The use of virtual data rooms increases every year, and while North America remains the biggest user of the technology, Europe and Asia are rapidly catching up. The growth is driven mainly by a few key factors, which all fit comfortably under the heading of due diligence. Data room technology offers the ability to reach across borders. It speeds up processes by reducing time frames and frustrations of document access during high-level deals, and gives peace of mind to all parties involved.

The actions you take in the early stages of a merger or acquisition transaction through a Virtual DataRoom will set the tone for the remainder of the process. This can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the environment, but by planning ahead and giving special attention to certain policies and procedures you can ensure a smooth, streamlined process.

Virtual datarooms replaced physical datarooms years ago, mainly used during the due diligence process.  But it is now that we are really seeing the additional benefits of a dataroom in the early steps of a transaction:

If you’re still using FTP or other consumer storage and transfer solutions for your business requirements, here are 3 reasons to switch to an secure modern solution such as a virtual data room. Remember when you discovered FTP (file transfer protocol) and you thought it was so advanced to be able to upload your data to cyber space? In the good old days before online security became a critical issue, FTP was the answer to transferring information, particularly large files. The problem is, FTP is 40 years old now, and that’s ancient in terms of information technology. 

Your data rooms are all set up and you’re ready to enter the due diligence stage of your merger or acquisition. As was the case in the pre-due diligence phase, the actions depend on whether the process is driven by the buyer or the seller. In the third in our series of posts on the M&A life cycle, we’ll take a look at both options, following on from the planning done at the end of the previous stage.

Physical data rooms are quickly being replaced by virtual data rooms, partly because of the complex procedures that are necessary to protect the information held in these rooms. Having confidential deal information in a specific location means that the parties in a deal need to travel to and from the location each time they view documents, which also results in high costs associated with transport, accommodation, premises and security. Another complex issue is the on-site management of the venue, which needs to be restricted to only those who are essential to the due diligence process. Use of Virtual Data Rooms has considerably evolved over the years over its Physical counterpart in many ways.

Let’s take a closer look at the procedures involved in using a physical data room.

Once you’ve identified your virtual data room vendor, the deal enters the pre-due diligence stage. This includes putting in place the infrastructure needed to facilitate the due diligence process, prepare the documents and sign the required agreements between the client and the data room vendor. The steps in this phase depend on whether the process is seller-driven or buyer-driven.