Datasite Home
  • Login
  • Get Started
  • Login
  • Get Started
  • English
      • English
      • Français
      • Deutsch
      • 中文
      • 日本語
      • Español
      • Italiano
  • Solutions
    • For Business
      • For Business

        Everything we do is designed to make your life a little easier. To help you get your work done as quickly and as productively as possible. Your deal is our business.

        Learn more
        • Corporate Development
        • Investment Banking
        • Law Firms
        • Private Equity
      • Corporate Development
        • Corporate Development

          Corporate development professionals rely on Datasite M&A software for their sensitive transactions. Whatever deal stage, our M&A platform puts you in control.

          Learn more
          • Sell-Side M&A
          • Buy-side M&A
          • Restructuring
          • Fundraising
          • Strategic Repository
          • Corporate Conversations Hub
        • Sell-Side M&A
        • Buy-side M&A
        • Restructuring
        • Fundraising
        • Strategic Repository
        • Corporate Conversations Hub
      • Investment Banking
        • Investment Banking

          The premier SaaS solutions for the M&A lifecycle. Working with boutique, middle market, and bulge bracket banks on transactions in over 170 countries.

          Learn more
          • Preparing the Deal
          • Executing the Deal
        • Preparing the Deal
        • Executing the Deal
      • Law Firms
        • Law Firms

          Datasite is the premier legal due diligence solutions provider for M&A practitioners and law firms globally. More than a virtual data room, Datasite allows for automation of legal workflow across the entire deal lifecycle.

          Learn more
          • Preparing for the Deal
          • Managing the Deal
          • Closing the Deal
        • Preparing for the Deal
        • Managing the Deal
        • Closing the Deal
      • Private Equity
        • Private Equity

          Datasite empowers private equity professionals to advance with confidence during every stage of the PE life-cycle & complete transactions with ease.

          Learn more
          • Fundraising
          • Acquisition
          • Restructuring
          • Exit Preparation
          • Deal Marketing
          • Exits
          • File Sharing
        • Fundraising
        • Acquisition
        • Restructuring
        • Exit Preparation
        • Deal Marketing
        • Exits
        • File Sharing
    • For Industries
      • For Industries

        We are Datasite. Creators of momentum, eliminators of doubt and builders of tomorrows. The leading SaaS provider for the M&A industry, we give dealmakers around the world the tools they need to succeed across the entire deal lifecycle.

        Learn more
        • Energy & Power
        • Financial Institutions
        • Healthcare & Life Sciences
        • Industrials
        • Technology, Media & Telecom
        • Consumer & Retail
        • Real Estate
      • Energy & Power
        • Energy & Power

          Whether you’re working on M&A, capital markets, or restructuring – Datasite helps energy & power companies complete transactions faster than ever.

          Learn more
      • Financial Institutions
        • Financial Institutions

          Datasite supports the entire M&A lifecycle helping Financial Institutions to transact with confidence and act quickly while keenly managing risks & regulations.

          Learn more
      • Healthcare & Life Sciences
        • Healthcare & Life Sciences

          Whether you’re looking at a licensing, listing or M&A, achieve your objective quickly and keep sensitive data secure with Datasite.

          Learn more
      • Industrials
        • Industrials

          From manufacturing to transportation to defense, we understand the needs of your sub-sector. Datasite can help you keep your sensitive information secure.

          Learn more
      • Technology, Media & Telecom
        • Technology, Media & Telecom

          Learn about the solutions available for making better, more secure technology deals happen with Datasite Diligence virtual data rooms.

          Learn more
      • Consumer & Retail
        • Consumer & Retail

          Consumer and retail brands have seen a wave of recent activity, as organizations strengthen balance sheets and take advantage of strategic opportunities. Datasite has helped dealmakers act quickly while managing a wide range of stakeholders.

          Learn more
      • Real Estate
        • Real Estate

          Real estate transactions are on the rise and becoming increasingly complex. So it’s important that you can do your due diligence on your real estate transaction securely and efficiently, while effectively collaborating with local officials, deal teams, and lenders.

