Quick Start: Your First Data Room in 5 Minutes
Create a Peony data room, upload files, and share a secure link in under five minutes.
Last updated April 13, 2026
Sign up, drag files into a new room, toggle the protections you want, send the link. AI auto-indexing finishes in under three minutes while you configure the rest.
1. Sign Up
Go to app.peony.ink and sign in with your work email. Peony uses OTP — no password to remember. Your workspace is created on first sign-in.
The free tier covers creating and sharing a data room. Upgrade to Pro ($20/admin/month) or Business ($40/admin/month) for custom domains, advanced watermarks, unlimited storage, and Advanced Q&A.
2. Create a Data Room
Click New Data Room on the dashboard. Name it something your counterparty will recognize — "Acme Series A" or "Project Falcon Diligence." The name appears in the viewer's browser tab. You can rename later without breaking the link URL.
If your workspace has branding defaults (logo, colors), the new room inherits them. Override per room from Data Room Settings > Branding.
3. Upload Files
Drag and drop files — or a whole folder — into the room. Peony accepts PDFs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, and common video codecs (H.264, MP4). Folder structure is preserved.
AI auto-indexing runs in the background. Keep going — you can configure the link while it indexes.
4. Configure the Link
Click Share Securely in your data room. A default group already exists. Open its Security tab and toggle the protections you need — password, expiry, dynamic watermark, one-click NDA, screenshot protection, access questions, AI Q&A, or appearance.
Typical fundraise stack: watermark + screenshot protection + downloads off (in the Permissions table). For live M&A, add a one-click NDA.
Full walkthrough of access modes, the 8 security controls, and per-folder permissions: Permission & Security Settings.
5. Share the Link
Copy the link and send it — email, Slack, LinkedIn, whatever.
The moment a viewer opens the link, their activity shows up in the Analytics tab — pages read, dwell time, exact file order. Click into any viewer's name to see their full activity timeline, location, device, total view time, and downloads. You can also create a separate link per counterparty (using email access, domain gating, or simple links) to isolate their analytics cleanly.
Common Mistakes
- One link for all investors. Per-viewer analytics still work (click into each name), but separate links make it easier to filter, revoke, and watermark per counterparty.
- Forgetting to toggle protections. The default link is open. Turn on watermark and screenshot protection in link settings.
- Using "Invite Team" when you meant "Invite Viewer". Team invites add paid admin seats. Viewer invites are free. See Invite Your Team.