Data Room Builder
Numbered index guide

Use a numbered data room index so every request has a clear folder destination.

A good index is the bridge between a diligence request list and a usable room. The numbering logic below keeps the hierarchy stable as requests evolve.

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Copyable folder tree

Sample index

01 Corporate
01.01 Formation documents
01.02 Ownership records
01.03 Board approvals
02 Financials
02.01 Annual accounts
02.02 Monthly management accounts
02.03 Forecast model
03 Legal
03.01 Material contracts
03.02 Litigation
03.03 Compliance
7 min readUpdated 2026-05-31Template / Excel search
Checklist

Use this checklist to build the room structure

  • Use leading zeroes for the first nine folders.
  • Avoid mixing topics inside one folder.
  • Keep folder names short, descriptive and buyer-friendly.
  • Reserve notes/status for the request list, not the folder name.
  • Create placeholders for missing documents.
  • Keep a separate internal mapping from request owner to folder path.

Recommended numbering logic

Use two digits for top-level folders and decimal numbering for subfolders: 01, 01.01, 01.02 and so on. This is simple, sortable and easy to convert into folders.

Excel columns to use

A practical index can be built with columns for Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, document request, owner, status, sensitivity and notes. Data Room Builder uses the hierarchy columns to create the folder tree.

Naming rules

Use nouns rather than vague instructions. For example, use 'Customer contracts' rather than 'Upload customer stuff'. Keep status markers and comments outside the folder name.

Convert this guide into folders

Create the folder structure instead of building it by hand.

Paste the checklist into Excel or start from the sample file, then use Data Room Builder to generate the hierarchy and export a clean ZIP skeleton.

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FAQs

What is a data room index?

A data room index is the table of contents for a data room. It lists the folder hierarchy and helps reviewers understand where each document category belongs.

Should a data room index be in Excel?

Excel is a practical starting point because it can hold hierarchy, owner, status and notes. The folder structure can then be generated from the hierarchy columns.

How should I number folders?

Use stable numeric prefixes such as 01, 02, 03 for top-level folders and 01.01, 01.02 for subfolders. This keeps the room sortable and easy to navigate.