          Learn more
    • By Need
      • By Need

        The best people. And the best technology – a SaaS platform that works across the M&A lifecycle. However you do your deals. This is the place to make them.

        Learn more
        • Restructuring
        • IPOs
        • Buy-Side
        • Sell-Side
        • Startups
      • Restructuring
        • Datasite for Restructuring

          Datasite solves the largest challenges you face to effectively work through corporate restructuring and reorganization.

          Learn more
      • IPOs
        • Datasite for IPOs

          Datasite ensures a secure and agile IPO process management for issuers, advisors, and underwriters. Our solutions, support and 25+ years experience, keeps your IPO secure and your team nimble to optimize outcomes.

          Learn more
          • Your Complete SPAC Space
        • Your Complete SPAC Space
      • Buy-Side
        • Datasite for Buy-Side

          Tired of messy, overly-manual sell-side reviews? Luckily, there’s a better way. Find out how top buyers are creating centralized, repeatable processes from the comfort of their own data room.

          Learn more
      • Sell-Side
        • Datasite for Sell-Side

          Our solutions empower dealmakers with the broadest reach to maximize valuations, breakthrough technology to breeze through due diligence, and insights to generate the best deal outcomes.

          Learn more
      • Startups
        • Datasite for Startups

          Extend your team and add professional polish with Datasite – your partner for every stage of your growth journey.

          Learn more
  • Platform
    • Overview
      • Overview

        Datasite's virtual data room suite is the best way to manage any due diligence process and share sensitive data. We make sure every aspect of your deal is covered. Our virtual data room consists of four core products that help you and your team automate the entire end-to-end M&A lifecycle.

        Learn more
    • Data Room
      • Datasite Diligence™

        Datasite Diligence Virtual Data Room (VDR) includes sophisticated analytics, an integrated redaction tool, ironclad security & world-class support with fast setup.

        Learn more
    • Deal Marketing
      • Datasite Outreach™

        Whether compiling buyer lists, or executing outreach activities and managing NDAs, Datasite Outreach is your essential resource for the deal marketing process.

        Learn more
    • Deal Preparation
      • Datasite Prepare™

        Datasite Prepare accelerates deal preparation with AI indexing, smart categorization, redaction & VDR integration to bring you into due diligence with a click.

        Learn more
    • Acquisition
      • Datasite Acquire™

        Take control of your process with Datasite Acquire, the first deal management platform designed just for you. Create a centralized, repeatable process from the comfort of your own VDR.

        Learn more
    • Deal Team
      • Datasite Experience™

        A data room is only as good as the people behind it. We’re your partners for ensuring speed, confidence, and successful results on every transaction.

        Learn more
        • Success Center
      • Success Center
        • Datasite Experience Success Center

          Datasite Experience has been designed around you. You are at the center. Learn how our team makes your deal journey the best it can be.

          Learn more
    • Datasite for You
      • Datasite for You

        The Datasite value is unique to each customer. Tell us a little about yourself, and we’ll propose a solution that drives the greatest ROI for you and/or your client.

        Learn more
  • Resources
    • What is a Data Room?
      • What is a Data Room?

        Get a basic understanding of what a data room is and why it's a powerful tool for M&A, as well as many other applications.

        Learn more
    • New Features
      • What's New in Datasite

        Learn about the newest features available to Datasite users. Enable yourself to get M&A deals done faster and easier using the top tools available to dealmakers. Experience the latest innovations from Datasite, where deals are made.

        Learn more
    • FAQs
      • FAQs

        Questions about Datasite, M&A, or Data Rooms? We have the answers for you.

        Learn more
    • Insights
      • Insights

        Close deals, faster, with insights into every aspect of the industry. Read all about the latest M&A trends and best practices. And stay ahead of the game with exclusive analysis from our market-leading M&A software.

        Learn more
    • Events & Webinars
      • Events & Webinars

        Stay up to date with the latest developments and innovation in M&A. Join us at one of our live events, and learn something new.

