OpenWater’s team collaborates with your organization to understand program requirements and goals, setting clear objectives and timelines.
Configure basic system settings, personalize the dashboard, set up user roles and permissions, and create a custom-branded portal that matches your organization’s visual identity.
Add or clone a program, define application forms, set submission/review deadlines, and configure categories, rounds, and scoring criteria.
Integrate with AMS, CRM, payment gateways, or other systems as needed. Enable advanced options like multi-factor authentication, custom emails, and conditional logic.
Import existing data or applications to ensure continuity and data integrity.
Test the end-to-end workflow, including application submission, judging, notifications, and reporting to ensure everything functions as expected.
Provide training for admins, judges, and applicants. OpenWater offers accessible help guides, chat support, and dedicated customer service throughout the process.
OpenWater is highly customizable, allowing organizations to tailor the platform extensively to fit specific business needs across a wide range of use cases. Here are key data points demonstrating its flexibility:
Customizable Application Forms and Fields
Create and modify application forms with custom questions, fields, and templates to collect exactly the data you need for any program.
Configurable Workflows
Set up multi-stage, multi-round, or blind judging workflows; automate approval processes; and adapt workflows to match unique business rules and requirements.
Custom Output Reports
Generate fully customized output reports, such as winners' books, voice scripts for award ceremonies, certificates, table sheets for in-person judging, and abstract books, all tailored to your organization’s templates and formats.
Custom Branding and Theming
Adapt the portal to match your organization’s branding, including colors, logos, and even CSS, for a seamless experience that aligns with your website and identity.
Flexible User Roles and Permissions
Manage administrator accounts, set role-based permissions, and control backend access for staff, judges, and applicants to suit your organizational structure.
Integration with External Systems
Connect with AMS, CRM, payment gateways, and other third-party tools through the OpenWater Integrations Hub and API, supporting complex data flows and business processes.
Customizable Notifications and Emails
Personalize system-generated and triggered emails, including confirmation emails, reminders, and judge notifications, to match your communication style and needs.
Adjustable Evaluation Experience
Modify the width ratio of evaluation forms and customize the judge interface for better usability and efficiency, based on feedback and organizational needs.
Advanced Security and Access Controls
Enable multi-factor authentication, customize login options (including social login and magic links), and set password policies to meet your security standards.
Customizable Program and Round Settings
Change program names, round names, submission/review deadlines, and restrict applicant access as needed, with the ability to lock configurations to prevent unauthorized changes.
Custom Reporting and Analytics
Build custom reports and dashboards to track metrics, monitor progress, and analyze performance according to your organization’s KPIs.
Support for Unconventional Program Structures
Accommodates non-standard workflows, such as weekly popular vote contests combined with traditional applications, and supports unique requirements for different types of programs.
Ongoing Feature Updates Based on Feedback
Comprehensive Online Training Portal:
OpenWater provides a free, step-by-step training portal with a wide range of courses, including “Intro to OpenWater,” “OpenWater Essentials,” advanced IT modules, and specialized sessions for abstracts, scheduling, and integrations.
Training is self-paced, with most modules under one hour, and the essentials course covers about 90% of the system, enabling new users to become proficient quickly.
Practice Environment
Users can access a dedicated practice environment to experiment, test workflows, and gain hands-on experience without affecting live data. This environment is free for qualified professionals and students.
Certification
Optional certification is available for users who complete the essentials course, providing formal recognition of platform proficiency.
Regularly Updated Learning Content
New courses are added roughly once per month, covering advanced use cases and new features, ensuring ongoing learning opportunities.
Dedicated Support Representative
Every customer is assigned a dedicated support representative, serving as a consistent point of contact throughout the program lifecycle.
The primary contact, or “supported administrator,” receives focused training and is the main liaison for all support communications.
Multi-Channel Support Access
Supported administrators can reach their representative via in-app chat or direct email for quick resolutions.
Additional administrators can join support calls if accompanied by the primary supported administrator.
Extensive Help Center
Data Encryption
All data is encrypted both in transit (using TLS 1.2) and at rest. Database information and uploaded files (including images and videos) are encrypted, with key management handled by Microsoft Azure.
Access Controls and Authentication
Strict information access restrictions are enforced. Only authorized personnel, who must authenticate to the system, can access sensitive data. All access is logged with audit trails, and brute force attacks are prevented by limiting login attempts.
Password Protection
All accounts are password-protected, and passwords stored on OpenWater servers are encrypted.
Firewalls and Intrusion Detection
State-of-the-art firewalls, intrusion detection, and prevention systems are used to block unauthorized access and cyberattacks. Servers are regularly scanned for malware and patched to minimize vulnerabilities.
Physical Security
Facilities are monitored 24/7 with surveillance and biometric access controls. Data centers are climate-controlled, equipped with fire suppression technology, and have redundant power supplies and generators to ensure uptime.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Nightly off-site backups are performed and retained on a rolling 30-day basis, ensuring rapid recovery from outages or disasters. The infrastructure is designed for high availability and resilience, with a historical uptime rate above 99.5%.
Compliance and Certifications
OpenWater participates in internationally recognized compliance programs, including PCI DSS (for payment processing), SOC 2 (annual third-party audits of security controls), and GDPR. Data is stored in Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS data centers, inheriting their physical and operational security controls.
