Set Up a Data Room

Set Up a Data Room

A data room in PaperLink is a folder of documents shared through a single link with access controls and analytics. Use it for fundraising, due diligence, client deliverables, or any scenario where external parties need controlled access to multiple files.

Step 1: Create a Folder Structure

1. Open Shared Documents in the sidebar.
2. Click New Folder.
3. In the Create New Folder dialog, type a category name (e.g., "Series A Data Room").
4. Click Create Folder.
5. Open the folder and repeat to create subfolders for each category - Financials, Legal, Product, Team.

A typical data room structure looks like this:

/Series A Data Room
  /Financials
  /Legal
  /Product
  /Team

Folders support up to 10 levels of nesting. See Organize Files with Folders for details on folder management.

Step 2: Add Documents

1. Open a subfolder (e.g., Financials).
2. Click Add Document.
3. Upload files or import from a URL.
4. Repeat for each subfolder until all documents are in place.

See Upload Documents for supported file types and upload details.

Step 3: Create a Sharing Link

1. Return to the top-level data room folder.
2. Open the Links & Analytics tab.
3. Click Create Link.

This opens the link creation form with four sections.

Step 4: Configure Access Controls

Access Control section:

• Require email to view - viewers enter their email before accessing documents. This identifies every viewer in your analytics.
• Restrict to specific email (appears when email is required) - limit access to one email address.
• Require login to view - viewers must sign in with Google, LinkedIn, or Telegram. Provides verified identity.
• Password Protection - enter a password in the Password Protection (optional) field. Share the password separately from the link.

Viewer Permissions section:

• Allow PDF download - uncheck to prevent viewers from downloading files. They can view in the browser but not save copies.
• Require NDA/Agreement - check to show an agreement that viewers must accept before accessing documents. Enter the agreement text in the Agreement Text field (up to 5,000 characters). See Require an Agreement Before Viewing for details.

Link Settings section:

• Expiration Date - set a date after which the link stops working. See Set Link Expiration.
• Welcome Message - add a message viewers see before entering the data room (up to 500 characters).
• Custom Domain and Custom URL - available on plans that support custom domains.

Step 5: Share the Link

1. Click Create Link.
2. Copy the generated URL.
3. Send the URL to your counterparty. If you set a password, share it through a separate channel.

Viewers who open the link complete any access gates (password, email, agreement) and then see the full folder structure in a browser-based viewer with breadcrumb navigation.

What Viewers See

After completing access gates, viewers see:

• Folder tree with all subfolders and documents
• Breadcrumb navigation to move between folders
• Document viewer - each file opens in the browser without downloading
• No PaperLink account required - viewers access everything through the link

Related

• Organize Files with Folders - create, rename, move, and manage folders
• Upload Documents - add files to your library
• Create a Sharing Link - link settings for individual files
• Require an Agreement Before Viewing - NDA and agreement gates
• Set Link Expiration - auto-revoke access after a deadline
• Understand Viewer Analytics - track who viewed your data room
• The Data Room Checklist for Startup Fundraising - what documents VCs expect at every stage
• Virtual Data Rooms: Organize Documents for Due Diligence - when and how to use data rooms