        Learn more
    • Dealmaker's Circle
      • Dealmaker's Circle

        Help identify the technology needs of dealmakers across the M&A industry. Sign up for the Dealmaker's Circle and shape the future.

        Learn more
    • Data Room Training
      • Data Room Training & Certification

        The virtual data room (VDR) training and certification program is designed for individuals, businesses, and universities alike. Its sole purpose is to help people who are entering the working environment be fully prepared and conversant with one of the key tools they’ll be using.

        Learn more
  • Company
    • About
      • About

        The best people. And the best technology – a SaaS platform that works across the M&A lifecycle. However you do your deals. This is the place to make them.

        Learn more
    • Careers
      • Careers

        Ready for the next big challenge? Grow your career, and join our experienced global team, transforming the world of M&A software.

        Learn more
    • News
      • News

        Keep up with our latest media coverage and press releases. And get the breaking news on our technology, partnerships, awards and people.

        Learn more
    • Success Stories
      • Success Stories

        Datasite, the maker of Datasite Diligence virtual data room platform, helping dealmakers in more than 170 countries (and every industry) close more deals, faster. See our success stories.

        Learn more
    • Awards & Recognition
      • Awards & Recognition

        The judges agree. Buying or selling. Restructuring or fund raising. Acquiring or divesting. Datasite is the place get you there faster. The best people and the best technology. This is the place where deals are made.

        Learn more
    • Security & Compliance
      • Security & Compliance

        Trust, privacy, compliance and security are central to everything we do at Datasite. For over 25 years you have entrusted us with your most sensitive information. We take this responsibility seriously, continuously investing in industry-leading security across all aspects of our business.

        Learn more
  • Contact
    • Sales
      • Sales

        Speak to our authoritative sales team, wherever you are in the world, and we’ll get you started with a dataroom in no time.

        Learn more
    • Support
      • Support

        Get the world-class support you need, anytime, anywhere. We’re available 24/7/365, in up to 20 languages.

        Learn more
Datasite Home
November 13, 2020

Needle in a Haystack: Speeding Up Legal Due Diligence Responsibly

By Steve J. Tie Shue, Senior Director - Product Marketing

Thirty days. More than half of sell-side M&A legal advisors report having thirty days or less to complete due diligence. This often feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack within an impossible timeline. Understandable since missing target dates or – even worse – delivering inaccurate or half-baked recommendations to clients can negatively impact a lawyer’s reputation well beyond a specific transaction. Dealmakers can reduce anxiety and bolster deal team confidence by choosing VDRs with three crucial capabilities. Each proving beneficial to the buy-side and sell-side alike.

1. Experience the twofold data room benefits of AI/ML organization tools

The virtues of a well-organized data room likely deserve a dissertation. However, for purposes of this blog, I’ll focus on the immediate benefits to legal advisors – it significantly reduces work times. AI/ML-enabled platforms allow for better-organized VDRs that help dealmakers work faster whether they are tasked with setting up a data room or reviewing documents within it.

For example, the one-two punch of AI indexing and smart categories in Datasite Diligence has been shown to reduce work times by up to 40%. These features automatically suggest categorization and placement of files to project admins upon upload – a particularly compelling proposition for the more junior members of a deal team. Once the data room is share-ready, end-users tasked with reviewing files benefit from greater consistency in organization and filing logic.

2. Make in-app redaction a non-negotiable for all data rooms

Redaction is essential for sell-side advisors. It needs to get done – and eventually in the deal lifecycle it may need to be undone. Luckily, using in-app redaction capabilities to mark and unmark terms exist. This advancement in VDR technology not only speeds up the process of redaction, it also bolsters confidence in the depth of the review.

Use of Redaction AI in Datasite Diligence shrinks timelines by as much as 80% compared to manual processes. It does so through a combination of pattern recognition as well as allowing users to bulk redact and categorize for redaction reasons.

