Virtual Data Rooms (VDRs) are becoming invaluable tools for businesses needing secure document sharing, particularly during high-stakes processes like mergers, acquisitions, and legal reviews. Traditionally, these platforms are specialized, standalone systems providing advanced security for sensitive files. However, for organizations already invested in Microsoft 365, configuring tools like SharePoint Online to act as a VDR may offer a practical, integrated alternative.

Let’s delve into how virtual data rooms function, what makes Microsoft’s tools a potential substitute, and examples of specific configurations and settings that can enhance security and functionality for confidential transactions.

The Core Functions of Virtual Data Rooms

As stated on elitesoft.fr, virtual data rooms serve as a secure environment where sensitive business documents can be stored, viewed, and shared with tight controls over user access. Commonly, VDRs are employed for:

VDRs typically offer advanced features such as user tracking, role-based permissions, multi-factor authentication, watermarking, and encryption—ensuring only authorized personnel access the documents.

Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online as VDR Alternatives

While Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online weren’t originally designed as VDRs, they have many features that, when configured properly, can provide the necessary environment for secure document sharing. Organizations already using Microsoft’s suite benefit from cost-efficiency, streamlined workflows, and centralized storage without needing to onboard a new platform.

Here are a few practical examples of how Microsoft tools can mimic VDR functionalities:

  1. Setting up Document Libraries in SharePoint for Secure Storage
    SharePoint’s document libraries allow administrators to store files with advanced permission settings. For instance, folders can be set to restrict view or edit access, depending on the user’s role. A company conducting M&A due diligence could use SharePoint’s restricted view mode to prevent downloads or edits by unauthorized personnel.
  2. Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in Microsoft 365
    Security in a VDR setup relies heavily on controlled access, and Microsoft 365 provides several customizable access control features. Conditional Access policies and MFA options ensure that only verified users can access the sensitive documents within a SharePoint-based VDR. For example, a law firm handling sensitive case files could enforce MFA, allowing only specific IP ranges access to the files stored in their SharePoint Online site.
  3. Using OneDrive as a Temporary Document Storage for Audits
    OneDrive, another Microsoft 365 component, can work well as a temporary file-sharing platform in VDR-like scenarios. An audit team needing access to current financial records could share OneDrive folders with external auditors while setting expiration dates for access.
  4. Activity Tracking and User Logs in SharePoint Online
    In any VDR, activity tracking and user logs are crucial for maintaining a record of who accessed what and when. SharePoint Online includes an audit log feature that provides visibility into actions taken on documents—such as views, edits, and downloads. By enabling detailed logging, a company conducting due diligence can track each user’s activity within the document library, adding an extra layer of accountability.
  5. Watermarking and Document Control with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)
    While SharePoint does not have native watermarking, Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) allows administrators to label and protect documents with watermarks that indicate confidentiality levels. For example, files tagged as “Highly Confidential” can display a visible watermark, and administrators can restrict further sharing or printing of these documents.

Advantages of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint as VDRs

Using Microsoft 365 and SharePoint as VDR alternatives provides several advantages:

Potential Drawbacks of Microsoft as a VDR Substitute

While Microsoft 365 offers many security features, there are notable limitations when used as a VDR substitute:

Case Study Examples of Configuring Microsoft as a Virtual Data Room

Several organizations, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), have successfully used Microsoft 365 to replicate VDR functionality.

Free Trials and Demos from Dedicated VDR Providers

While Microsoft’s suite provides a flexible alternative, businesses with more complex security needs often opt for dedicated VDR solutions. Providers like iDeals, Intralinks, and Merrill offer purpose-built VDRs with features specifically designed for secure, sensitive document management.

Many VDR providers offer free trials or demo accounts—an excellent way for companies to evaluate whether these solutions meet their needs better than a Microsoft alternative. Dedicated VDRs often include features such as customizable watermarks, built-in user activity tracking, and compliance with international data privacy standards, which Microsoft’s tools may lack.

Why a Dedicated VDR Might Be Better for High-Stakes Transactions

For transactions with high confidentiality requirements, a dedicated VDR platform may still be the preferred choice due to:

Conclusion

While configuring Microsoft 365 services like SharePoint Online and OneDrive to function as a virtual data room is possible, dedicated VDRs are purpose-built to meet the highest security standards and provide extensive features for managing sensitive information. Microsoft’s flexibility can serve small businesses and organizations with basic needs well, especially when supplemented with tools like Microsoft Information Protection. However, for complex projects, larger transactions, or highly regulated industries, exploring dedicated VDRs with built-in security and compliance may offer a more robust and reliable solution.

