A boardroom portal is a results-oriented technology that is an add-on to business solutions. It meets the needs of corporate boards for effective management. While this technology has been around in the business world for more than a decade, the past few years have seen phenomenal growth in the virtual boardroom market.
So, what exactly is boardroom software? What does it perform and what are its advantages? Let’s find out in this short boardroomsoft’s board portal guide!
Virtual Board Software As It Is
Virtual board software is the best solution for meetings. Above all, it is designed on a paperless basis. It serves to maximize communication and collaboration among senior executives of corporations, nonprofits, public companies, etc.
The board portal software provides a centralized cloud platform where board members and senior executives (directors, CEOs, CFOs, chairmen, and secretaries), can store and access materials and collaborate with each other seamlessly.
Thus, Board Portals are:
- Secure data repositories for storing board materials and other sensitive corporate data
- Virtual platforms that maximize collaboration among board members
Users of Board Management Software
Board management software portals are used by people sitting at the top of the organization hierarchy. They may belong to public or private companies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, associations, unions, etc.
Users of virtual boardrooms typically include the following people:
- Corporate secretaries
- Presidents or board chairs
- Directors
- CEOs
- CFOs
- Stakeholders
- Legal or financial advisors (usually on a temporary basis)
- Major clients (on a temporary basis)
Features of Data Room Software for Board Portals
Board portals help boards streamline their tasks. Here are a few features that should be available in the best data room and high-end virtual boardroom.
Task Management Tools
They help in creating, assigning, and managing individual and group tasks to streamline workflows.
Meeting Agenda and Minutes
Prepared agenda or minutes templates can easily be used as-is or adjusted to meet company requirements.
Board Book
Meeting and data room services support multiple file formats, making it easy to create digital advice books and attach them to meeting invitations and agendas.
Robust Search Features
They make it very easy to retrieve a file by entering a keyword, phrase, name, file type, or data range into the search bar.
Dashboard
It gives a complete view of current tasks, important notifications, calendars, recent updates, meeting invitations, etc.
Document Access Control
It allows you to define levels of access for different users in the meeting room or virtual data room.
Electronic Signature Function
Serves board members to sign documents electronically.
Tools for Meetings
First of all, these are audio and video conferencing, digital voting, etc. They help make online board meetings much easier.
The Remote Cleanup Function
It is very handy for removing board-related documents from stolen or lost devices connected to the electronic data room.
Principles of Board Software at 3 Stages
There are two different sets of tools: one for administrative staff who manage the whole process behind the scenes, and one for board members who make critical decisions. Such online data room software simplifies every step of the board meeting lifecycle.
1. Before the Meeting Starts
Before things start, administrators can organize information, download minutes, check director availability and dynamically update information.
As the date of the board or committee meeting approaches, reports are distributed to board members. The administrator then assembles this information into an agenda, invites the directors, and publishes the board book.
Directors receive the board book and begin reviewing it. They can annotate and share their notes, review past materials, refer to documents, and communicate with colleagues.
2. During the Meeting
Directors arrive and find that there are no last-minute changes or surprises. The meeting begins, and one-touch navigation between sections keeps the meeting on track.
As decisions are made, directors can vote in the app, sign documents, set deadlines, assign tasks, and track outstanding issues.
3. After the Meeting
Reminders and notifications alert directors to pending tasks, such as a document that needs an electronic signature, the need to vote on open approvals, and responding to surveys.
Every action, every attendance report, and every download is tracked to ensure compliance with management requirements.
This workflow, combined with strict security measures, is the bare minimum necessary for any decision to be considered board governance software. That being said, board governance software can and should do much more.
Selecting an Effective Board Portal
Before you purchase a board portal, compare virtual data rooms, and include a long-term contract, you need to understand what to look for in data room vendors. You need to know what questions to ask as an informed buyer. So, what should one look for? When looking for a reliable board portal vendor, it is important to examine the reliability of the platform and the years of experience of the available vendor to see if the board portal is a good fit.
A great platform is defined by its ability to facilitate collaboration, discussions, and improve board flow.
Conclusion
Virtual boardrooms are virtual data rooms and collaboration platforms specifically designed to maximize communication and coordination among board members. A board portal allows board members to upload, access, share, edit, or download board materials to perform their management tasks. Using virtual boardrooms, directors can organize online board meetings, communicate directly with stakeholders and customers, temporarily add third parties, and so on. On top of that, virtual boardrooms are cost-effective and easy to use. And to make your work even more productive, try learning more about the best virtual data room providers.
