IBM OpenPages Reviews

My customers' main use cases for IBM OpenPages include ICT risk, operational risk management, and regulatory and compliance management.

The most useful features in IBM OpenPages are the workflow features and front-end.

The workflow feature in IBM OpenPages is very flexible, easy to configure, and can help design every kind of process, while the front-end is very useful, clear, simple, and dynamic.

The benefit of a centralized platform in risk management, such as IBM OpenPages, is that it allows sharing information and guarantees a central framework of risk and control.

The dashboards in IBM OpenPages help with monitoring processes for different users and profiles, and we use the dashboard extensively to show the state of different processes to control them.

IBM OpenPages integrates effectively with other tools and existing infrastructure for my customers as we integrate other tools, using APIs to match different information, though some other tools may better support integration. IBM offers Connect, an add-on for integration, but we do not use it, relying solely on API.

The reporting tools in IBM OpenPages have very strong potential because they are linked with Cognos IBM, a business intelligence tool, allowing for very good and complex reports, though creating these reports requires skills in business intelligence to get the most out of IBM OpenPages.

There is nothing in particular that needs improvement in IBM OpenPages, although reporting could be improved to make it easier to create reports.

I have been working with IBM OpenPages for almost four years.

My customers have not faced any significant issues with IBM OpenPages. When problems arise, IBM support solves them quickly, and for bigger issues, they take a little more time, but ultimately they resolve the problems, making support a key strength for OpenPages. IBM OpenPages is a stable product and very reliable.

It is very easy to scale IBM OpenPages for larger businesses or projects, as it consists of different modules based on the area or GRC of interest, allowing for easy expansions, with many customers starting small and then extending their projects to other areas.

I would rate the customer support for IBM OpenPages very high, with a rating of nine.

Positive

Setting up IBM OpenPages for configuration is very easy, usually handled by IBM in a SaaS environment, but it requires effort and time for customization, which can range from a minimum of two or three months up to 10 months, depending on process complexity.

My customers have seen ROI with IBM OpenPages, but we do not know exactly how to calculate it. They appreciate the tools and the process improvements, yet we lack specific information on calculating return on investment.

The price for IBM OpenPages is not cheap, and pricing is a significant point but it's an investment that can support future Improvements and more returns expanding the project on Openpages as an integrated wide platform.  It's very difficult to define and evaluate pricesay, it depends on the modules, the number of users, and the amount of information.

For those planning to use IBM OpenPages, I recommend defining exactly what you want and understanding how IBM OpenPages can help you before starting to use it. I rate IBM OpenPages a nine out of ten.

IBM OpenPages sits within the non-financial risk arena and is applicable across industries. I have been predominantly using it as an SME within the financial services sector. IBM OpenPages is particularly useful for capturing Operational risk, IT risk, ESG risk, Data Privacy risk, Compliance risk and Audit risk. It is very useful for scenario planning and analysis, and insightful reporting and dashboards for internal committees and regulatory reporting.

IBM OpenPages removed siloed ways of working to more collaborative approach at my previous client. Its intuitive and powerful interface combined with AI capabilities gives business users the necessary functionality to undertake proactive risk management as opposed to reactive management. 

IBM OpenPages offers strong reporting capabilities with Cognos integration, providing standard tabular reports, various charts, and powerful dashboards for different lines of defense. It caters to the first line managing risks and controls, the second line of SMEs providing oversight, and the independent audit function with an internal audit management module. The solution is more intuitive and task-based, allowing better involvement of the risk function across different lines of defense. The automated features translate into reporting capabilities, and data can be easily extracted and downloaded in different formats.

IBM needs to work on pricing for organizations with around 100 users, as the licensing model needs to be competitive enough for small enterprises. IBM should focus on offering better pricing options for small enterprises say for e.g.  licensing for 100 to 500 users. 

I have used the solution for nearly ten years now.

IBM OpenPages is very stable, with robust handling of concurrent usage and quick result processing, backed by an Oracle database.

IBM OpenPages can scale to accommodate a large number of users and modules. The solution is capable of meeting specific non-functional requirements.

