Basecamp vs. Boardable

Small to mid-size would be a great fit [for Basecamp]. It's simple to use and does not require a ton of ramp-up. Unlike other platforms that require you to learn their terminology in order to use the platform this works well for the non technical user whom just needs to put in simple task updates[.]

Incentivized

Overall this is a solid board/volunteer portal. It allows staff and volunteers to have an all-in-one place for operations, votes, and meetings. It is also built to allow volunteers to operate without the need for staff to do the work. A committee chair needs to set up a meeting - no problem they can go in, poll committee members, set a date, and with the preset zoom integration establishes the meeting using the company's Zoom account. Tired of building huge board packets of materials with tabs and chapters? No problem the system allows you to build it easily with attachments. Then you don't kill trees to print and mail with the Board able to view the agenda with all attachments in order with a few taps. Overall very solid product and cheaper than many other board portal services. They have some things that can be better, but nothing that should keep someone from adopting the technology.

Incentivized

• Task management - It is very easy to add, organize and discuss tasks within Basecamp's interface.
• The "Campfire" function is great for communicating when you just have a quick question for someone on the team.
• Notifications - Basecamp lets you decide how often and about what you'd like to be notified. The ability to respond to messages in Basecamp directly via email saves a lot of time.

Incentivized

• Streamlined agenda building: Instead of spending time sending emails and attachments, I can easily build and share an Agenda with documents appended to specific agenda items. This keeps everyone organized and informed.
• Accountability: I can see when board members log into the platform and keep track of who has read which content for increased transparency and accountability.
• Real-time edits and updates: As things change or need to be added to an agenda, I can easily make edits and share these changes with board members. I can send them an email on the platform to remind them of new documents or information related to the board meeting.

Incentivized

• High Learning Curve. It's true that it can be easy to use, but to use well and effectively takes some time to learn. It's recommended to have an agreed-upon system in your team of what tools to use and when.
• Notification Overload. If people aren't careful they could send a notification to everyone when only a couple people were meant to be prompted. And since emails are sent by default, you could have your mailbox overloaded with unnecessary updates. This is where it takes a bit of training in your team to have an agreed-upon system.
• Lack of organization with Archived Projects. I will often need to reference an archived project to make a new one, but there is only a list of archived projects in alphabetical order, with no way to organize by archive date, or even search.

Incentivized

• Meeting scheduling can be wonky with polling for a date
• A lot of the most valuable features are at a higher price point beyond the basic package.
• Opportunity to improve the minutes builder

Incentivized

When I bring new people onto a project, it's immediately obvious how to use Basecamp. I don't have to worry about teaching them the features or walking them through it, it's just incredibly user-friendly. For this reason, I'll continue to renew my subscription even as new people are brought onto production jobs or the client changes.

If it was solely up to me it would be a no-brainer, however, it has to be a board decision.

Incentivized

I would give it a ten but we have some very minor issues. Those have all been easy to work around and I still really like Basecamp. We also have trouble with some clients who can only handle email—but those are rare cases when technology is just not their thing.

Boardable is very user-friendly, easy to manage, and building agendas and setting up meetings is functionally easy.

Incentivized

I've never experienced downtime while using Basecamp, or been unable to access it when I needed it. That's not to say they've never had downtime, but I've been lucky enough not to encounter any, and I work odd hours, including late nights when maintenance is often undertaken.

Incentivized

For the many reasons I've given, Basecamp is a very strong program. There are a few features I can imagine that might make it even better, but I don't have a basis for comparison to be able to say that there is definitely a better one out there. I've noticed that Basecamp has evolved a bit from the time I started using it until now, so that makes me think that the producer of this program values it and believes in continuous improvement. If you could use the features offered by Basecamp, I would think you could use it with confidence.

Incentivized

Very responsive, but only through a ticketing system at this time.

Incentivized

Decide the process before implementation - i.e. when it's due 8/9 does that mean 8am, noon, 5pm, 11:59pm? Check your to-do list frequently Set-up templates - just not with the dates (they can be funky)

Boardable provides ample videos, information, and support to enable new members to learn how to navigate the platform. However, not all members are motivated to learn a new software system. Lessons learned with onboarding new members is to do a Spotlight meeting with them that utilizes as many of the popular features our board uses so that they shorten their learning curve. As with anything new, "practice makes permanent!"

Incentivized

Basecamp is the best application we've found for our team to interface with external clients. It makes project management simple, and allows our clients visibility into their projects, which in turn builds trust, fosters open communication, and improves customer satisfaction. It's easy to learn and use, and has just enough customizability to work for many different types of projects.

Incentivized

We didn't look at other products. I used Boardable for another organization first (as its President) and was thoroughly impressed with the easy-to-use interface, the low cost, and the quick onboarding process. I introduced the platform to our Board Chairman who gave the green light to move forward in 2019, which was a great move to do before the pandemic and our board meeting became virtual for nearly 2 years.

Incentivized

• It has helped keep every project organized, with all assets in one accessible place for everyone involved.
• It has helped with scheduling and assigning tasks so that everyone knows what is expected of them.
• It has helped keep all client correspondence in one place and within the project so that everything can be found immediately.
• The search function is very helpful.

Incentivized

• Allows for a quicker turnaround in getting docs to board members.
• Provides a one-stop location for all board proceedings and documents.
• Pricing plans for getting up and running are easily among the best available with similar tools providers.

Incentivized