What is the top-rated board management software for remote board meetings?

TL;DR

• Remote meetings become efficient and inclusive when supported by the right tools.
• Top board management software securely shares documents, integrates video, and streamlines collaboration.
• A powerful board portal goes beyond storage to actively improve decision-making and strategic oversight.
• Effective adoption relies on training, ongoing support, and aligning the technology with the board’s priorities.

What are the benefits of remote board meetings?

Remote board meetings are on the rise. A Korn Ferry survey found that 32% of firms now conduct a mix of in-person and remote board meetings, with 61% reporting greater efficiency in their post-pandemic board operations.

A study on A-share listed companies in China took it a step further, examining whether synchronous remote board meetings impact board monitoring effectiveness. Compared with face-to-face meetings, they found that remote board meetings:

• Improve attendance.
• Equalize the director status and reduce conformity pressure.
• Increase director dissent on monitoring proposals (enhancing corporate governance and market transparency).
• Strengthen CEO turnover-performance sensitivity.
• Create a spillover effect, improving the diligence of independent directors on other boards where they hold concurrent directorships.
• Lead to more effective investments.

These effects persist when including both synchronous and asynchronous remote meetings. Analysis at the proposal-director level showed they particularly reduce the pressure to conform among young or socially connected directors.

On a practical level, remote meetings allow directors to join from anywhere (thereby increasing attendance). They make it easier to bring in external voices and specialist advisors without logistics slowing things down.

There are financial savings, too. Fewer in-person meetings reduce travel and accommodation costs, and the board can meet more frequently without disrupting executive schedules. Finally, a study in Future Business Journal showed that less travel to board meetings reduces environmental impact by limiting carbon emissions and enhancing sustainability.

What features support remote collaboration?

Not all board reporting software is created equal. It’s a platform designed specifically for governance, not just generic video calls. The goal is for remote meetings to run smoothly, reduce admin overhead, and allow directors to focus on strategic discussion rather than logistics.

Here’s what you need to make that happen:

• Mobile and multi-device access so directors can participate from anywhere.
• Integrated video conferencing that keeps discussions and documents in one place.
• Centralized document management for secure storage, easy access, and version control for agendas, minutes, and board packs.
• Digital signatures to speed up approvals between meetings.
• Real-time collaboration that allows questions, comments, and annotations before and during the meeting.
• Voting and decision tools that streamline formal decisions.
• Offline access so directors can review papers on flights or in low-connectivity environments.
• Security and compliance controls that protect sensitive board information with encryption, permissions, and audit logs.
• Intuitive navigation that requires minimal training.

What are the best software options for remote board meetngs?

The right board management software removes friction, so directors can concentrate on decisions, not technology. It should offer a range of value-adding features designed with the governance team and the board’s workflows and needs in mind.

Several platforms stand out, but the highest-rated options are portals built specifically for boards. Let’s look at how Board Intelligence stacks up against the competition.

Board Intelligence

Board Intelligence combines a secure board portal with advisory services and research tools. The strategy-oriented board portal goes further than purely enabling logistics by encouraging directors to think critically, question assumptions, and make informed decisions.

Our platform is optimized for remote meetings with:

• Secure UK-hosted data centers and biometric login.
• Smart Agenda Planner and drag-and-drop document tools.
• Video conferencing integration, e-signatures, and split-screen view.
• Annotation and collaboration features that work online or offline.
• Insights dashboards with visual representations of data trends, aiding in the identification of strategic opportunities and risks.
• Decision logs track past decisions to ensure alignment with long-term goals and facilitate accountability.
• 24/7 support and tailored training from governance experts.

This makes it a complete solution for improving board effectiveness, backed by our 15 years of advisory experience.

Aprio

With seamless integrations to Zoom, Teams, and more, Aprio makes virtual attendance effortless for directors. It also offers robust security features, such as multi-factor authentication, remote device wiping, and ISO-level compliance.

But where Aprio’s interface is accessible, its folder structure can be complex to navigate, and syncing between mobile and desktop views sometimes falters, potentially confusing users across devices.

Board Intelligence preserves Aprio’s ease and security while offering a cleaner, more intuitive navigation framework and consistently seamless performance across all devices. Directors enjoy streamlined access to materials with no room for confusion, whether on mobile, desktop, or tablet.

BoardEffect

BoardEffect supports remote collaboration well through secure “workrooms,” robust annotation tools, and solid mobile apps. It includes two-factor authentication, single sign-on (SSO), and thorough integration with Azure, Google Apps, and more. It sees that boards maintain encrypted, compliant sessions.

Nonetheless, some users note that its board book editor can feel rigid, with limited flexibility in design and layout. The interface also feels dated to newcomers, making it harder for non-technical directors to quickly adapt.

Board Intelligence takes the secure foundations of BoardEffect and adds a modern, flexible board pack design experience. Directors benefit from intuitive, visually coherent agendas and materials, while administrators gain more control and customization.

How should boards implement new software?

Implementing new board management software can transform a board's operations, but a smooth rollout requires careful planning and preparation. The following tips help ensure successful adoption, streamline workflows, and boost the platform’s value for directors and administrators.

Importantly, remember that implementation succeeds when the focus is on people, not just technology.

• Set clear objectives. Define what the board wants to improve, whether it be faster access, better collaboration, or stronger security.
• Provide training. Even intuitive tools need onboarding to embed habits.
• Use phased adoption. Start with one committee or meeting cycle before scaling up.
• Align with reporting. Pair your portal with high-quality board packs so the technology supports, rather than distracts from, good governance.
• Review and refine. Measure the impact after each cycle, and adjust your processes to unlock more value.

Not sure where to start? Give your board a forward-looking mandate by working with board effectiveness experts who help you focus and align your board and executive team around a clear and purposeful board mandate. Board Intelligence advisory services help you adopt ways of working that extract more director value-add in remote and in-person board meetings.

Plus, we can help you switch if you’re locked in a contract with another provider without paying for two portals at once.

“You made it very easy for us to switch board portal provider, and it was completely worth it. We’re so glad we took the plunge.”

Jason Wright, Society Secretary, Nationwide Building Society