Privacy and Data Handling
OpenWater adheres to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework for transatlantic data transfers and maintains strict privacy policies, never accessing or sharing customer data without explicit permission except for troubleshooting or legal requirements.
Audit Trails and Monitoring:
All access to personal data is logged, with audit trails reviewed by security officers. Suspicious activity is investigated immediately, and annual mandatory security training is required for all staff handling sensitive data.
Customer Control and Data Portability:
Regular, Ongoing Updates
OpenWater releases updates on a continual basis, including both incremental feature enhancements and major platform improvements. Updates are driven by customer feedback, usability needs, and technology advancements.
Quarterly Product Updates
Major product updates and new features are typically announced quarterly, as seen in their Q1 2025 Product Update. These updates include new tools, user experience improvements, and integration enhancements.
Incremental Feature Releases
Between major updates, OpenWater rolls out a series of smaller, targeted feature updates focused on productivity, quality of life improvements, and customization options. This includes enhancements to forms, notifications, and admin tools, often under initiatives like Voice of the People.
Automatic Cloud-Based Deployment
All updates are managed and deployed automatically via the cloud. Users do not need to manually install updates-new features and fixes become available seamlessly to all customers.
Transparent Communication
OpenWater communicates updates and upcoming features through product update announcements and detailed documentation in their Help Center, ensuring users are informed and can adapt to changes smoothly
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Planned Major Overhauls
Data Ownership
OpenWater’s policy clearly states that all files, databases, and emails hosted on OpenWater servers remain the property of the customer organization. OpenWater does not claim ownership over customer data and will only access this information for troubleshooting purposes at the request of the customer or to comply with legal obligations.
Customer organizations retain full control over their data, including the right to access, update, or request deletion of their information at any time by contacting OpenWater support.
Data Portability
OpenWater supports data portability in line with global data protection standards. At the customer’s request and when technically feasible, OpenWater will provide personal data to the customer or transmit it directly to another controller (such as a new service provider).
Customers can request access to or export of their data by emailing OpenWater, and the platform will provide data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, enabling easy transfer to other systems.
If a data portability request is denied, OpenWater will provide the reason for denial in writing.
Additional Rights
Customers have the right to correct, erase, or restrict processing of their data and can request that OpenWater cease using their data for direct marketing.
Flexible, Cloud-Based Architecture
OpenWater is designed as a scalable cloud-based platform, allowing organizations to easily increase or decrease system resources, users, and program complexity as needs evolve.
Subscription Model
Organizations subscribe to OpenWater on an annual basis, with pricing tailored to program size and feature requirements. This model allows for easy adjustment of subscription tiers when scaling up or down.
No Disruption to Service
Scaling up (adding more programs, users, or features) or scaling down (reducing usage or program scope) can be managed without service interruption, thanks to the platform’s elastic cloud infrastructure.
Support for All Organization Sizes
OpenWater serves small businesses, nonprofits, mid-size, and large enterprises, supporting growth or contraction without the need for major reconfiguration or migration.
API and Integration Flexibility
The platform’s robust API and integration options ensure that as organizations scale, they can connect with additional business systems or reduce integrations as needed.
Resource Optimization
Scaling down allows organizations to reduce resource allocation and costs if demand decreases, while scaling up provides additional computing power or features to meet higher demand.
Customer Support
Subscription and Renewal Structure
OpenWater operates on an annual subscription model for its software services. Renewal terms are typically outlined in the service agreement and may include automatic renewal for additional one-year terms unless either party gives written notice of non-renewal in advance (commonly 60–90 days before the end of the current term)
Renewal is generally at the same terms and conditions as the original contract, unless mutually agreed changes are made in writing.
Cancellation Policy
Either party (the customer or OpenWater) may terminate the agreement, usually by providing written notice as specified in the contract. The termination may take effect at the end of the current subscription period, with no further renewals.
If the customer fails to comply with any contract terms (such as payment obligations or acceptable use), OpenWater reserves the right to terminate the agreement immediately and deny access to services.
Upon cancellation or termination, the customer remains liable for all amounts due up to and including the date of termination.
Customers may also terminate the agreement at any time by notifying OpenWater that they no longer wish to use the services, or by ceasing to use the platform.
Data Retention and Liabilities
Obligations and liabilities incurred before the termination date survive the termination for all purposes, meaning any outstanding payments or legal responsibilities remain enforceable.
Upon termination, OpenWater typically retains customer data for a period defined in the agreement to allow for data export or transition, after which data is securely deleted (exact retention period may be specified in the contract or privacy policy).
Modification of Terms
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
OpenWater is PCI compliant, ensuring secure handling of credit card payments. All supported payment gateways use tokenization, and OpenWater undergoes monthly scans and penetration testing by an independent security firm. Customers can request an Attestation of Compliance (AOC) and proof of scan results for their own records.
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2)
OpenWater completes an annual SOC 2 audit performed by a third-party information security firm. The audit covers over 200 security controls and processes, including staff training, background checks, and the use of secure data centers (Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services) with physical security controls like backup power and 24/7 access.
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
OpenWater supports GDPR compliance for European customers and provides features such as cookie consent, email consent, and data deletion requests. Organizations can enable additional privacy settings and process user data requests by the GDPR requirements.
Data Privacy Framework (DPF)
OpenWater
By Advanced Solutions International (ASI)
