Datasite

Datasite LLC by Merrill Corporation is a world-known SaaS platform developer that offers a virtual data room (VDR) suite for deal marketing, deal preparation, due diligence, post-merger integration, buy-side offering, and other financial transactions.
With its product being chosen by clients from over 170 countries, Datasite’s game-changing solutions have been leading the M&A VDR market during the last decade – supporting finance, law firms, private equity, healthcare, media and telecom. In addition, Datasite also works in the industrial sector, including transportation, manufacturing, and aerospace companies.
The Datasite diligence virtual data room offers customers essential features such as watermarking, audit log, and permission controls. But what really differentiates Merrill Datasite from other data rooms available on the market are its key security measures, which we’ll dive deeper into below.

Datasite virtual data room security

Datasite’s security is often referred to as ‘ironclad.’ The platform uses two-factor authentication, AES 256-bit encrypted data in transit and at rest, and mobile biometrics. As for the software compliance, it is ISO 27001 and EU-US Privacy Shield certified, GDPR compliant, and has SSAE 16 SOC 2 Type II attestation.
The strictest security measures and compliance with international standards ensure the safety of your transactions and sensitive data storage no matter the size of your deal.

Storage size

The platform is hosted on 1000 servers spread across Europe and North America and uses Microsoft Azure Storage, meaning the storage opportunities at Datasite are limitless. Datasite treats all passwords with cryptographic hash algorithms and disposes of all project folders and  files 30 days after deals are completed, which offers extra security for any confidential data. 

Customer support

In addition to superior security and unlimited storage size, Datasite Merrill provides best-in-class end-to-end support services available in 16 languages and in four regions (North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America) through a variety of channels: phone, email, chat, and on-site.
Besides, the company has created a dedicated online support portal with information available on the frequently asked questions and video demos on how to use certain features. And on top of that, customers can use the provider’s portal to register for live training and access forums.
Every Datasite client is also assigned a personal project manager. Therefore, you can request a personal tutorial or get support if any problem occurs.
Since there is no information about a free trial on the official website, you may want to contact the provider for details.

Ease of use

Datasite’s game-changing VDR can be set up with just a few clicks. Some of its features are:

• Email files directly to your project with a special email address
• Drag and drop files up to 50Gb
• Manage users quickly deciding who has access to project folders, or part of a document
• Redact text and images automatically with AI tool
• Track and analyze your data via the smart dashboard
• Powerful search in various document types (even in PDFs) with Optical Character Recognition
• Enable push notifications to keep partners notified throughout the entire process
• Contact support 24/7 for a professional assistance
• Use Datasite mobile app to succeed wherever business takes users

Datasite mobile integration

Datasite Merrill conveniently comes with a business mobile app available for iOS and Android users. The app is easy to use and allows you to access, organize, create, or edit documents on the go. It can also be synchronized with a few devices, for example, your iPhone and iPad. Other benefits offer the ability to: 

• access data fast and conveniently
• review documents
• find key terms
• share files with other approved parties
• use the Q&A tool to approve, answer, or assign questions

With the Datasite virtual data room app, you can always monitor any changes in your data via analytics adapted for a mobile screen. Frankly, the app doesn’t work as smoothly as one would expect from such a high-end service, promising the best technology for a business in any industry. Upon user reviews, the system keeps crashing and the overall functionalities leave room for improvement.

DataSite virtual data room features

Merrill DataSite data rooms offer similar basic features as other virtual data room providers — plus some additional unique features that the due diligence workflow requires:

• Data room trackers help to start projects quickly, collaborate efficiently, and run a deal in one centralized location.
• DataSite Prepare is a team collaboration tool for deal preparation that offers a simplified access mandate.
• The Project Inbox feature allows emailing files directly into the project through Outlook, Gmail, and more.
• Drag-n-drop file upload that retains file structure, with bulk move and renaming options for uploaded documents up to 50 GB.
• AI-powered intelligent redaction integrates text and image redaction.
• An intelligent dashboard that provides instruments for sophisticated analytics.
• AI and ML-powered tools that automate file categorization, AI-powered data room index, and document preview. 
• Search tool that conducts in-document and file search in 16 languages within seconds.
• Integrated Q&A that allows setting up roles, categories, or priorities and importing and exporting questions back to Excel.
• Strict global security standards that include compliance with ISO 27001 certification, SOC 2 Type II attestation, and GDPR.
• Encryption of data at rest and in transit ensures safe data storage and transfer.
• Physical security measures, along with data security training for all employees, and annual third-party breach testing, eliminate risks of leaks.
• Secure data room access with two-factor authentication and automatic password reset.
• Full control over document sharing with granular user permissions and customizable watermarking.
• Mobile-friendly deployment options are available along with a cloud-based web platform accessible from a desktop.
• 24/7 support is available by phone, email, or chat in 20 languages.

Pros and cons of Merrill virtual data rooms

The Merrill DataSite virtual data room incorporates all industry-leading features. Data room users’ reports reveal that the data room is proficient and worth the investment.

Users list the following advantages:

• The DataSite interface is user-friendly. DataSite is easy to use and highly customizable. 
• Optical character recognition is an advantage, making documents searchable.
• Excellent customer service. Its support team makes every user feel like a valued client.
• The DataSite name is trustworthy. The provider has extensive experience in the market.
• DataSite offers extensive document security. The data room’s security features are reliable enough to trust for sensitive document storage.
• AI-powered features streamline document management. DataSite’s automatic indexing and AI-powered redaction save time on manual data management processes.

The disadvantages reported include:

• Little use for small and medium-sized businesses. Users report that DataSite is more suitable for large enterprises.
• Lack of competitive pricing structure. DataSite customers mention that they prefer a predictable monthly payment, without hidden fees or unpredictable charges. 
• Problems using the Index view. Users report occasional flaws with this feature.
• Lack of advanced functionality. Users lack some advanced features that other providers offer, like screenshot protection, security settings on the user group level, and document or folder annotations.

Integration options

Merrill data rooms integrate with third parties. The most common ones are:

• Okta. It enables authentication and provisioning capabilities via SWA single sign-on.
• OneLogin. It enables secure single sign-on by connecting Active Directory to Merrill DataSite. It is a time-saving and cloud-secure solution.
• Teamstack. Integration with this tool allows users to automate identity management.
• AuthDigital. This integration helps connect a Merrill DataSite application with an existing Identity Provider (IAM).

There are also some technologies integrated into the DataSite suite:

• DataSite Outreach. It is a deal marketing technology to track potential buyers and investors with a simple interface, providing simultaneous interaction with multiple contracts.
• AI-based redaction. It is a convenient sensitive data protection feature for images and text substitutes.
• Integrated Q&A. It is a technology streamlining communication among data room users. It allows importing questions from Excel, reporting, and exporting data back to the Excel file.

Data centers information

Merrill DataSite is the first ISO 27001 accredited VDR provider in the world. It complies with the requirements of the Information Security Management System, as well as SOC 2 Type II attestation, and GDPR. 

Merrill DataSite owns the entire project management and technical support chain providing ironclad security and making it impossible to erase confidential information.

Merrill facilities are physically located in St. Paul and St. Cloud, Minnesota. Most offices also have the needed hardware, software, and personnel. A Merrill data room provider supports capabilities and capacity, using third-party document storage facilities.

There are reliable tools to sustain Merrill virtual data room systems and physical infrastructures, like the redundant uninterruptible power supply, fire detection systems, surveillance cameras, and multiple security checkpoints to limit access to data centers.

Pricing plans

The DataSite deal room does not disclose its pricing rates. Its pricing structure is customized for every client. Final charges depend on the transaction type, project duration, necessary features, how many users, and other factors.

DataSite virtual data room offers a free demo version and a 14-day trial. During the trial, the functionality is a bit limited, but it allows for testing the software’s basic features.

To get pricing information, contact a sales representative by filling out the contact form on the company’s website, and the Merrill data room administrator will be in touch with you. Merrill support is available at regional sales offices distributed across Europe, North and Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.