Although the needs of each organization may vary, there are a few essential aspects that you should look for in any such portal.
Here are some actions you may take to reduce your options and entirely or partially conduct your board meetings and shareholder meetings online.
Look Through the Security Features
It is impossible to emphasize the value of security in board meeting software. The credentials of any site you are contemplating utilizing should be checked beforehand. They ought to be able to provide you with information on the reliability of their encryption as well as the international standards they follow. You may feel more confident when transmitting critical information over a secure portal.
Does the portal offer any additional security features? The potential to remotely delete files and notes from members’ devices is one to be wary of. If a stakeholder’s device is lost or stolen and they haven’t deleted any critical business information exchanged through the portal, this is a significant security risk unless there is a means to do this from a single location for all devices linked to your meeting software.
This and other such security measures demonstrate the program developer’s commitment to safeguarding your meetings and documents.
Learn How It Facilitates Document Creation
Typically, more than one individual is responsible for developing the papers for the board book. The option to assign assignments would be a useful feature of your board meeting software to manage the workflow of drafting the entire document across a team. When editing documents on the site, you may collaborate and set due dates. This eliminates the need to switch between several apps to monitor the board book’s development.
Assess the Ease of Information Access
Although it may seem apparent, the ideal board meeting software should make it simple for you and the meeting attendees to get the information you need. The goal of employing a paperless system is to replace the convoluted and disorganized paper process with a more streamlined, simple, and orderly one.
- The capacity to look. The materials must be simple to look for and navigate for board members. Additionally, they must be able to do so on any device they want. Since all three of these platforms might be used, the finest board management systems provide versions that are optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile. If the software you select is just desktop-based, you will not be able to reach your aim of boosting meeting attendance.
- Printer-friendly formatting. There will always be users who want to print off copies, even though creating a paperless workplace is one of the main reasons many firms utilize board portals. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as personal convenience or intolerance to prolonged screen use. Make that the board book’s and accompanying papers’ formatting is suitable for printing in this specific situation.
- Access offline. Whether people can access the content both online and offline is a different factor to consider. If not, not having access to Wi-Fi or 4G might make it difficult for them to prepare for the meeting.
Check to See whether Users Can Work Together
Another significant benefit of employing board management tools is the simplicity of cooperation. A paper-led approach might take up a lot of the meeting time as each participant must express their concerns, queries, and opinions. You may view every comment as it is made while using the board interface to collaborate online. This can help save time at the meeting by allowing some of the important administrative tasks and modifications to take place beforehand.
Working together during meetings is also crucial since participants may support their arguments or raise concerns by exchanging the precise sections in question. This makes it clear to the other attendees what they are talking about.
Exists a Calendar Function?
The option to share and change calendars inside the portal is another handy feature that can meet your needs. When you are aware of who is available and when it is easier to organize meetings and other events. Additionally, it enables prompt responses and RSVPs from your members.
Determine Whether Video Conferencing Is Supported
The ability to observe who is actively participating in the meeting is essential for achieving the legal obligation to easily identify everyone who participates. You could accidentally lose a user on a conference call. Video conferencing is therefore incredibly beneficial for transparency.
Furthermore, being able to see one another seems more intimate and is the closest thing to a physical encounter you can have. There is less of a problem with people talking over one another since you can easily install a raised hand method to aid the chairperson and offer everyone who wants one the chance to comment. You can also take the visual indications that someone is ready to speak.
A big advantage of video meetings is the opportunity to see who is speaking because it is not always clear on conference calls who is speaking.
Check Out the Features It Offers for Governance
It is essential to have online governance capabilities while conducting virtual meetings in a paperless office. For instance, a lot of board websites include risk management tools.
The capability to issue signatures and approvals through the platform is the most crucial aspect of governance that you need to have incorporated into your board meeting software.
A list of others who have authorized the document, together with instructions and deadlines, is a useful feature that lets individuals know when they are required to sign a document.
Think about if This Is a Better Choice
You do need to consider whether it offers a better choice than your current position before choosing your board meeting platform. Your stakeholders need to be convinced that implementing the change will be worthwhile before they commit to it, go through the necessary training, and modify corporate procedures.
You won’t get the buy-in you need if your decision does not offer notable advantages over a paper-based method. This is why it’s crucial to get the greatest board management solution you can within your means. The goal is to make holding AGMs, shareholder meetings, and board meetings simpler, more efficient, and accessible to as many people as possible. A good board portal surely does this, so if you have any reservations about the software you’ve chosen, keep exploring and maybe increase your budget so your company can take advantage of the greatest solutions available.