It used to be that collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams had to be used separately from a Board Portal, but that’s no longer the case! With Convene in Teams, you can seamlessly switch between the safety of a Board Management Software and the flexibility of online collaborative tools.

Why Collaboration Tools Can’t Replace A Board Portal?

Collaboration software has become increasingly useful during the pandemic, but not enough to replace a Board Portal solution. Simply put, a Board Portal streamlines processes. 

Pre-Meeting Benefits:

Creating a Board Pack in Microsoft Teams can be tedious and time-consuming. You have to wait for the individual files to be sent or shared before you can collate them into one giant shared document. With a Board Portal, it is as simple as dragging and dropping the file into a pre-existing template! 

Even better, you can update the Board Pack instantly and effortlessly! Gone are the days when you would have to search through the mega-file to replace the words. Now, you can just click replace file and the whole Board Pack will adjust. 

Furthermore, with a Board Portal, you can automate an agenda when you create your Board Pack. This minimises the time spent sorting and organising the Board Pack’s files accordingly. You can also give each item a time limit, thus streamlining your entire meeting. No one wants a meeting to run over!

A Board Portal can send out reminders for any and all meetings. This removes yet another tedious task for your Board administrative staff. In the 21st century, you want your team members to focus on what matters.

 

In-Meeting Benefits:

The main advantage of a Board Portal is its in-meeting capabilities. You can make notes directly onto any meeting document’s page as if it were paper. Furthermore, these notes can either be personal or shared, ensuring your meetings are dynamic and productive. Some Board Portals even offer voting and e-signing features, meaning they truly are a comprehensive meeting solution.

Tracking attendance is an automated process in a Board Portal. Meeting attendance is included in the meeting minutes of each meeting, and can also be tracked using audit reports. This streamlines the meeting process because it eliminates the need to manually take attendance. Time is money, so you should use your meeting time wisely!

You can keep the meeting completely digital with the addition of online voting. This can be kept anonymous or open, depending on the regulations of your Board. You can also ensure everyone votes, Decision-making should be simple, and it is with a Board Portal.

Board Portal Software can completely eliminate the need for paper with the option to e-sign documents. These are just as legally binding as a physical signature on a piece of paper. Digital is the future!

 

Post-Meeting Benefits

With a Board Portal there are also project management tools that help post-meeting. There is a  Document Library where secure board documents can be stored. This ensures that any Board information is easily accessible for audits

This also means that historic Board materials can be accessible for any new Board Members or CEOs. Convene also offers a transcript of any meeting, as we believe accessibility is the key to improving diversity

There is also a feature that helps your administrative staff with their meeting minutes. Meeting minutes are essential, but they can distract your company secretaries during meetings and take up their time afterwards. A Board Portal can automatically generate them, so your staff can focus on the discussions. As we have previously said, there should be no space for tedious tasks in the 21st Century!

 

Why Collaboration Tools Are Necessary?

Collaboration software allows you to work in real time with others, no matter your location. For example, Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based software with a range of collaborative tools, such as file sharing capabilities.

Microsoft Teams is designed to help you manage project teams. This means, with their add-ons such as Trello or OnePlan, it can be easy to monitor the workflow of a project. You can also collaborate on documents and use these channels to communicate.

Communication is the key to a successful business! Collaboration software hosts all communication in an accessible and logical manner. You can develop sub-folders for specific teams or projects, so communication can truly go hand-in-hand with collaborative efforts. These sub-folders will include an option to video call or instant message, as well as share files.

As we have already said, collaboration software allows you to work on the same document with others simultaneously. This means that work can be easily delegated on larger documents and checked over remotely. Efficiency is key, and collaboration tools are designed to make your team’s processes more streamlined.

Collaboration also increases employee satisfaction! So, investing in effective collaboration tools ensures a better working environment. This is just for the development of a project, in the new normal of remote working, you also want to ensure that collaboration tools aid the strategic side of operations.

Microsoft Teams allows you to have meetings whenever and wherever. This means discussions and debate no longer need to take place in a Boardroom. This can help with your Board of Directors’ diversity, as remote-working allows your Board Members to participate from anywhere in the world. 

 

How Convene In Teams Will Help Your Organisation?

With Convene in Teams, you can have the best of both worlds! Convene in Teams integrates everything you love about a Board Portal with the capabilities of collaborative software.

Convene in Teams allows you to have your Board Meetings and your Board materials all on one screen. This creates a seamless interface between the speaker and the documents without the need for multiple screens or tabs. You can even participate in a Board Meeting securely from your smartphone! 

During the Board Meeting, you can create Action Items as you would on the Convene App and alerts will be generated within Microsoft Teams. An integrated system ensures that your employees can stay up-to-date with any developments.

Convene in Teams is not only useful for Directors, but for the whole organisation. Everyone can benefit from our Survey function that makes doing your due diligence easy. Our Document Library also allows you to use role-based access controls, limiting the sharing of confidential files. This is particularly important when ensuring GDPR compliance.

If you would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us, or book a demo!

 

Gabriella Mangham

Written by Gabriella Mangham

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