Product Redaction Example
3. Avoid “gotcha” moments in legal due diligence with OCR search

Even well-organized VDRs have their limits in helping to effectively work through legal due diligence – particularly when hundreds or thousands of documents are at play. Check with any veteran corporate lawyer or paralegal. They’ll readily share experiences of blurry-eyed, late-nights spent painstakingly reviewing files one-by-one because a deal room’s search capabilities didn’t extend to PDFs, images, or scanned documents. Enter optical character recognition (OCR) search capabilities – making it possible to convert different file formats into editable and searchable data. Invaluable for legal teams who live in perpetual fear of missed T&Cs. This isn’t exactly new technology and it’s startling to see the number of data room decision makers seemingly reinforcing a status quo of using platforms without OCR to manage deals – regardless of size.

Thirty days. That’s an ambitious timeline to complete due diligence. However, the right VDR will deliver the capabilities and confidence needed to meet target deadlines without compromising accuracy or integrity during your legal review.

Click here to schedule a time to learn more about Datasite Diligence.

Datasite for Law Firms

Best-in-class, award-winning customer experience on every deal.

Learn more

Legal Dealmakers Market Report

Key insights on workflow challenges and solutions from 450+ legal advisors.

Download now

Tweets by Datasite Global

Ready to Get Started?

Contact Us

You may also like:

Keep the deal moving - even on the move

With the Datasite mobile app, you always know where the deal’s at – wherever you are.

M&A Professional reviewing documents via data room
The ABCs of SPACs and de-SPAC’ed Entities

With the change in market conditions over the last year (increased inflation, interest rates etc.), there is concern that companies who went public via a SPAC in 2020 and 2021 will not be able to continue their business operations due to a lack of free cash flow or will face de-listing because their stock is not in compliance with the NYSE or NASDAQ requirements. These companies may need to explore alternative options, such as rescue capital raises, full company sale to a strategic, bankruptcy, and PE take-private options, etc.

M&A Professionals work on a data room
M&A and digital transformation: Opportunities and challenges in APAC

The pandemic saw a growth spurt in digital platforms. Will the tech sector be able to sustain investor interest in the face of challenging macroeconomic dynamics? Learn more about emerging digital transformation stories from APAC in our expert spotlight blog.

City Skyline
  • Solutions
    • For Business
      • For Business

        Everything we do is designed to make your life a little easier. To help you get your work done as quickly and as productively as possible. Your deal is our business.

        Learn more
    • For Industries
      • For Industries

        We are Datasite. Creators of momentum, eliminators of doubt and builders of tomorrows. The leading SaaS provider for the M&A industry, we give dealmakers around the world the tools they need to succeed across the entire deal lifecycle.

        Learn more
    • By Need
      • By Need

        The best people. And the best technology – a SaaS platform that works across the M&A lifecycle. However you do your deals. This is the place to make them.

        Learn more
  • Platform
    • Overview
      • Overview

        Datasite's virtual data room suite is the best way to manage any due diligence process and share sensitive data. We make sure every aspect of your deal is covered. Our virtual data room consists of four core products that help you and your team automate the entire end-to-end M&A lifecycle.

        Learn more
    • Data Room
      • Datasite Diligence™

        Datasite Diligence Virtual Data Room (VDR) includes sophisticated analytics, an integrated redaction tool, ironclad security & world-class support with fast setup.

        Learn more
    • Deal Marketing
      • Datasite Outreach™

        Whether compiling buyer lists, or executing outreach activities and managing NDAs, Datasite Outreach is your essential resource for the deal marketing process.

        Learn more
    • Deal Preparation
      • Datasite Prepare™

        Datasite Prepare accelerates deal preparation with AI indexing, smart categorization, redaction & VDR integration to bring you into due diligence with a click.

        Learn more
    • Acquisition
      • Datasite Acquire™

        Take control of your process with Datasite Acquire, the first deal management platform designed just for you. Create a centralized, repeatable process from the comfort of your own VDR.

        Learn more
    • Deal Team
      • Datasite Experience™

        A data room is only as good as the people behind it. We’re your partners for ensuring speed, confidence, and successful results on every transaction.

