Standard Data Room Folder Structure
A clear folder structure is the single highest-leverage configuration choice for a virtual data room. Reviewers spend less time hunting for documents, the Q&A is more focused, and the disclosure record is more defensible. Below are templates for the four most common European VDR use cases.
Last updated: May 2026.
Mergers & Acquisitions Template
- 01 Corporate — articles, shareholder register, board minutes.
- 02 Financial — audited and management accounts, debt, working capital.
- 03 Tax — returns, audits, TP documentation.
- 04 Commercial — customers, suppliers, pipeline.
- 05 Legal — contracts, JVs, litigation, insurance.
- 06 Intellectual Property — patents, trademarks, software.
- 07 IT and Cyber — system landscape, GDPR posture.
- 08 HR — org chart, key contracts, benefits.
- 09 Environmental / ESG — permits, audits, CSRD.
- 10 Real Estate — leases, surveys.
- 11 Litigation — current and historical.
- 12 Insurance — policies, claims.
Fundraising (VC) Template
- 01 Company Overview — pitch deck, vision, exec summary.
- 02 Financials — historical, plan, runway, unit economics.
- 03 Cap Table & Legal — articles, ESOP, prior fundraising.
- 04 Customer / Commercial — case studies, pipeline.
- 05 Product / Technology — architecture, security, IP.
- 06 Team — org chart, key bios, hiring plan.
- 07 Market / Strategy — competitive analysis, GTM.
- 08 Data Privacy / Security — GDPR, sub-processors.
- 09 Risk Register.
Real Estate Portfolio Template
Per asset:
- 01 Title and Ownership — registry extracts, encumbrances.
- 02 Tenancy and Leases — register, full leases.
- 03 Building Documentation — plans, surveys, permits.
- 04 Technical / Engineering — MEP, condition, capex.
- 05 Environmental — Phase I/II.
- 06 Tax and Regulatory — property tax, VAT.
- 07 Financials — service charge, rent rolls.
- 08 Insurance.
- 09 Litigation.
Life Sciences (Biotech / Pharma)
- 01 Preclinical.
- 02 Clinical — IND/CTA, study reports.
- 03 Manufacturing — CMC, batch records.
- 04 Regulatory — submissions, correspondence.
- 05 IP — patents, FTO.
- 06 GxP — SOPs, deviations, audit.
- 07 Commercial — supply, distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use letters or numbers for ordering?
Numbers — they sort correctly and make cross-referencing in Q&A easier.
How deep should the folder hierarchy go?
Three levels is typical; four is acceptable for very large portfolios; five is too deep for most use cases.