What is a board portal?
A board portal is a tool that provides the perfect, secure and shared virtual space for directors to effectively collaborate with board members and external directors of other boards. It enables an environment for sharing documents with members and holding virtual meetings.
With features like e-voting, e-signatures, agenda creation, board meeting minutes builder, and task management, a board can make resolutions as it would when every member is present in person.
Absent members can enter the board management software, view the agenda, share board materials ahead, add input, or cast votes. Everything is seamless and intuitive, helping the board to optimize resources with online board meeting software.
The board management software contains the following functionalities:
Why online board portal matters for Australian organizations
Virtual meeting software and specialized software for board meetings are rapidly gaining traction across Australian organizations. Notably, 83% of Australian companies plan to hire full-time remote employees, highlighting the growing need for robust digital collaboration tools.
With remote and hybrid work rising, board management software has become essential for streamlining decision-making while meeting strict governance standards. Board portals offer the following benefits for Australian organizations:
- Australian corporate governance compliance. Align with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), and Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) guidelines by ensuring transparent document sharing and real-time updates for annual general meetings (AGMs) or strategic reviews.
- Data security. Protect sensitive board data and meet the Australian Privacy Act and global benchmarks (ISO 27001, SOC 2) with encrypted storage and role-based access.
- Efficiency & cost savings. Slash paperwork with centralized document access, automate meeting minutes via board reporting software, and improve productivity with tools for agenda creation and voting.
For Australian boards, adopting board management tools isn’t just about convenience. It’s a strategic move to uphold compliance, security, and operational agility in a competitive market.
How to choose a board management software in Australia
Compare the available board portals and make the right choice in seven steps:
- Evaluate your current approach. Note the pain points and weaknesses that a board management system can solve. For instance, an online boardroom can help cut down the costs associated, eliminate the need for traveling, and offer additional data security.
- Ask directors for their opinion. The board management platform has to be convenient for all participants in terms of usability and functionality. Account for every member’s comfort level with technology, specific requests, and previous experience with board portals.
- Define the vital features. All boards run differently and require different instruments in the process. Think of the tools that can complement and elevate your board’s operation, allowing management to hold board meetings effectively.
- Allocate the budget. Set a spending limit based on your board’s size and requirements. Outlining the cost expectations beforehand helps narrow down the board software providers and adequately distribute the necessary funds.
- Shortlist the most suitable products. Consider all the above points to identify board portal vendors that can meet your demands. Pay particular attention to every provider’s server location and security compliance.
- Check the reviews. The three R’s of evaluating any software reviews are: real, recent, and relevant. Look up the software you have in mind across as many independent platforms as possible to gather maximum input.
- Request a free trial. Whenever possible, ask each provider for a complimentary trial period. This way, you will see board collaboration software in action without digging into the budget and assess how the software impacts the entire meeting process.
What to look for in board meeting management software in Australia?
Once you’ve shortlisted potential solutions using the seven-step framework, prioritize these specific criteria to align with local regulations and maximize efficiency:
- Local data hosting & security. Prioritize providers with distributed data centers to ensure uninterrupted experience. Look for certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC 2 to safeguard sensitive board materials.
- Regulatory compliance: Ensure alignment with ASIC, APRA, and ASX Corporate Governance Principles. For example, financial institutions must meet APRA CPS 234 standards, while ASX-listed companies require audit-ready reporting tools.
- Integration with third-party tools: Opt for software that syncs seamlessly with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, or Outlook to streamline workflows.
- Pricing & ROI: Compare transparent pricing models (per-user vs. flat fees). For example, board management software for nonprofits typically offers cost-effective plans, while enterprises benefit from scalability and bulk discounts.
Crucial factors of board portal selection
There are several vital aspects to choosing the best board management software:
- Provider’s reputation. Evaluate the combination of the provider’s user feedback, length of operation, support team solutions, payment processing, and product evolution. In case a virtual boardroom provider was developed or acquired by another company, learn about the parent organization as well.
- Governance improvement potential. Some providers go well beyond the standard board meeting software capacity by allowing users to collaborate outside of meetings and adopt long-term and best-practice governance strategies.
- Implementation and adaptability. Assess how fast the board governance software will integrate with your current system. Also, check which devices are compatible with the boardroom to ensure utmost user convenience.
- Security. The board meeting software provider’s outlook on data security is vital to your board’s success. Consider factors such as encryption methods, data backups, user authorization, and servers’ certifications and compliances.
- Update frequency. Ask the provider how often they add new features, fix bugs, and generally improve the board governance software. Constant and consistent development will allow the board meeting app to grow alongside your company and adapt to your potential needs.
