Secure Datarooms
Share sensitive documents with external parties through encrypted virtual data rooms. Track every access, set granular permissions, and maintain complete audit trails.
Dropie datarooms provide secure, controlled environments for sharing confidential documents. Ideal for due diligence, deal rooms, client collaboration, and secure document exchange.
Key Benefits
- Bank-grade encryption for all stored documents
- Granular document and folder-level permissions
- Complete activity tracking and audit trails
- Watermarking and download controls
- Q&A module for structured communication
Key Features
Hierarchical Folder Structure
Organize documents in folders and subfolders. Apply permissions at any level.
Granular Permissions
Control access at folder and document level. Assign view, download, upload permissions per user or role.
Activity Tracking
See exactly who viewed which documents and when. Track download counts and engagement.
Watermarking
Automatically apply user-identifying watermarks to viewed and downloaded documents.
Time-Limited Access
Set expiration dates for dataroom access. Automatically revoke when deals close.
Q&A Module
Structured question and answer workflow for due diligence processes.
Tutorials
Tutorial: Creating Your First Dataroom
Step-by-step guide to setting up a secure dataroom
Create the Dataroom
- •Log into your Dropie dashboard
- •Click 'Datarooms' in the left sidebar
- •Click 'Create New Dataroom' button
- •Enter a descriptive name (e.g., 'Project Alpha Due Diligence')
- •Add an optional description for internal reference
- •Choose security level (Standard, Enhanced, or Maximum)
Set Up Folder Structure
- •Click 'New Folder' to create your first folder
- •Create a logical hierarchy based on your use case
- •Common structures for M&A: Financials, Legal, HR, Operations, IP
- •Use numbered prefixes for ordering: '01 - Financial Statements'
- •Create subfolders for detailed organization
Upload Documents
- •Navigate to the folder where you want to upload
- •Click 'Upload' or drag and drop files
- •You can upload multiple files at once
- •For large batches, use the bulk upload feature
- •Wait for uploads to complete before continuing
Configure Security Settings
- •Go to Dataroom Settings
- •Enable/disable features based on your needs:
- •- Downloads: Allow or prevent file downloads
- •- Print: Allow or prevent printing
- •- Watermarking: Apply user-identifying watermarks
- •Set access expiration date if applicable
- •Configure session timeout settings
Apply Branding (Optional)
- •Go to Branding settings within the dataroom
- •Upload your logo
- •Set your brand colors
- •Customize the welcome message
- •Preview how the dataroom will appear to users
Invite Users
- •Click 'Users' or 'Members' tab
- •Click 'Invite Users' button
- •Enter email addresses (one per line or comma-separated)
- •Select the role: Viewer, Member, Manager, or Admin
- •Customize the invitation email message
- •Click 'Send Invitations'
Tutorial: Configuring Granular Permissions
Control exactly who can access what within your dataroom
Understand Permission Hierarchy
- •Permissions can be set at multiple levels:
- •- Dataroom level: Default for all content
- •- Folder level: Override for specific folders
- •- Document level: Override for specific files
- •Lower-level permissions override higher-level settings
- •Example: A user has 'View Only' on the dataroom but 'Download' on a specific folder
Create User Groups
- •Go to Users tab and click 'Groups'
- •Create groups based on access needs (e.g., 'Buyer Team', 'Legal Advisors')
- •Add users to appropriate groups
- •Groups make permission management easier for large teams
Set Folder-Level Permissions
- •Right-click on a folder or click the folder's menu (⋮)
- •Select 'Permissions' or 'Access Control'
- •Choose who should have access:
- •- All dataroom users
- •- Specific groups
- •- Specific users
- •Set permission level: View, Download, Upload, or No Access
Set Document-Level Permissions
- •For highly sensitive individual documents, set document-level permissions
- •Click on the document and select 'Permissions'
- •Override folder permissions for this specific file
- •Use sparingly - folder-level permissions are easier to maintain
Configure Download Controls
- •Decide which content users can download:
- •- View only: Users can view but not download
- •- Download allowed: Users can download original files
- •Enable watermarking for downloaded files
- •Consider enabling download only after NDA signature
Test Permissions
- •Use the 'Preview as User' feature
- •Select a user or group to preview their view
- •Verify they see only what they should
- •Test with users from different groups
- •Make adjustments as needed
Tutorial: Using the Q&A Module for Due Diligence
Set up structured Q&A for deal processes
Enable the Q&A Module
- •Go to Dataroom Settings
- •Find 'Q&A Module' or 'Questions' section
- •Enable the Q&A feature
- •Configure basic settings:
- •- Allow anonymous questions (yes/no)
- •- Require approval before publishing answers
- •- Enable email notifications
Set Up Topics
- •Topics organize questions by category
- •Create topics matching your folder structure:
- •- Financial Questions
- •- Legal Questions
- •- Operations Questions
- •- HR Questions
- •Assign topic managers who will answer questions
Configure Workflow
- •Set up the approval workflow for answers:
- •1. Question submitted → Status: Open
- •2. Manager drafts answer → Status: Draft
