Data room vs SFTP share: when each fails compliance

Teams pick SFTP shares for speed and data rooms for branding. Compliance failures come from using the wrong pattern for the counterparty.

When SFTP shares fail

Shared credentials, no per-file view logging, no role granularity for external counsel or auditors. Fine for ops teams; weak for regulated external exchange.

When generic data rooms fail

No SFTP/S3 adapter for automated feeds, no cron for recurring drops, no integration with your existing MFT jobs. Becomes a manual upload graveyard.

The combined pattern

Secure data rooms with protocol adapters behind them — automated jobs for systems, room UI for humans, one audit log for both.