Customer support is great with adherence to SLAs and availability of contact via email and chat. However, they could improve response times for straightforward queries to enhance customer satisfaction.

Positive

Different clients previously used manual solutions like Excel and desired a GRC solution. Some used products like RSA Archer and MetricStream but faced challenges which led them to switch to IBM OpenPages.

The initial setup is not complex. Experienced personnel can configure out-of-the-box solutions within one and a half to two weeks, making it a quick implementation cycle.

IBM OpenPages provides time savings in recording risk management components. Centralized systems reduce siloed work, technical debt, and manual report creation, enhancing decision-making and avoiding fines and penalties from regulators.

For the recent big client, the pricing, setup cost, and licensing experience have been great, with many technical resources and support bundled with the product.

Apart from IBM OpenPages, I evaluated MetricStream and RSA Archer. Recently, OneTrust and ServiceNow have been considered for specific risks in data privacy and third-party risk management.

IBM OpenPages has been an industry leader in GRC for two decades, offering an integrated risk solution unmatched by other products. Its outstanding reporting capabilities make it a worthy consideration for any GRC needs. Understanding and effectively using the product can result in a successful outcome. The overall rating is an eight out of ten due to the improvement needed in pricing for SMEs.

It plays a crucial role in operational risk management and policy management. It contributes significantly to how organizations handle and mitigate operational risks, as well as manage and enforce policies.

The content, reporting, and workflow features stand out as the most valuable aspects.

I believe there's room for improvement in establishing connections with external information. When dealing with data from another system, there's often a need for importing. Currently, the flow of information in this regard lacks robust support. It would be beneficial to explore a system that enhances support for users, developers, and customer service in managing this operational aspect.

I have been working with it for three years.

I would rate its stability capabilities eight out of ten.

It provides excellent scalability, I would rate it ten out of ten. Businesses in the enterprise sector are our typical clients.

The technical support, especially concerning Wi-Fi issues, is exceptionally efficient. Every time we engage with them, they provide a case history promptly upon request, and ultimately, they consistently deliver swift and effective solutions. It's a highly reliable and well-supported process.

Positive

The initial setup was fairly straightforward. I would rate it eight out of ten.

Deployment timelines vary depending on the specific cases and customers. The process typically begins with an initial phase of requirement identification and analysis. Following this, a designer engages in configuring the solution. The subsequent step involves actualizing the configured solution and ensuring its effectiveness. This is succeeded by testing the solution with key users before proceeding to the final step of going live. 

I would recommend maximizing the potential of the solution as it offers abundant features for customers. Using the solution precisely, rather than relying on alternatives like Excel, is crucial to fully harness the capabilities and quality of the software solution. The emphasis is on continual improvement and striving to enhance capabilities in the future. Another crucial aspect is the software's continuity, signified by ongoing updates, the introduction of new releases, and the addition of fresh functionalities. Overall, I would rate it seven out of ten.

Neutral

We have deployed the ORM module in our bank. We have our businesses listed in the application, and we identify risks. We manage multiple controls, assess historical controls, and monitor these controls using test source control monitoring and management. We have recently started using the Assurant module as well.

IBM OpenPages is user-friendly, performance-oriented, and comes with many out-of-the-box reports, export and import functionalities. It helps us upload multiple libraries into the system, and the FastMap feature is very helpful.

Everything about IBM OpenPages is valuable, particularly when compared to other solutions in the market like MetricStream, from which we switched due to its feasibility, user-friendliness, and performance. It has numerous out-of-the-box reports and functionalities that support our operations.

It would be useful to have more out-of-the-box functionality, especially triggers and calculations. Additionally, more detailed documentation and video-oriented resources would be beneficial.

I have been using IBM OpenPages for almost four to five years.

Some scenarios with resources occurred where they were not knowledgeable enough, requiring transfers from one case to another.

The technical support is good. Whenever we raise a request regarding migration or other matters, they respond promptly. However, the response time and competence of some resources could be improved.

Positive

We were previously using MetricStream. We transitioned from MetricStream around 2018 and continued using it for maintenance purposes until the end of 2019.

The deployment of IBM OpenPages is quite easy despite a bit of requirements in formatting and templates.