- •3. Admin reviews → Status: Pending Approval
- •4. Admin approves → Status: Published
- •Configure who can approve answers
Train Your Team
- •Brief your team on the Q&A workflow
- •Set response time expectations (e.g., 48 hours)
- •Establish answer quality standards
- •Designate backup responders for each topic
- •Create template answers for common questions
Monitor and Respond
- •Check Q&A dashboard regularly for new questions
- •Assign questions to appropriate team members
- •Track response times and escalate if needed
- •Mark questions as 'Answered' when complete
- •Flag related documents when answering
Tutorial: Using Activity Analytics to Track Engagement
Monitor who is accessing what and identify interested parties
Access Activity Dashboard
- •Go to your Dataroom and click 'Activity' or 'Analytics'
- •View the overview dashboard showing key metrics
- •Key metrics include: Total views, unique users, downloads, time spent
Analyze User Engagement
- •Click on 'User Activity' or 'By User' tab
- •See which users are most active
- •Track metrics per user:
- •- Total time in dataroom
- •- Documents viewed
- •- Downloads
- •- Last access date
Analyze Document Interest
- •Click on 'Document Activity' or 'By Document' tab
- •See which documents are most viewed
- •Track metrics per document:
- •- View count
- •- Unique viewers
- •- Average time spent
- •- Download count
Set Up Activity Alerts
- •Configure notifications for important events:
- •- First access by a new user
- •- Document downloaded
- •- User activity after period of inactivity
- •Receive alerts via email or in-app notification
Export Activity Reports
- •Click 'Export' in the Activity section
- •Choose report type: Summary, Detailed, or By User
- •Select date range
- •Export as CSV, Excel, or PDF
- •Use for board reports or deal status updates
How-To Guides
How to Invite Multiple Users at Once
- 1.Go to your Dataroom and click 'Users' tab
- 2.Click 'Bulk Invite' or 'Import Users'
- 3.Prepare a CSV file with columns: email, name, role, group
- 4.Upload the CSV file
- 5.Review the import preview
- 6.Customize the invitation email if needed
- 7.Click 'Send All Invitations'
- 8.Monitor invitation status in the Users tab
How to Revoke User Access
- 1.Go to your Dataroom and click 'Users' tab
- 2.Find the user whose access you want to revoke
- 3.Click the user's menu (⋮) and select 'Remove' or 'Revoke Access'
- 4.Confirm the revocation
- 5.The user immediately loses access to all dataroom content
- 6.Their previous activity remains in the audit log
You can also temporarily disable access without full removal - the user can be re-enabled later
How to Configure Document Watermarking
- 1.Go to Dataroom Settings
- 2.Find 'Security' or 'Watermark' settings
- 3.Enable watermarking for previews and/or downloads
- 4.Configure watermark content:
- 5.- User email (recommended for traceability)
- 6.- User name
- 7.- Access date/time
- 8.- Custom text
- 9.Set watermark appearance: position, opacity, size
- 10.Save settings - watermarks apply to all documents
Tip: User-identifying watermarks discourage unauthorized sharing because leaked documents can be traced
How to Set Dataroom Access Expiration
- 1.Go to Dataroom Settings
- 2.Find 'Access Control' or 'Expiration' section
- 3.Set a global expiration date for the entire dataroom
- 4.Or set per-user expiration dates in the Users tab
- 5.Configure what happens at expiration:
- 6.- Full lockout (users see 'Access Expired' message)
- 7.- Read-only mode (can view but not download)
- 8.Set reminder notifications before expiration
Use case: Perfect for M&A deals - set dataroom to expire when deal closes or bidding period ends
How to Move Documents Between Folders
- 1.Navigate to the document(s) you want to move
- 2.Select documents using checkboxes
- 3.Click 'Move' from the actions menu
- 4.Select the destination folder
- 5.Confirm the move
- 6.Documents retain their permissions from the new folder
- 7.Activity history shows the move with timestamp
Tip: Use drag-and-drop for quick single-document moves
How to Export a Document Index
- 1.Go to your Dataroom and click 'Export' or 'Reports'
- 2.Select 'Document Index' as the export type
- 3.Choose what to include:
- 4.- Document names
- 5.- Folder paths
- 6.- Upload dates
- 7.- File sizes
- 8.- Permission settings
- 9.Export as Excel or PDF
- 10.Use for internal tracking or sharing with stakeholders
How to Manage Document Versions
- 1.Navigate to the document you want to update
- 2.Click 'Upload New Version' (not 'Upload' which creates new file)
- 3.Select the new version of the document
- 4.Add a version note describing what changed
- 5.The new version replaces the old but history is preserved
- 6.Users see only the latest version
- 7.Admins can access version history
Permission System
Control exactly what each user can do with fine-grained permissions.
User Roles
Admin
Full control over dataroom settings, users, and content
Manager
Content and limited user management
Member
Access based on specific permissions
Viewer
Read-only access to permitted content
Granular Permissions
can_view
View document content in the browser
can_download
Download original files to their device
can_upload
Upload new files to permitted folders
can_delete
Delete files and folders they have access to
can_share
Create sharing links for documents
can_print
Print documents from the preview
Activity Tracking & Audit Trails
Every action is logged with complete details for compliance and analytics.
