Diligent BoardBooks is a board management platform designed to help directors, executives, clerks, and governance teams prepare meetings, distribute board materials, collaborate securely, and maintain a reliable record of decisions. It is often evaluated by public companies, nonprofits, educational institutions, credit unions, and government-related bodies that need a more controlled alternative to email attachments and paper board packets.
TLDR: Diligent BoardBooks is best suited for organizations that prioritize security, structured board packet delivery, and formal governance workflows. For example, a 12-member board that previously spent 10 hours assembling and distributing packets before each meeting could reduce preparation time by 40% to 60% by centralizing agendas, approvals, annotations, and updates. Its main drawbacks are potential cost, setup complexity, and a learning curve for less technical board members. Alternatives such as OnBoard, BoardEffect, Nasdaq Boardvantage, Boardable, and Convene may be better fits depending on budget, usability needs, and organization size.
What Is Diligent BoardBooks?
Diligent BoardBooks is part of the broader Diligent governance technology ecosystem. The platform focuses on digitizing the board meeting lifecycle, from building agendas and compiling materials to distributing secure board books, recording minutes, and enabling directors to review documents on multiple devices.
The system is commonly used by organizations that need a high level of confidentiality. Board materials often include financial forecasts, audit findings, executive compensation details, legal documents, merger discussions, or sensitive policy decisions. Diligent BoardBooks helps keep these materials in a controlled environment rather than scattered across inboxes, cloud drives, and printed binders.
Key Board Management Features
1. Digital Board Packet Creation
One of the platform’s strongest features is its ability to create and distribute digital board packets. Administrators can upload documents, arrange them by agenda item, add tabs, update files, and publish materials to directors. This reduces the risk of outdated versions being reviewed during a meeting.
If a finance report changes the night before a board session, administrators can update the packet once, and directors can receive the latest version automatically. This is a major advantage over printed packets or PDF bundles sent by email.
2. Agenda and Meeting Management
Diligent BoardBooks supports structured agenda creation, meeting scheduling, attendance tracking, and document linking. Governance teams can organize materials around each agenda item, helping board members move through meetings more efficiently.
For organizations that manage multiple committees, the platform can help separate materials for audit, finance, governance, compensation, and executive committees. This makes it easier to control access and prevent directors from receiving documents unrelated to their responsibilities.
3. Secure Document Access
Security is one of Diligent’s most recognized strengths. The platform typically includes permission controls, encryption, authentication tools, and remote access management. These features are important for boards that handle confidential or regulated information.
Rather than relying on unsecured file-sharing links, board members access documents through a protected portal. Administrators can manage who sees which materials and may be able to revoke access when needed, such as when a board member leaves the organization.
4. Annotations and Offline Review
Directors can usually annotate board materials, highlight sections, and add private notes. Depending on configuration and device support, offline access may also be available, allowing board members to review packets while traveling.
This feature is especially useful for directors who prefer to prepare in advance. Instead of printing a 200-page packet, a director can review the materials on a tablet and keep personal notes within the platform.
5. Minutes, Resolutions, and Approvals
Diligent BoardBooks can help governance teams manage meeting minutes and formal approvals. This may include drafting minutes, linking decisions to agenda items, recording votes, and maintaining an organized archive.
For highly regulated organizations, this recordkeeping function can be valuable. A well-maintained digital archive supports audits, compliance reviews, and historical research when leadership needs to understand how and why certain decisions were made.
6. Mobile and Tablet Experience
Board members often prefer tablets for meeting preparation and participation. Diligent BoardBooks is designed with director access in mind, allowing materials to be reviewed on supported mobile devices. A strong tablet experience matters because many board members are senior executives or external advisors who need quick access without navigating complex administrative interfaces.
Benefits of Using Diligent BoardBooks
- Reduced paper use: Organizations can eliminate large printed board packets and last-minute courier deliveries.
- Better version control: Updated documents can replace outdated files inside the portal.
- Improved confidentiality: Sensitive materials stay in a secure board environment.
