So you're ready to invest in board portal software. You might first spot downloadable software on the internet and find it tempting. If you go to a store, another temptation awaits: low-cost 'out-of-the-box' software that is easy to install on your hard drive. Large districts have yet another option: in-house IT personnel could program something for just this purpose. Keep looking. All three software sources have left many school boards with buyer's remorse. Only full-service portal providers catering to school boards have stood the test of time. Considering five crucial factors will direct you to software that meets your long-term needs.
If you're not convinced that you need a public-facing website, you have not experienced the savings in time and labor that it brings. When you post agendas and minutes to comply with sunshine laws, they now reach far more people with less legwork and expense. Americans spend hours each day online, whereas very few saunter past the public library to see what's new on the bulletin board. While you once walked all over town with a stapler, a roll of tape, and a box of thumbtacks, you can now send out meeting notices with the click of a mouse. That takes less time and requires less staff.
To make sure that a board portal provider will maintain its support of a public-facing website, look for a provider that caters to school boards. If you're their target market, they'll remain vigilant about meeting your needs. In 2018, Microsoft discontinued its support of public-facing websites on One Point Online. To the majority of its target market it was not essential. Stranded clients then had to figure out how to 'migrate' to another provider, which often required calling in an expensive consultant.
When it comes to software, there's security and then there's security. Some software offers no encryption. Some provides 128-bit encryption. The best available software gives you full 256-bit encryption. It also provides storage on a secure, cloud-based server, not on 'the cloud,' which is easy for hackers to get into. (Most popular file-sharing sites store documents on the cloud.)
Texting on the apps that come pre-loaded on smartphones also dangles candy before any nefarious actor who wants to see your board's business. Go for board portal software that comes bundled with an alternative texting platform that is secure.
Buyer beware: There are usually no ongoing security updates on out-of-the-box software. An in-house IT department generally lacks the staffing and sophistication that it takes to keep an eye on international threats to cybersecurity. A good full-service portal provider monitors cybercrime updates to stay a step ahead of the bad guys. It even conducts security audits and penetration tests.
To prevent this disastrous mistake from happening even once, look for software with role-based authorizations. Such software makes different versions of documents accessible to portal users with differing roles ' say, board member, administrator, or member of the public.
To select the very best board portal software for your school board, factor in these five considerations. The choice will serve you well not just now, but for years to come.
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Choose software that supports your public-facing website.
If you're not convinced that you need a public-facing website, you have not experienced the savings in time and labor that it brings. When you post agendas and minutes to comply with sunshine laws, they now reach far more people with less legwork and expense. Americans spend hours each day online, whereas very few saunter past the public library to see what's new on the bulletin board. While you once walked all over town with a stapler, a roll of tape, and a box of thumbtacks, you can now send out meeting notices with the click of a mouse. That takes less time and requires less staff.
To make sure that a board portal provider will maintain its support of a public-facing website, look for a provider that caters to school boards. If you're their target market, they'll remain vigilant about meeting your needs. In 2018, Microsoft discontinued its support of public-facing websites on One Point Online. To the majority of its target market it was not essential. Stranded clients then had to figure out how to 'migrate' to another provider, which often required calling in an expensive consultant.
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Look for maximal protection from cybercrime.
When it comes to software, there's security and then there's security. Some software offers no encryption. Some provides 128-bit encryption. The best available software gives you full 256-bit encryption. It also provides storage on a secure, cloud-based server, not on 'the cloud,' which is easy for hackers to get into. (Most popular file-sharing sites store documents on the cloud.)
Texting on the apps that come pre-loaded on smartphones also dangles candy before any nefarious actor who wants to see your board's business. Go for board portal software that comes bundled with an alternative texting platform that is secure.
Buyer beware: There are usually no ongoing security updates on out-of-the-box software. An in-house IT department generally lacks the staffing and sophistication that it takes to keep an eye on international threats to cybersecurity. A good full-service portal provider monitors cybercrime updates to stay a step ahead of the bad guys. It even conducts security audits and penetration tests.
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Find the Right Tools to Boost Transparency.
- Simple feedback forms posted on the website solicit citizens' input ' even between meetings, when communication from the school board traditionally 'goes dark.'
- You have always somehow put out minutes of meetings, but since you're online, why not post video footage of meetings?
- Top board portal software can even store public records on an archive that anyone can access by just clicking on an icon. That means that maps, laws, policies, spreadsheets, historical documents, reports, and more are easy for journalists and historians to find.
- If that archive is searchable, researchers get the royal treatment. BoardDocs software even makes it possible to conduct a single-step, keyword-based metasearch of archived materials. The single search peruses all files simultaneously, even if they're in multiple formats.
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Look beyond the price tag.
- Training Support. After the sale, the board and staff have to figure out how to use their new software. Will the seller provide training videos free of charge? If not, costly consultants will happily lead you through the transition. Also, staff retire or leave. Board members rotate off the board. With turnover, new people always need training from the ground up. When a replacement steps in, how will they know how to leverage all the powers of the software?
- Customer Service. When something goes wrong, are you left stranded? Off-the-shelf software companies may offer customer service between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Even within those limited hours, they often send customers to voice mail. BoardDocs, a Diligent brand, not only offers support 24/7 but even guarantees a live human on the other end within a matter of minutes. Diligent has even won awards for its best-in-class service record.
- Free Unlimited Storage. Some board portal software includes room to store documents, but only up to a certain limit. After that point, they charge a hefty fee for added volume. Look for free unlimited storage.
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Make sure the software keeps confidential information safely segregated from other materials.
To prevent this disastrous mistake from happening even once, look for software with role-based authorizations. Such software makes different versions of documents accessible to portal users with differing roles ' say, board member, administrator, or member of the public.
To select the very best board portal software for your school board, factor in these five considerations. The choice will serve you well not just now, but for years to come.