How to Prepare Documents for a Data Room
Data rooms have rules: file size caps, naming conventions, and a buyer who will read everything — including the parts you forgot were in the file. This checklist gets a document set upload-ready.
1. Compress under the portal cap
Most data-room portals cap uploads at 1–2MB per file. Compress every document to the cap before upload — not after the portal rejects it. Doclyx's target-size compression takes a PDF under exactly 100KB, 500KB, 1MB, or 2MB.
2. Merge bundles in a deliberate order
A closing set or contract bundle should read in the order you choose — not in the order files happened to be named. Merge related documents into single ordered PDFs so reviewers page through them linearly.
3. Redact what the other side shouldn't see
Pricing from other customers, employee personal data, privileged notes — remove them permanently before upload. Cosmetic black boxes are not redaction; the text underneath is still in the file.
4. Scrub metadata last
Metadata is the final leak: author names, edit timestamps, and the software trail travel inside every PDF. Scrub it after all other edits, immediately before upload.
In what order should I process documents?
Edit and redact first, merge second, compress third, scrub metadata last — metadata updates with every save, so it must be the final step.
Are my documents stored anywhere during this?
No. Doclyx processes files in memory and never stores them — which is precisely why deal teams use it for pre-data-room preparation.
What about password protection?
Where a portal or recipient requires it, protect the final PDF with AES-256 encryption and share the password over a separate channel.
Compress PDF to 1MB
Compress a PDF under 1MB for email attachments and upload portals.
Merge PDF
Combine multiple PDFs into a single ordered document.
How to Redact a PDF for Due Diligence
Redacting deal documents for due diligence: what to remove, why cosmetic blackout boxes fail, and a workflow that holds up when the other side's counsel checks.