Evaluating board portal software: a checklist for board administrators

Board portal technology has gone from being efficient to becoming essential with the recent shift to remote work. For board administrators, technology and automation tools can help you perform your work in less time, even as governance demands grow.

While there are many different board portals available on the market, many of them do the same thing: help boards with organizing meetings, securely distribute board packages and keep directors up to date. If board portals have similar features – how do you ensure you pick the right option? Use our checklist to evaluate which board portal software is the right fit for you.

Top 7 things to compare for choosing board portal software

1. Meeting administration & board communications

Board portal technology can make the workday easier for board administrators. Look for automation tools and easy to use features that can save time and effort, such as when preparing for board meetings or providing updates to directors when dates or documents change.

Some things to consider when comparing board portal software are:

• How do administrators set up board packages and update them?
• What steps does it take to schedule and reschedule a meeting?
• Do administrators have control to add or delete contacts and committees, and easily assign individuals to committees?
• How are directors notified when new information is available?
• Aprio makes board administration and communications simple and efficient.

Aprio’s board portal technology is the only tool built with board administrators in mind.

Developed from the perspective of the day in the life of an administrator, Aprio is armed with self-serve tools that make it easy to streamline board administration tasks.

Aprio produces and securely distributes board packages to board members at any location – without confusion, paper waste, or cost. Save time generating agendas and relaying the latest version of materials to directors before and between meetings.

Make board meeting setup a breeze. Create recurring meetings and instantly set up remote meetings using third-party videoconferencing technology including Teams, Skype and Zoom. Easily create meeting agendas and build templates that can be reused such as regular board meetings, the AGM or a special meeting.

Board administrators can also select who can have access to board meeting documents. Easy contact and group management allows you to import contacts, clone a group, and set dates for groups, which affects the board materials they’ll see.

2. Reports

Board portal technology can help you stay on top of your corporate reporting and compliance obligations. When comparing board portal software, you should consider:

• What reports are in place to monitor board member logins, meeting preparation and meeting attendance?
• For compliance reporting, is there sophisticated search ability to pull data needed for audits and compliance reporting?
• Are self-serve reports provided “out of the box” for easy access?

Meet regulatory and compliance reporting requirements in less time with Aprio.

Aprio makes audit and compliance reporting simple, by providing rapid search capabilities and an accurate audit trail. Access useful self-serve reports such as usage reports to track director engagement with key stats like logins, meeting attendance and document downloads. 

3. Security

While IT can help audit cybersecurity and board portal protection in key areas such as data storage, third-party security evaluations and data protection, board administrators are concerned with how to ensure confidential board documents and information stay secure. 

When comparing board portal software security, consider:

• How are documents kept secure and safer than in email or share drives?
• What features ensure documents and materials are kept secure and confidential?
• Does the board portal offer any protection against data leaks, such as if a board member loses his mobile device?

Aprio’s board portal software provides a secure, confidential online environment.

Aprio’s advanced security gives you the power to control access, guarantee compliance, and remotely wipe lost or stolen devices. Sharing information and documents is much safer and secure than using email or share drives. 

Features such as secure surveys and voting can be used to confidentially evaluate director or CEO performance or solicit quick board votes on time-sensitive information. Control how people access and use information, using role-based access or granular access permission.

4. Getting started & adoption ease

Board portal software is useless if you can’t use it properly. When comparing board portal technology options, some things to consider are:

• How does the vendor help you at the start of using your board portal?
• How do executives and directors get trained?
• Is training offered for the board administrative team?
• Is training offered continuously, such as when a new director joins, or a new feature is launched?

Aprio makes set up and adoption a breeze.

Compared to other board portals, Aprio provides a seamless user experience for both board administrators and for directors. We top the charts for positive customer reviews for product ease of use and adoption.

Aprio provides expert advice on how to best use board portal technology as well as personalized guidance on data set up. We take care of configurations, boardroom creation, and data migration from any existing portal. Aprio’s board portal solution includes initial deep training for administrators and directors. We also offer any ongoing training you may need – at  no extra cost.

5. Support

Board administrators need a technology partner you can rely on for support – whether it’s learning a new feature or dealing with a time-sensitive technical issue.

It’s important to evaluate what level of support is offered through your board portal technology, such as:

• What is the typical response time for phone or email support?
• What support is available if you need help with new features?
• Are they resources available to support training and answering questions such as webinars, tip sheets, and videos?

Aprio stands out for 24/7/365 support.

Our support team is available 24/7 to answer questions and provide technical support when you need it. You’ll talk to a real person who cares – 24/7, 365 days a year.  

Many of our support team are former board administrators – who understand your role and how to make your job easier. We also provide expert assistance directly to directors and executives to ease your workload. For example, we can reset logins and host director training sessions.

6. Affordability

When it comes to board portal technology, it’s a common misconception that if you pay more, then you get more. You have to choose between the “lite” product and the feature-rich product for a higher price tag. 

As part of your board portal evaluation, make sure you review all fees and aren’t surprised by any hidden fees or add-ons.  Evaluate all potential costs including:

• What is the software license cost for a board, and how many members does it include?
• Are all features included, or are there additional costs for premium features?
• Are they additional costs such as for committee groups, reports, data storage, etc.?
• Is training and support included as part of the license fee, or is it an additional cost?
• Will the fee structure change as your needs change?

Aprio offers better value than our competitors.

Our software licensing price includes initial training for administrators and directors, and any ongoing training you may need. Your subscription includes 25 user licences – any number of which can be administrators — and unlimited committees at no extra cost. The annual fee gives you access to both desktop and mobile applications.

Aprio software is priced 50% lower than our main competitors. It’s our mission to make good governance affordable for boards of any size, not just those from the Fortune 500 crowd.

7. Best Overall Fit

As a board administrator, your use of board portal technology in your everyday role is an important consideration when evaluating board portal software. Review which key areas matter most to you as you assess which portal is the best overall fit.

Aprio’s a top choice among board administrators.

Board administrators are busy and hardworking, and we aim to support you with the best software to make board administration simple and efficient. Compared to other board portals, Aprio stands out in the industry as the easiest to use, most full-featured, affordably priced board management solution available.

Make your job as a board administrator easier with Aprio

Are you ready to save yourself hours of time, improve your meeting prep process and get top-rated, personalized support? Book a free demo and see how Aprio’s board portal technology can make your job easier.