- Discounts. Check if the provider can offer more value on the board meeting software based on the number of users you will bring, the included features, or the amount of time you will use the software for.
Board management software pricing
Board management software costs vary widely based on deployment models (cloud, SaaS, or on-premise), features, and user tiers. While many vendors avoid public pricing, requiring custom quotes, entry-level solutions typically start around $115/month (like Process PA), with premium plans often exceeding $300/month for advanced governance tools.
Key points to consider:
- Pricing models. Most providers charge per user or per feature, though flat-rate options (such as Boardtrac) suit organizations needing predictable costs. Annual billing often unlocks discounts.
- Free trials. Over 70% of vendors (like Ideals Board or Diligent Boards) offer free trials (14–30 days) to test usability and integration with tools like Zoom or Microsoft Outlook.
- Entry-level features. Basic plans include agenda creation, document storage, and meeting scheduling.
- Premium add-ons: Advanced security (ISO 27001 compliance), e-signatures, analytics, and APRA/ASX-aligned audit trails justify higher costs.
Most vendors prioritize tailored quotes, so clarify hidden fees for training (webinars, live support) or data migration upfront.
| Vendor | Deployment | Free Trial | Training | Pricing Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Ideals Board |
| Available |
| Per feature | Not available Request Price |
2 Process PA |
| 30 days |
| Per user | from $115 View Profile |
3 Loomion |
| Available |
| Not specified | Not available View Profile |
4 Boardable |
| 14 days |
| Per feature | Not available View Profile |
5 Diligent Boards |
| Available |
| Per feature | Not available View Profile |
6 Boardeffect |
| Not available |
| Flat rate | Not available View Profile |
7 Boardvantage |
| Available |
| Per feature | Not available View Profile |
8 Boardtrac |
| Not available |
| Flat rate | Not available View Profile |
9 Brainloop |
| Available |
| Flat rate | Not available View Profile |
- Usually, this tool is adapted for mobile devices. This means users can access their board meeting minutes software from any location and at any moment. The interface of such software is very intuitive and requires no training for new users. But if any issues or questions occur, the support team is always there for customers of the board rooms.
- Another useful thing is the ability to create tasks for yourself or other members of the board. First of all, it allows keeping track of what things have been done and what should be done in the future. Also, it helps in organizing a workflow and improves corporate performance management in the company. It is a powerful tool for remote partnerships in particular. So, Australian businesses can really benefit from implementing this technology into their workflows.
- The storage of the board room is usually unlimited or close to unlimited. This allows board members to maintain a complete archive of all meetings held since the software was implemented in the company. Also, if you have any important offline information from previous meetings, you can upload it to the repository as well.
- Since the information uploaded to the online repository is usually rather sensitive, providers of digital boardrooms care a lot about the protection of their servers, where all data is stored. But documents are protected not only at the server level. Users can improve the security as well by controlling the amount of access other board members have.
Here you can find a detailed overview of the board portal features.
Benefits of board management software
Board management software offers premium features that facilitate board meetings, resolutions, performance tracking, and many other benefits, including:
From agenda and minute builders to scheduling meetings and tracking attendances, a board portal is well-equipped with premium features to ensure quick and smooth corporate performance management. There are even templates to make things faster if you don’t want to start afresh in building an agenda for a meeting.
There’s also a meeting center in the board portal where you can automate the scheduling of meetings and share board agenda simultaneously to save time and concentrate on more pressing organizational issues.
Board collaboration software is optimally secured against unauthorized users and only accessible to those with administrator permissions. Consequently, documents and sensitive data shared in the meeting room or stored in it are safe. Even when the administrator is granting users access to certain documents, they can decide to limit what they see in the said documents. Implementing many embedded encryption protocols, it is virtually impossible to fall victim to a data breach inside the secure board software.
With a document management feature that ensures all documents are in a single, centralized location, accessing them becomes easier for the administrator to retrieve documents and share while avoiding the stress of dredging email attachments.
These documents can be easily edited, annotated, embedded with links, and properly organized for effective collaboration anytime. Moreover, it helps significantly when there is a need to coordinate board meetings and avoid missing some important details.
With online board meeting software, resolutions before, during, or after board meetings can be compiled from the results of online polls. All board voting procedures can be implemented in this e-voting system with the results saved and even added to other documents where necessary. Remote board members can vote from anywhere conveniently and fully engage in the directors’ meetings without being physically present.
Thanks to a video integration feature, members can participate in meetings with only an internet connection. Attendees have a live view of the proceedings, so they feel more involved and, consequently, are more attentive.
There are times when passing resolutions in a meeting require signatures. Offering an e-signature feature to board members allows them to sign documents electronically. Letters can be drafted, signatures appended, and the letters sent out without the presence of signatories.
