Submittable

Vorteile

Submittable's application forms are very customizable and they allow for a multi-step application process and submitting grant reports.

We're able to create customized reports and export the data easily, although there is a bit of a learning curve to set up the reports.

Collaboration is built-in, allowing reviewers and admins to leave notes for each other and see reviews. We also liked that that collaboration can be locked down so that applicants can either see or not see that feedback.

The implementation team that worked with us was great and provided very valuable training as part of our implementation project.

Nachteile

We've found the email's generated by Submittable have formatting issues and are often blocked by anti-spam software, so there have been some deliverability issues and some problems with reading the system-generated emails. The development team is aware of the issue (for 2 years) but nothing seems to have been done about it.

Documentation is limited, and they charge for support after your initial setup period.

We end up having to pay for 10 extra user licenses for our grant reviewers beyond the 2 months those licenses are really used. This is because only 10 user licenses are available in our subscription tier, and you can only purchase extra licenses in block of 10 (not individually). So far, Submittable has worked with us on the pricing to be affordable but it would be nice to have the option of adding on temporary licenses for reviewers, or even not having to pay for that level of user since they are typically only needed for 1-2 months.

Vorteile

Implementing this product was simple. It makes it seamless to use on the administrative end, and rarely do applicants have questions when applying. Having all data and messaging in one place is especially important so that multiple admins can access this easily.

Nachteile

Changing information on forms can be improved. It would help to have a 'Hide Question' option so we can take out a question yet retain the data from past applicants without deleting the question and answer entirely.

Vorteile

I like that it's a fairly easy platform to collect contest entries (which we have a lot of!). I like that I can set up an automated response (even though it's not always easy to figure out how to do that). I like that the personalized responses can add applicant's name.

Nachteile

I don't find Submittable to be very intuitive. I find myself having to google answers to my question- I'm usually able to successfully find the answer but it isn't user intuitive. Particularly, I think that setting up automated responses should be easier to find. Also, I often make the mistake where I click on a project and it takes me to the description of the form rather than what I'm looking for, the entries. I find myself scared to use the back button because it re-directs me to pages I'm not trying to go to. It's more of an issue on our end but people put so much weight on the "in progress" status etc which we just don't use so I wish there was a way to turn that off.

Vorteile

We can filter applications, see applicants in real time, and distribute reviews to separate team members to streamline efficiency of grant application reviews.

Nachteile

Pulling reports can be a chore, and labels shouldn't be accessible to all users doing reviews. Sometimes there are duplicate labels which creates confusion.

Vorteile

Easy to build custom submission pages and link them on main sites or landing pages. Assignment is also very simple, as is setting up new users.

Nachteile

I'd love it if there were the option to pay per added user over the minimum. We're on a grandfathered plan, which is AWESOME, and I very much appreciate the kindness offered to online literary magazines, but to get up to the 10 user plan we would more than double what we're paying.

Vorteile

Submission list organization w/ labels and other organization (projects, forms, etc.) to manage multiple projects at once.

Nachteile

It seems difficult for applicants and reviewers to use at times.

Vorteile

Submittable makes the grant process incredibly easy for applicants and for our reviewers. We have improved our efficiencies greatly since implementing this product.

Nachteile

I wish some of the features had greater customization.

Vorteile

Submittable is easy to use and intuitive. With drag-and-drop options, creating an application takes minutes. Logic branching also helps when you want to gather more info based on an applicant's response. The file upload features are also very helpful.

Once your application is live, you can track and label applications as they come in. This is helpful since a quick perusal of an application can determine eligibility. One quick label and you can filter it out during the full review process.

The reviewer portal is equally intuitive. With side-by-side views, your reviewers can read and answer questions or rate the application without having to switch screens. You can also set certain application fields (such as name, gender, etc.) to blind so that there is no bias based on these questions.

Overall, Submittable is a great application portal and get your money's worth.

Nachteile

Recommendation letter request emails don't get sent out until AFTER the applicant submit their application. This is fine in most cases but you do have to offer a small grace period to recommenders. It would be great if applicants can enter a recommender and hit a button "Request Letter."

The forms can also become rather long if you have a lot of questions. It could affect completion rates.

Finally, just as you are able to remind reference letter writers through the portal, it would be great to be able to remind those with incomplete application about the upcoming deadline. Right now, you can request a list of incomplete applications but you only get name and email addresses. It would be good to see some of the data that the applicants have completed so far.

Vorteile

I am able to manage my submissions quite easily with Submittable. It has many sorting options, and several tools to make reading a large amount of work manageable. Working collaboratively with other editors is possible and efficient because of the filtering functions (such as the use of labels, storing submissions, ordering them by date, alphabetically, etc.) and team management tools (such as the assigning of certain tasks to certain individuals, easy messaging, dissemination of work, etc.) I like the basic look/visuals of Submittable, as it is relatively intuitive to use. Furthermore, when I encountered troubles or had questions, I was given friendly and quick help over the telephone, as well as through their chatlines. Editing our site is also very easy.

Nachteile

I don't like that some services are offered to certain levels of subscriptions and not to others. I'd rather have a good, fair price for the use of Submittable's full functions. It's not always clear to me what I have in my subscription, even though not too hard to check, I suppose. Also, to "test" how forms will look to submitters seems a little complicated, but not too bad once going through it. I feel a little "blind" when sending out ACCEPT/DECLINE. Not sure what the solution is, however, and really does not present any real trouble for me.

Vorteile

This product is really easy to use and is super intuitive. The reporting feature has made it so much easier for our external reporting process.

Nachteile

There are a few features that are lacking. We wish there was a way to weight the scores/questions. It would also be nice if the people who are writing the letter of reference could actually see the application.

Vorteile

It is easy to use, and if anything happens that we are unsure about, the support team replies quickly and provides incredible instructions!

Nachteile

There is nothing that I dislike about Submittable.

Vorteile

We use this software for our annual scholarships and awards. This is a great product, with a lot of options to customize.

Nachteile

Nothing so far! Ease of use and ability to charge a small fee to our applicants makes this software a go to!

Vorteile

Submittable is a versatile one-stop software where you can submit and handle submissions with relative ease.

Nachteile

The business end of Submittable where submissions are handled is more complicated than using the software to submit.

Vorteile

I really like the ability to change our service based on our current demands (e.g., we can downgrade when we are in our off season and upgrade during the peak times).

Nachteile

Sometimes I find the software interface can be tricky to navigate. There are certain instances where I would like a more comprehensive navigation station/ task bar to make the back end creation easier.