Dynamics CRM is a modern solution designed for companies that understand the value and need for quality customer relationship management. This article will explain the fundamental aspects of this software functionality and its benefits.

What is Microsoft Dynamics CRM?

In the modern world, without effective automation, it isn’t easy to imagine the work of any business. Therefore, companies realize customer relationship management systems (CRM) intended to automate sales operations, build a customer base, and organize proper communication. As a result, CRM simplifies business work and makes it more convenient to perform routine tasks.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a unique business platform for customer interaction, which allows you always to have new essential information, reducing time costs to a minimum. You do not need to purchase hardware to implement this platform when using Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Therefore, there is no need to invest in infrastructure. You also don’t have to support this platform because Microsoft will take care of everything. Your responsibility is simple: enter meaningful data into the CRM system and then use it. For companies with a minimum of IT staff, this option will help you do more with the data you’re already collecting.

This CRM solution is a customer relationship management tool that allows you to:

The CRM enables company employees to work online and offline, logging into it directly from Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is also integrated with a widely used application – Microsoft Office, which allows company employees to use, for example, Microsoft Excel to export data, and Microsoft Word to prepare letters to clients. The software successfully works both in a cloud application and on infrastructure companies. This solution already has built-in tools for data analysis and integrating information from social networks and media directly into the CRM system.

Benefits of using Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM to work with clients increases the work efficiency of staff inside and outside the company. With the help of powerful, state-of-the-art technologies used in this solution and integrated into a single working environment, collaboration and understanding of the need for results-oriented communication and cooperation between service, marketing, and sales departments are improved.

The main advantages of implementing this CRM system are:

Many companies are trying to organize infrastructure in extreme conditions when neither budget nor time was planned. However, some companies successfully cope with this task. So, how to create a reliable infrastructure, and what is a deployment platform? Here is a checklist of 6 crucial rules.

The importance of reliable infrastructure deployment

The business has been developing and scaling for years. For example, a company that started with a few branches may now have several hundred. Still, the corporate network remains at the same level as when the organization began its journey. As a result, network services that worked effectively can now hinder company goals achievement. In addition, the demand for high-quality Internet is growing as businesses switch to such online services as Office 365, Microsoft Azure, etc. In this case, a reliable Internet is crucial for the company’s productivity. So how do you organize your ideal corporate infrastructure for quality work?

Analysts claim that in a typical situation, more than 70% of the IT budget is spent on infrastructure maintenance – servers, networks, operating systems, and drives. Organizations, realizing how necessary the optimization of the IT infrastructure is and how important it is for being efficient from the economic side, come to the point that it is required to rationalize the infrastructure of their enterprise with the help of standardization of desktop computers, consolidation of data processing centers, and the implementation of experience in the operation of information technologies. However, if these initiatives are taken separately, they do not have a lasting effect. Therefore, it is necessary to imagine the maturity levels of your IT infrastructure, and its connection with the overall business strategy.

6 Common rules for infrastructure deployment

Creating an effective IT infrastructure is a rather complex process that requires a high level of competencies in various IT areas. In addition, it is necessary to analyze a large amount of information to ultimately obtain an effective IT infrastructure that meets the needs of the business.

The organization of IT infrastructure requires compliance with 6 standard rules:

1. Security

The more complex the infrastructure, the more vulnerable it is to virus attacks, data leakage through users’ faults, and unauthorized access by third parties. Antivirus software is used to protect data.

2. Scalability

IT infrastructure should be easy to scale up as business needs change. For example, the continuous growth of data or company staff expansion pushes for changes. Unified solutions are used – both software and hardware to improve scalability at the design stage. Adding one module or applying the same template/image for the nth time will take fewer resources than swapping one hardware for another or multiple configurations.

3. Continuous work

Business processes must be performed stably, without or with a minimum amount of downtime – they can lead to material or reputational losses. For uninterrupted work, the following tools are used: creating backups and restoring data, antivirus protection, moving data to the cloud, and using a cluster structure.

4. The rate of change

Following changes in business processes, the IT infrastructure must quickly change. It helps the company maintain a high level of service and adapt to the processes that take place in the economy. In addition, the speed of change ensures the introduction of new technologies, services, and services.

5. Economic justification

The company should spend most of the money not on upgrading hardware and software but on maintaining existing hardware and software.

6. Controllability

The creation of an IT infrastructure should be carried out in the direction of simplifying its manageability. The simpler the management, the fewer errors occur and the faster their cause is found. Monitoring and analytics systems can be used for such operations.