With a task manager, tasks can be created and assigned to board members during meetings or after meetings. These tasks can also be monitored to ensure full compliance is achieved. You can monitor tasks that have been completed and those that aren’t to improve accountability and drive productivity.
If you are looking for paperless board meeting software, board management software can help. Board directors can hold meetings without the burden of needing paper copies for all attendees.
Why use board software?
Business meetings are time-consuming and, let us be fair, often quite boring. Mostly it happens because board members that take part in the meeting need to study the documents.
- We all are familiar with those awkward moments during business meetings when everyone is silent and all you can hear is the rustle of paper. That’s the sound of people studying documents. And this process takes a huge amount of time. Also, it is really annoying to just sit and wait for others to read the needed information. What if all participants of the meeting could study documents beforehand?
- This is what the boardroom software was created for. A board portal is a tool that allows managing every aspect of the interaction between directors within one company and of relationships between heads of different firms. Board management software helps prepare for the meeting and hold it efficiently without wasting any time. Regardless of the frequency of meetings, the board of directors portal helps with keeping things organized and builds a stable workflow.
- Board portal software is useful not only for offline events. The whole world goes online. And businesses never lose a chance to use benefits internet gives them. Thus, lots of relationship between companies are held in virtual space. Especially, in Australia, since this country is physically rather distant from others. And it is much easier to hold a meeting online than to spend lots of time and money every now and then to just discuss things with partners. That’s why board portal software is rather popular in Australia.
Who uses the digital board portal?
Corporate boards
Corporate boards rely on software for board directors to streamline governance, align with the ASX corporate governance principles, and securely manage sensitive shareholder data. Features like e-signatures, audit trails, and real-time collaboration ensure compliance with ASIC reporting standards while accelerating decision-making in mergers and acquisitions or IPOs.
Nonprofits
Board management software for nonprofits coordinates volunteer-driven boards, tracks donations transparently, and complies with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) requirements. Budget-friendly plans often include grant management tools and remote voting for global stakeholders.
Financial institutions
Banks, credit unions, and fintech firms adopt board management software for financial services to meet APRA CPS 234 security mandates. Encryption, granular access controls, and third-party integrations simplify financial reporting and audit readiness.
Healthcare
Healthcare organizations leverage the board of director software to protect patient data under the Australian Privacy Act, manage accreditation workflows, and coordinate compliance with ISO 27001. HIPAA-aligned tools (for global operations) ensure confidentiality in strategic discussions.
Government
The public sector uses board management software for the government to uphold transparency under the Public Governance Act. Features like public record archiving and secure voting align with federal and state accountability standards.
Education
Universities and schools can employ portals to oversee policy updates and manage stakeholder communications. Tools like board minutes software streamline faculty meetings and accreditation reporting.
Credit unions
Board management software for credit unions safeguards member data, enhances APRA stress-test reporting, and facilitates board-member collaboration across branches. Role-based dashboards and audit logs ensure compliance with CPS 234.
FAQ
Board management software simplifies virtual board meetings through three key steps. First, the calendar tool allows organizers to propose time slots, automate invites, and sync with attendee availability.
Next, the agenda builder offers customizable templates or pre-made structures, with file attachments for context. Finally, integrated video conferencing tools enable secure, cross-platform meetings with screen sharing and real-time collaboration, ensuring encrypted communication aligns with compliance standards like SOC 2 while streamlining decision-making.
Secure board document management hinges on granular permissions. User roles (Admin, View/Download, Full Access) can restrict editing, deletion, or sharing. Additionally, file-level controls let admins control document access, ensuring precise data security within the board member portal.
Board meeting solutions boost engagement via integrated tools. For example, Zoom enables encrypted video conferencing. Additionally, built-in real-time polls streamline decisions, while interactive agendas let directors collaboratively edit and auto-distribute finalized documents post-meeting.
Compliance certifications ensure secure collaboration within board portals. SOC 2 verifies adherence to five principles: confidentiality, data availability, integrity, protection, and privacy. ISO 27001:2013 mandates rigorous risk assessments, security controls, and standardized processes, safeguarding against breaches. Both frameworks strengthen resilience against leaks.
Smooth board software adoption involves two steps. First, tailored training for the board of directors platform (webinars, guides) accelerates team proficiency. Although platforms are user-friendly, expert-led sessions add value. Second, free demos and free trials showcase features, letting clients explore virtual spaces pre-purchase.
Free trials let users test online board management software, assessing its pros and cons firsthand. It’s important to use a free trial that gives you an understanding of the board portal’s full functionality. Avoid providers without trials to prevent data risks from untested products.