        Learn more
    • Datasite for You
      • Datasite for You

        The Datasite value is unique to each customer. Tell us a little about yourself, and we’ll propose a solution that drives the greatest ROI for you and/or your client.

        Learn more
  • Resources
    • What is a Data Room?
      • What is a Data Room?

        Get a basic understanding of what a data room is and why it's a powerful tool for M&A, as well as many other applications.

        Learn more
    • New Features
      • What's New in Datasite

        Learn about the newest features available to Datasite users. Enable yourself to get M&A deals done faster and easier using the top tools available to dealmakers. Experience the latest innovations from Datasite, where deals are made.

        Learn more
    • FAQs
      • FAQs

        Questions about Datasite, M&A, or Data Rooms? We have the answers for you.

        Learn more
    • Insights
      • Insights

        Close deals, faster, with insights into every aspect of the industry. Read all about the latest M&A trends and best practices. And stay ahead of the game with exclusive analysis from our market-leading M&A software.

        Learn more
    • Events & Webinars
      • Events & Webinars

        Stay up to date with the latest developments and innovation in M&A. Join us at one of our live events, and learn something new.

        Learn more
    • Dealmaker's Circle
      • Dealmaker's Circle

        Help identify the technology needs of dealmakers across the M&A industry. Sign up for the Dealmaker's Circle and shape the future.

        Learn more
    • Data Room Training
      • Data Room Training & Certification

        The virtual data room (VDR) training and certification program is designed for individuals, businesses, and universities alike. Its sole purpose is to help people who are entering the working environment be fully prepared and conversant with one of the key tools they’ll be using.

        Learn more
  • Company
    • About
      • About

        The best people. And the best technology – a SaaS platform that works across the M&A lifecycle. However you do your deals. This is the place to make them.

        Learn more
    • Careers
      • Careers

        Ready for the next big challenge? Grow your career, and join our experienced global team, transforming the world of M&A software.

        Learn more
    • News
      • News

        Keep up with our latest media coverage and press releases. And get the breaking news on our technology, partnerships, awards and people.

        Learn more
    • Success Stories
      • Success Stories

        Datasite, the maker of Datasite Diligence virtual data room platform, helping dealmakers in more than 170 countries (and every industry) close more deals, faster. See our success stories.

        Learn more
    • Awards & Recognition
      • Awards & Recognition

        The judges agree. Buying or selling. Restructuring or fund raising. Acquiring or divesting. Datasite is the place get you there faster. The best people and the best technology. This is the place where deals are made.

        Learn more
    • Security & Compliance
      • Security & Compliance

        Trust, privacy, compliance and security are central to everything we do at Datasite. For over 25 years you have entrusted us with your most sensitive information. We take this responsibility seriously, continuously investing in industry-leading security across all aspects of our business.

        Learn more
  • Contact
    • Sales
      • Sales

        Speak to our authoritative sales team, wherever you are in the world, and we’ll get you started with a dataroom in no time.

        Learn more
    • Support
      • Support

        Get the world-class support you need, anytime, anywhere. We’re available 24/7/365, in up to 20 languages.

        Learn more

© 2023 Datasite All rights reserved

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Notice
  • Services Agreement
  • Suppliers
  • Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy

Datasite provides secure software solutions for managing the full spectrum of financial transactions — including M&A, restructuring & administration, and capital raising. Our intuitive platform offers ironclad security enabling file sharing and collaboration within and across organizations. More than a virtual data room (VDR), Datasite supports advisors and their clients across the entire deal lifecycle with secure collaborative software that shortens timelines for buy-side and sell-side teams from deal sourcing and deal preparation to post-merger integration (PMI) while meeting regulatory compliance — including GDPR and CCPA requirements. As the premiere virtual data room for M&A due diligence globally, Datasite is consistently recognized for breakthrough technologies like our AI/ML-enabled capabilities and automated redaction tools. Beyond due diligence, Datasite provides transaction and document management solutions for investment banks, corporate development, private equity, and law firms across industries.