OnBoard

Comments: I have been using OnBoard shortly after I started with this company in late 2016. I believe the software was being converted from an older, original product to the OnBoard that I currently use today. There have been many updates along the way. My favorite was the ability to use the software on either Apple or Android cell phones. We recently upgraded our package to include Global Admin with the new Analytics feature. Two years ago, we looked into a few different products to compare cost and features. In the end we decided to stay with OnBoard because the program does everything we need (and then some) for our board meetings. The cost of the software to be very competitive with others. The members of our board find it effective and very easy to use. This makes my life much easier!

Pros: There are several things I like about the software. One of the features we like is the ability to use the software on both Apple and Android devices. If I ever need help with the software, I can easily find help through the Help Center and there are Admin Guides. When a new member joins our Board - no problem! There is a User Guide to help get them up to speed very quickly. Should there be another issue that I cannot resolve, I have found the staff at OnBoard very helpful in resolving any issue that I come across (which are very few and far between!) I also like the opportunity for additional learning via Webinars. We are updated when the offices at OnBoard will be closed or whenever there is an update on the way. The communication is above and beyond. Putting together an Agenda for a board meeting is very easy to do. I am finding the agenda import to be a big time saver. Our board enjoys the ability to make annotations during our board meetings.

Cons: My least favorite thing about this software is the need to have a "Global Admin" upgrade in order to delete things from the portal that a previous employee had created and was no longer needed/outdated. It is unfortunate that the Messenger feature is not included in our package and this would require another upgrade. That being said, however, there are many updates to the software that do not cost extra. I don't want to give the impression that every update costs extra, because that would not be accurate. In case you are wondering - we did decide to upgrade during a year-end special to include the Global Admin product and Analytics feature which we are enjoying very much.

Comments: OnBoard provides a secure environment and ensures confidentiality of information. OnBoard provides efficiencies. We are not coping hundreds of pages, assembling notebooks, and mailing board books. Preparation for meetings is streamlined. Support from our customer success manager is excellent. I appreciate the training videos, webinars for users, and 24-7 support.

Pros: The board recognized the need for a secure platform for its work and wanted to move away from paper documents. We have a 13-member board, and trustees live across the country. The level of experience is varied among our trustees; however, the first trustee who agreed to move to a board solutions platform is the person with the least experience. And, she has had not difficulty using OnBoard. Some of our trustees were exploring OnBoard before we had a training session, and they found it easy to use. We offered one training webinar conducted by our Passageways customer service manager, which was recorded. The trustees used OnBoard for its first board meeting less than three months after acquiring the product and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The trustees found that navigating the site and the board book is easy. They appreciate electronic board books, earlier availability of information, and the ability to add documents as needed, even during the board meeting. In the past, material from investment managers and auditors was provided at the meeting. With OnBoard, these documents were available before the meeting, which dramatically increased the number of pages in the board book, but trustees had the opportunity to review information and prepare questions before the meeting. We were amazed that the use of OnBoard during the meeting went so well. I appreciate the ease with which you can change the agenda and and update/revise materials.

Cons: Because staff members do not have access to all board materials, permissions have to be set individually for each staff member. While setting permissions is not difficult, it is a learning experience, but our customer success manager is a good teacher and patient! While we have not yet implemented the actions function, we are looking forward to using it for approvals, surveys, and signatures.

Comments: Utilizing a board portal has made the distribution of materials to our board members very easy. The records are very secure. The materials for each committee meeting as well as for the board meeting are easy to create and access. We are able to post important announcements for the board between meetings to keep them up to date. This software really does keep our board members engaged with the College between meetings, which has been very difficult in the past.

Pros: OnBoard software allows the Eureka College Board of Trustees to remain engaged with the College between meetings. They have ready access to all meeting materials from current and past meetings. The board members also have access to key resource materials from the Association of Governing Boards, which was very limited in the past, as well as important information related to college operations. I also like the fact that OnBoard is constantly and consistently updating their product to make it even more user friendly. I have heard nothing but positive comments from our board members.

Cons: Currently OnBoard does not have a feature for tracking board member terms. This would be a very useful tool to have as now I have to keep a separate spreadsheet of board terms. However I am confident that one of the updates in the future will allow for this administrative record keeping.

Comments: A few years ago, we digitized our board experience. We picked a good "starter platform" and eased our board and committees into the practical application and efficiency of being able to access their meeting and organization files online. The platform was a bit clunky but miles and miles better than the printed board books we had been using prior. Early 2019 we learned that our platform was going away and it was time to evaluate other offerings. I knew we wouldn't go back to the old way but I needed something that would meet our current needs and be flexible enough to allow us to grow into more features, find new efficiencies, measure engagement....and still come with a price tag that our Board would swallow. OnBoard fits the bill. I LOVE the easy interface for our board and our staff. I LOVE how easy it was to set up and populate. I LOVE the annotation features. I LOVE the messaging feature (to the group but more so one on one during the meeting for folks who don't like to or cant speak over the "over talkers"). I'm pleased.

Pros: Incredibly easy user interface - even our least tech savvy staff and board members can utilize the platform effectively.

Cons: I miss the ease of meeting minute taking that I was used to in our last platform.

Comments: Overall my experience has been great. After demoing multiple platforms, we chose OnBoard because of the best affordability, it's user-friendly, and the support has been stellar. Our set-up and support team have been there 100%, and go above and beyond to address questions and resolve any technical issues. To me, customer service and tech support are a #1 priority and rep, as well as the tech support team, have always exceeded my expectations.

Pros: OnBoard is a visually appealing platform, that is user-friendly and easy to use.

Cons: Feature availability, such as 1) downloadable material does not include an agenda page 2) surveys have to be closed before reviewing results, which limits the ability to know when to close the survey 3) announcement permissions are limited to Admins only. 3) The survey questions format lacks more enhanced customization