Board documents are a critical source of data that drives the crucial decisions that keep companies on track. Insufficient information can overwhelm members of the board and lead to ineffective decision-making. Likewise, too little information means that the board isn’t getting important insights or risks losing control of the business. To avoid this, the board members should have access to precise and comprehensive information that is well-organized and easy to digest. This article provides the best practices for creating effective board documents that satisfy these requirements.

Effective board papers contain the most current and pertinent information directly connected to the strategic decision to be made. They are simple and concise, using formal business writing https://swrc2.info/what-is-a-board-report/ styles and refraining from technical terms. Boards have diverse backgrounds, therefore the information must be tailored to each directors’ needs. Marketing jargon for example is not applicable to finance professionals. When you’re creating documents for boards, try to include a glossary of terms that covers any acronyms or words that are specialized to ensure that all users.

In addition the board must establish its own internal guidelines and standards for preparing board documents. This includes using a template and preferred options for fonts, as well as the creation of an appendix for sharing sources or providing additional information. The board should also set rules for a meeting’s quorum, and the number of directors needed for the meeting to hold. This will ensure that all directors have the opportunity to take part and be heard.

Boards should distribute board meeting materials before the meeting to ensure that directors have ample time go through them prior to the meeting. A week is a good time frame to allow directors plenty of time to read and prepare for the meeting.