from the company secretary telling her that her board papers are uploaded to the portal, she is aware that she can devote time to them during the weekend or on Tuesday afternoon to get ahead of the agenda and make note of key questions or issues. The director can also utilize the portal’s live analytics to see how directors are using the material prior to the meeting, and to assess how much time they’re spending on each piece of paper or section.
This is especially helpful directors with a hectic schedule and limited time available to dedicate to the board. A well-designed portal is accessible from any device, at any time. Because most board members already use their familiar devices to access other online services it does not need a long-term learning curve.
While user-friendliness is a key factor for directors when deciding on board collaboration software but there are other elements that are equally important to consider when evaluating different vendors. For instance, some portals offer tools that allow directors to vote and keep documents of their decisions. This will save the secretary time and makes it easier for the board members to implement changes in between meetings.