- More efficient preparation: Administrators can assemble and distribute materials faster.
- Centralized governance records: Agendas, packets, minutes, and approvals can be easier to locate later.
Potential Drawbacks
Despite its strengths, Diligent BoardBooks may not be the ideal choice for every organization. Cost is often one of the biggest considerations. Diligent products are generally positioned for organizations with serious governance needs, and smaller nonprofits or local associations may find lighter platforms more affordable.
Another concern is the implementation process. Migrating board materials, training administrators, configuring permissions, and encouraging adoption can take time. Less technical board members may need onboarding, especially if they are accustomed to printed packets.
Some teams may also feel that Diligent offers more functionality than necessary. A small board that meets quarterly and handles limited confidential information may prefer a simpler platform with fewer enterprise-level features.
Who Should Consider Diligent BoardBooks?
Diligent BoardBooks is a strong fit for organizations that need formal governance processes and secure collaboration. It may be especially appropriate for:
- Public companies and large private companies
- Healthcare systems and financial institutions
- Universities, school boards, and public agencies
- Nonprofits with complex committee structures
- Organizations subject to audits, compliance rules, or strict confidentiality standards
It may be less suitable for very small boards that simply need file sharing, basic agendas, and low-cost meeting coordination.
Top Alternatives to Diligent BoardBooks
1. OnBoard
OnBoard is a popular board portal known for a modern interface and user-friendly design. It offers agenda building, board books, voting, approvals, minutes, and analytics. It may appeal to organizations that want strong functionality with a smoother learning curve.
2. BoardEffect
BoardEffect is commonly used by nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and education institutions. It provides board packet management, surveys, task tracking, archives, and committee collaboration. It is often considered when organizations want governance tools tailored to mission-driven boards.
3. Nasdaq Boardvantage
Nasdaq Boardvantage is another enterprise-grade board portal built for secure board and leadership collaboration. It may be a strong alternative for corporations and financial institutions that require advanced security and compliance capabilities.
4. Boardable
Boardable is often favored by smaller nonprofits and growing organizations. It includes meeting scheduling, agendas, minutes, polls, document storage, and task management. Compared with enterprise platforms, it may be easier to adopt and more budget-friendly.
5. Convene
Convene offers board meeting management, secure documents, e-signatures, voting, and video meeting support. It can be suitable for organizations seeking an all-in-one governance and meeting platform with international availability.
Final Verdict
Diligent BoardBooks is a capable and secure board management solution for organizations with serious governance requirements. Its strengths include board packet management, secure document distribution, annotations, meeting organization, and centralized records. For boards that regularly handle sensitive materials, the platform can reduce administrative friction while improving control over confidential information.
However, the best choice depends on budget, board size, technical comfort, and governance complexity. Diligent BoardBooks is most compelling for larger or more regulated organizations, while alternatives such as OnBoard, BoardEffect, Boardable, Nasdaq Boardvantage, and Convene may provide a better balance of price, simplicity, or specialized features for other teams.
FAQ
Is Diligent BoardBooks the same as Diligent Boards?
Diligent BoardBooks is often associated with Diligent’s board portal offerings. Product names and packaging may vary, so organizations should confirm current features and licensing directly with Diligent.
Is Diligent BoardBooks secure?
Yes, security is one of its main selling points. It is designed to protect confidential board materials through controlled access, encryption, and governance-focused document management.
Who uses Diligent BoardBooks?
It is commonly used by corporations, nonprofits, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, educational boards, and public-sector bodies that need secure board collaboration.
What is the best alternative to Diligent BoardBooks?
The best alternative depends on the organization’s needs. OnBoard is strong for usability, BoardEffect for nonprofits and education, Boardable for smaller teams, Convene for all-in-one meeting workflows, and Nasdaq Boardvantage for enterprise governance.
Is Diligent BoardBooks worth it?
It can be worth it for organizations that manage sensitive documents, complex committees, and formal compliance requirements. Smaller boards with basic needs may find a simpler and lower-cost platform more practical.