Tracked Actions
- File operations: upload, download, delete, update, move, rename
- Folder operations: create, delete, move, rename
- Access events: login, document views, failed access attempts
- Permission changes: granted, revoked, updated
- User events: invitation sent, registration, role changes
- Settings changes: security updates, branding modifications
Tracking Details
- User identity (name and email)
- Timestamp with timezone
- IP address
- Device type (desktop/mobile/tablet)
- Browser and operating system
- Action metadata (e.g., which pages viewed)
Analytics
- Most viewed documents ranking
- User engagement metrics (time spent, return visits)
- Download statistics by document and user
- Activity trends over time
- Completion tracking (percentage of documents viewed)
Security Features
Encryption at Rest
All documents encrypted with AES-256 before storage. Encryption keys managed securely.
Encryption in Transit
TLS 1.2+ for all data transmission. No unencrypted connections allowed.
Two-Factor Authentication
Email and Google Authenticator (TOTP) support for user verification.
IP Restrictions
Whitelist allowed IP addresses. Block access from unauthorized locations. (Business+ tiers)
Session Management
Configurable session timeout. Automatic logout after inactivity.
Suspicious Activity Detection
Automatic flagging and lockout after multiple failed access attempts.
Q&A Module
Structured communication for due diligence and deal processes.
Q&A Workflow
Buyer/reviewer submits a question under a topic
Question appears in the Q&A queue for sellers
Designated team member drafts an answer
Admin reviews and approves the answer
Answer is published and visible to the questioner
Attachments can be included with answers
Features
Use Cases
M&A Due Diligence
Share financial documents, contracts, and company information with potential buyers. Track engagement to gauge interest levels.
Legal Discovery
Securely share case documents with opposing counsel or experts. Maintain complete audit trails for compliance.
Client Collaboration
Share project documents with clients. Track their engagement and collect feedback through Q&A.
Board Meetings
Distribute confidential board materials with time-limited access. Ensure only authorized directors can view sensitive information.
Real Estate Transactions
Share property documents, inspections, and contracts with all parties involved in a transaction.
Best Practices
Plan Your Structure First
Before uploading documents, plan a logical folder structure. Use numbered prefixes for ordering (01 - Financial, 02 - Legal). This makes navigation intuitive for users.
Use Consistent Naming
Establish naming conventions and apply them consistently. Include dates in YYYY-MM format for easy sorting. Example: '2024-Q4 - Financial Statements.pdf'
Apply Least Privilege
Grant the minimum necessary permissions. Start with view-only access and escalate to download access only when needed. It's easier to grant more access than to revoke it.
Set Expiration Dates
Configure automatic access expiration when deals or projects close. This ensures access is revoked even if you forget to do it manually.
Enable Watermarking
Use user-identifying watermarks to discourage unauthorized sharing. If a document leaks, you can trace it back to the source.
Review Activity Regularly
Monitor activity logs to track engagement and identify issues. High activity on certain documents may indicate buyer interest or concerns.
Use Groups for Permissions
Create user groups (e.g., 'Bidder Team A') and assign permissions to groups rather than individuals. This makes permission management much easier as users change.
Troubleshooting
User says they can't access the dataroom
- Verify the user has been invited (check Users tab)
- Check if the invitation email went to spam
- Verify user's email address is correct
- Check if the dataroom or user access has expired
- Resend the invitation
User can't see certain folders/documents
- Check folder-level permissions
- Verify the user's group has access to that folder
- Check if document-level permissions override folder access
- Use 'Preview as User' to see their view
Download button is disabled
- Check if downloads are disabled at dataroom level
- Check folder-specific download permissions
- Check user's role permissions
- Downloads may be disabled for Viewer role
Documents appear slow to load
- Large PDFs may take time to render for preview
- Check your internet connection
- Try a different browser
- For very large documents, download instead of preview
Frequently Asked Questions
How many users can access a dataroom?
There's no hard limit on the number of users. Your plan determines how many datarooms you can create, but each dataroom can have unlimited users.
Can users access the dataroom on mobile?
Yes. The dataroom interface is fully responsive and works on phones and tablets. Users can view documents, but the experience is optimized for larger screens.
Can I see which pages of a document were viewed?
Yes. For PDF documents, the activity log tracks which pages were viewed and for how long. This helps you understand which sections users are focusing on.
What happens when a user's access expires?
They see an 'Access Expired' message and cannot view any documents. Their previous activity remains in the audit log. You can re-enable access if needed.
Can I control which documents can be downloaded?
Yes. You can set download permissions at the dataroom, folder, or individual document level. Users with view-only access can see documents in the browser but cannot download the original files.
Are deleted documents recoverable?
Deleted documents are moved to trash and can be recovered for 30 days. After that, they are permanently deleted. The deletion event is logged in the audit trail.