I'm not the right person to discuss pricing. I don't have that information.

We did not evaluate any other options before choosing IBM OpenPages.

I would recommend IBM OpenPages to others. I would like IBM OpenPages to improve its documentation, notably by adding more video-oriented materials.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

We use the solution for IT governance, risk management, and office management.

We are looking at users' status in the IT risk bank links IT assessment risk assessment. IBM software has a risk register and something with risk controls. It is a new area for us. We are actively marketing this solution.

The dashboards are very good. It shows the entire 360 risk view. We can manage global workflow and users' relationships with the links. The document management feature is also very good. It's easy to use and manage.

IBM can provide expertise in support and implementation rather than third-party SaaS. The pricing could also be improved.

I have been using IBM OpenPages for three years.

The product is stable.

The solution is scalable. We cater the solution to enterprise businesses.

Getting a response is challenging.

Neutral

I have used OneTrust. It is best for data privacy and IT risk. For GRC, like professional risk audit management, IBM OpenPages is best.

The initial setup is easy because it's a SaaS solution. Everything is on the web.

IBM OpenPages is pricey.

While the solution itself is stable, successful implementation requires a skilled partner. They'll guide you through deploying and integrating IBM OpenPages, ensuring you achieve your desired ROI.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Clients use OpenPages. I develop the software for them, and it is a very flexible tool with integrated reporting tools and workflows, calculations, and security rules all in one platform.

OpenPages is a risk-based solution, helping clients control risks in their organization.

The most valuable features are the workflow engine, calculations, and security rules. OpenPages is flexible, with integrated drag-and-drop reporting tools and workflows.

Some self-relationships are not available in OpenPages' relationship model. Most clients want to link risk to risk, which this feature does not currently support. Self-relationship for risks is not available.

It is my third year working with OpenPages.

Excluding security rules, I would rate OpenPages eight out of ten for stability.

I would rate OpenPages seven out of ten for scalability.

I would rate customer service eight out of ten. They provide good support and are available 24/7.

Positive

I'm aware of Archer. I find OpenPages preferable to Archer. In Archer, coding and integrations are complex, whereas OpenPages does not require coding or complex integrations.

OpenPages' initial installation can be complex, taking two to three days.

OpenPages has a higher price. The software is expensive, making it unaffordable for small and medium-sized businesses.

I recommend OpenPages to others.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

The ability to keep a record of internal incidents in the company, and also the monitoring of Key Indicators.

With OpenPages, the risks and controls are registered and monitored continuously. Furthermore, there is an audit trail function where we are able to see the changes to the items from the time we registered the item. Another useful feature is incident reporting, where we get to see and assess the incidents reported by the business users, reducing the need to e-mail and thus saves everyone’s time.

IBM OpenPages needs improvement in its UI. Currently, it is difficult to see the relationships (associations/parents) between all items unless you click on the item itself. It is also difficult to report an incident if the risk for that incident has not been created yet. The user needs to create the risk first (with the control) and then only they are able to create an incident. After that the issue associated with the incident also needs to be updated. KIs, while useful, are painful to use because they need to be associated with an item, and then the values of the KI can only be updated using OpenPages. It would be useful if users could make update using Excel, then upload to OpenPages.

I have been using OpenPages for nearly three years.

No.

No.

I would rate it nine out of 10. I haven’t had any issues with our support.

No, but I have tried other GRC systems by MetricStream and NASDAQ.

I was not involved, as our group company did the setup and delivered to us once it was stable.

I was also not involved in this. Our group company did this.

I was also not involved in this. Our group company did this.

While IBM OpenPages is a powerful system, try the demo as long as you can because you might feel that the processes within the system are not straightforward. However, once you got the hang of it, it is actually not that difficult. Sufficient training for other business users is vital.

- Good in ORM and compliance
- Analytics
- Custom reporting
- Features for our board incl risk mgmt
- Good support for Basel regulations

Pricing! It's very expensive just for the licenses. And then we have the implementation costs which we understood to be high as well.

We evaluated the IBM OpenPages solution for GRC, but it was out of our budget.