How to set up a data room: the full video walkthrough
Watch every step of building a secure virtual data room in Peony — from creating your account to sharing a polished, permissioned room with buyers, investors, and clients. Median setup time is 4 minutes 19 seconds.
What does the walkthrough cover?
It goes end to end, in the order you would actually do it:
- Create your account and first room — start for free, name the room, and set the basics.
- Upload and organize documents — drag in files and folders; Peony auto-indexes them so the room is navigable from the first minute.
- Control access — gate the room behind an NDA, apply dynamic per-viewer watermarks, turn on screenshot protection, and set link expiry.
- Share securely — send personalized links to buyers, investors, and clients, each scoped to exactly what they should see.
- Track engagement — page-level analytics show who opened the room, which documents they read, and for how long.
How long does it take to set up a data room?
For most teams, a few minutes. Across Peony accounts, the median time from sign-up to a shareable room is 4 minutes 19 seconds — because uploading, indexing, permissions, and watermarking are built in rather than bolted on. The video runs at that same pace so you can follow along in your own room.
Try it yourself
I run Peony, a virtual data room trusted by 6,800+ teams — M&A advisors, founders raising capital, PE funds, and the lawyers and bankers who support them. You can start for free and set up your first room in minutes.