If you're running a merger or acquisition, you know the drill: piles of sensitive files, too many lawyers, and a parade of buyers or partners poking around your data. You need a virtual data room (VDR) that’s secure, simple to use, and won’t eat your afternoon with confusing settings. This guide is for deal teams, founders, and anyone who needs to set up a dependable VDR in Moxo without getting lost in the weeds—or worse, making rookie mistakes that come back to bite you.
Let’s get your virtual data room up, locked down, and running smoothly.
Why Use Moxo for M&A Data Rooms?
Before we get into the how, let’s be real: Moxo isn’t the only VDR platform out there. There are bigger names (like iDeals or Datasite) with more bells and whistles. But Moxo hits a sweet spot: it’s secure, not overloaded with features you’ll never use, and the interface won’t send your less tech-savvy colleagues running for the hills.
That said, Moxo’s strength is speed and simplicity, not deep customization. If you want endless permissions matrices or fancy AI data tagging, look elsewhere. For straightforward, secure document sharing and collaboration, it gets the job done.
Step 1: Get Your Moxo Workspace Ready
Don’t skip this. The messier your workspace, the more likely someone will see something they shouldn’t—or you’ll spend hours untangling permissions later.
- Create a new, dedicated workspace just for the deal. Don’t reuse old rooms or your general team space.
- Name it something clear but not too revealing (“Project Pineapple” beats “Acquisition of XYZ Corp”).
- Double-check your plan includes enough storage and user licenses for the size of the deal team and all the advisors.
Pro tip: If you’re in a regulated industry (finance, healthcare), double-check Moxo’s compliance certifications. Most boxes are ticked (SOC2, GDPR), but don’t just assume.
Step 2: Lock Down Your Permissions—Start Tight, Loosen Up
Here’s where most people slip up: they make it too easy for people to see things they shouldn’t, or they overcomplicate things until nobody can find anything.
The Basics
- Admins: Limit to one or two trusted people. Don’t make every lawyer or partner an admin.
- Contributors: Internal team sharing docs.
- Viewers: External parties, buyers, or advisors who only need to see what you share.
Setting It Up in Moxo
- Go to your workspace settings.
- Set default permissions to “View Only.” Build from there.
- Invite users with specific roles. Don’t use generic email invites. Always know who’s in the room.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for everyone. Yes, it’s annoying. It’s also how you don’t end up on the front page for a data breach.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with invitation links that don’t require authentication. If someone can forward a link, they can leak a file.
Step 3: Structure Your Folders and Files for Sanity (and Security)
A well-organized VDR isn’t just about looking neat—it’s about making sure nobody accidentally stumbles into files they shouldn’t see.
- Top-level folders: Think in terms of due diligence categories: “Financials,” “Legal,” “HR,” “Customer Contracts,” etc.
- Subfolders: Break it down by year, region, or whatever fits your business.
- Permission tip: In Moxo, you can set permissions at the folder and file level. Use this to keep sensitive stuff (like executive comp or IP) under tighter control.
Don’t: Dump everything into a single folder called “Documents.” You’ll regret it the first time someone asks, “Where’s the 2021 tax return?”
Step 4: Upload Files Safely—Don’t Cut Corners
Dragging and dropping files is easy, but there are a few things to watch for if you want to keep things secure:
- Scrub metadata. Word docs and PDFs can have author names, tracked changes, or hidden comments. Save a “clean” version before uploading.
- Use PDFs where possible. They’re harder to edit or accidentally overwrite.
- Enable watermarking in Moxo. It’s not perfect, but it does discourage screenshots and leaks.
- Batch uploads: Don’t upload 1,000 files at once. Go in batches so you can set permissions as you go.
Pro tip: Do a test upload with a dummy account before going live. You’ll spot things you missed—like files showing up in the wrong place or permissions that aren’t as tight as you thought.
Step 5: Set Up Activity Tracking and Alerts
You want to know who’s poking around—both for security and for deal intelligence.
- Turn on audit logs. In Moxo, you can track who opened, downloaded, or commented on files.
- Set up alerts for key folders. If someone from Buyer A suddenly downloads your entire “Trade Secrets” folder at 2am, you want to know.
- Regularly review access logs. Don’t just set it and forget it. Make it someone’s job (maybe yours).
What’s not worth your time: Fancy “AI-powered risk scoring” alerts. In practice, these are noisy and rarely catch anything you wouldn’t see in the logs.
Step 6: Manage Q&A and Collaboration—Don’t Let Chaos Reign
M&A deals always come with endless questions. Moxo’s built-in chat and annotation features are handy, but you want to keep discussion organized.
- Set clear rules: Direct all Q&A through the platform, not email.
- Create a “Q&A” folder or channel. Keep a living list of questions and answers.
- Use comments wisely: They’re great for quick clarifications, but don’t let long threads pile up in file comments—summarize and move to the Q&A log.
Pro tip: If you’re dealing with multiple bidders, give each one their own Q&A channel or workspace. Don’t mix them.
Step 7: Offboarding—Shut It Down (Cleanly)
Once the deal’s done (or dead), don’t leave the data room hanging.
- Revoke access for external users immediately.
- Export audit logs for your records (and in case of disputes down the road).
- Archive or delete the workspace according to your legal counsel’s advice. Don’t blindly keep data lying around.
Don’t: Forget about stray backups or synced files on personal devices. Remind everyone to delete local copies—especially if you allowed downloads.
Honest Pros, Cons, and What to Skip
What works: - Moxo is quick to set up and doesn’t bog you down with a million settings. - Clean interface means fewer “how do I…?” emails from buyers and lawyers. - Solid basic security (2FA, watermarking, logs).
What doesn’t: - Permission management isn’t as granular as some enterprise VDRs. - No fancy document redaction or AI data analysis (if you want those, look elsewhere). - Support is decent but not 24/7 white-glove.
What to ignore: - Any feature that promises to “automate your M&A workflow.” It won’t. Keep it straightforward.
Keep It Simple, Review Often
Setting up a secure VDR in Moxo isn’t rocket science, but the devil’s in the details. Start locked down, use plain folder structures, and check your settings with a dummy account before inviting outsiders. Don’t overthink fancy features—focus on knowing who can see what, and keeping an eye on activity.
Just remember: no platform is perfectly secure if you’re sloppy with permissions or upload files you didn’t mean to share. Keep it simple, check your work, and tweak as you go. That’s how deals get done—and stay out of trouble.