How to Use iDeals VDR (2026): Set Up a Project, Groups, Permissions, Q&A and Reports

In short: an iDeals virtual data room is set up in seven steps:

1. Create a project, or a free trial.
2. Upload the folders and fix the index.
3. Create groups; permissions in iDeals are set per group, not per person.
4. Give each group one of eight permission levels, from No access and Fence to Manage.
5. Configure watermarks, terms of use (your NDA) and security settings.
6. Invite participants.
7. Run Q&A and reports until the deal closes and you archive the room.

This guide walks through each step with the labels used in the iDeals help center and links to every article. It also says which features need the Premier or Enterprise plan.

Based on the public iDeals help center (helpcenter.idealsvdr.com) and idealsvdr.com/virtual-data-room-pricing, read on 7 November 2026. iDeals changes its interface – check the linked articles. Disclosure: HelpRange is our product.

Which iDeals plan you need

Source: iDeals pricing page.

1. Create the project (or a trial)

In All projects click Create new project. With an existing subscription choose Existing subscription, then fill in the corporate account, name, type, storage location and administrators. Without one, choose New subscription, enter storage, service term and number of projects, and tick the trial box – an iDeals representative then contacts you; one trial at a time (Creating a new project). A trial room can later become the paid room without re-uploading.

2. Upload documents and fix the index

• Drag folders onto the page or the document tree, or use Add → Files / Folder. iDeals says there is no limit on the size or number of files (Uploading documents).
• Office files, PDFs, images, DWG drawings, e-mails and more are converted for online viewing; ZIP, 7z and RAR can be stored but not viewed online (supported types).
• With automatic indexing, items are numbered in upload order. After moving or deleting, use Project index → Rebuild index – it cannot be undone (arranging the index). Upload in final order to avoid renumbering.
• Redact personal data before inviting anyone: right-click → Edit → Redact (search, area or AI-powered) (redaction).

3. Create groups – one per party

Permissions are set per group only, so the group structure is the most important decision. Make one group per bidder or investor (Buyer A, Buyer B…), one for your advisers and one for your internal team. Roles are Administrator, User and Custom; a Custom user can manage users and permissions of selected groups – useful for a co-adviser (available roles). New groups start with no access to documents; you can copy permissions from another group and then change the exceptions.

4. Set permissions: the eight levels

Levels are cumulative. Set them in the Permissions panel or right-click → Share → Manage permissions; subfolders inherit from the folder. Check the result with the By groups and By documents views (available permissions, setting up permissions).

5. Watermarks, NDA (terms of use) and security

• Watermarks: Settings → Watermarks. Choose fields – project name, e-mail, full name, company, group, IP address, date and time, custom text – and when they apply: view, print or download (watermarks).
• NDA before access: Settings → Project → Terms of use → Create new terms, titled NDA, confidentiality agreement or disclaimer; shown on first sign-in or every sign-in and assigned per group. Download accepted terms exports who accepted (terms of use).
• Security tab: two-step verification for everyone; on Premier and Enterprise also e-mail verification, allowed domains and allowed IP addresses (security settings).

6. Invite participants

Participants → Add participants → enter e-mails → choose the group → language and notifications → project access dates → Q&A role if Q&A is on. For many people use Import with the Excel template; the groups must exist first (inviting participants). Test with a dummy account in each group before the real invitations go out.

7. Run Q&A

Q&A tab → Set up Q&A section → Basic or Advanced workflow → create question teams → assign roles → categories → Activate. Roles: question drafter, question submitter, answer coordinator, expert, and – in the Advanced workflow on Premier/Enterprise – answer approver. Coordinators route questions to experts by category (Q&A setup, Q&A roles).

8. Reports and analytics

Available reports: Activity log (export to Excel), Document overview, Engagement matrix (views, downloads and prints per group with a "percent engaged" metric), Data storage, Permissions log and scheduled e-mail reports (available reports, engagement matrix). The help center does not describe page heatmaps or time per page.

9. Close and archive

Settings → Project → General → Closure → Close project, now or on a date. Archive options: an online read-only archive (request before closing), a password-protected USB drive, or a downloadable password-protected archive available for 30 days (archiving options).

Or in HelpRange

iDeals is a strong choice for a structured M&A process with many bidders, a Q&A workflow and fence view. For a smaller deal or a fundraise, HelpRange covers the core with a public price:

• One room per party instead of groups: each room has its own guests, documents and settings, so removing a bidder does not touch the others.
• Per-room settings for watermark (viewer's e-mail on every page), download/print blocking, screenshot protection, image mode and expiry.
• Click-to-sign NDA before the room opens, with a PDF record of e-mail, time and IP.
• Page-by-page reading time, heatmaps and replays per visit; a guest activity report per room (page or CSV).
• AI answers for guests from the room's documents. There is no fence view and no human Q&A workflow.
• $174 a month per team, unlimited users and guests, or the Deal Room Pass: $199 once for 90 days.

HelpRange as an iDeals alternative · Open the demo data room

FAQ

How do I set permissions in iDeals?

Permissions are set per group: open the Permissions panel (or right-click → Share → Manage permissions), select a group and give each folder or file one of eight levels – No access, Fence, View, Encrypted, PDF, Original, Upload or Manage. Subfolders inherit from their folder.

Can iDeals require an NDA before access?

Yes. Create terms of use (titled NDA, confidentiality agreement or disclaimer) under Settings → Project → Terms of use, show them on first or every sign-in, and assign them per group; accepted terms can be downloaded.

What does the iDeals watermark show?

You choose from project name, e-mail, full name, company, group, IP address, date and time, and custom text, and whether it applies on view, print or download.

Does iDeals show which pages a buyer read?

The public help center describes activity logs and an engagement matrix of views, downloads and prints per group, not time per page or page heatmaps.

Is iDeals free to try?

Yes, a free trial with full functionality is offered on each plan; an iDeals representative contacts you after you request it.

Related: iDeals pricing · iDeals vs Firmex · Intralinks vs iDeals · how to use a Datasite data room · how to set up a data room.