How to Set Up Your First Deal in DealStudio

Getting Started with DealStudio#

Welcome to DealStudio! This tutorial walks you through setting up your first deal from scratch. By the end, you'll have a fully configured deal with seller information, key dates, and your team assigned.

Step 1: Create Your Organisation#

Before creating deals, you need to set up your organisation:

1. Log in to your DealStudio dashboard
2. You'll be prompted to create your organisation on first login
3. Enter your company name, address, and contact details
4. Invite any team members who'll be working on deals

Your organisation is the top-level container for all your deals, buyers, and documents. Everything you create will be scoped to your organisation.

Step 2: Create a New Deal#

From the dashboard:

1. Click the "New Deal" button in the top right corner
2. Enter the basic deal information:
   • Deal name — a descriptive name (e.g., "Smith Engineering Ltd")
   • Deal stage — select the current stage (we'll cover stages below)
   • Expected value — the anticipated transaction value
3. Click "Create Deal" to save

Step 3: Add Seller Information#

Every deal needs a seller. In the deal detail view:

1. Navigate to the "Seller" tab
2. Click "Add Seller Details"
3. Enter the company information:
   • Company name and registration number
   • Business description and sector
   • Key financial metrics (revenue, profit)
   • Owner/director information

Step 4: Configure Your Pipeline#

DealStudio comes with default pipeline stages that match the standard M&A process. You can customise these to match your workflow:

• Sourcing — initial lead or enquiry
• Engaged — mandate signed, actively working
• Preparation — IM and marketing materials being prepared
• Marketing — deal is live, buyers being approached
• Negotiation — offers received, terms being negotiated
• Due Diligence — DD in progress
• Completion — final legal steps and exchange

Step 5: Invite Your Team#

Collaboration is built into DealStudio. To add team members:

1. Go to Settings → Team
2. Click "Invite Member"
3. Enter their email address and select their role:
   • Admin — full access to all features and settings
   • Manager — can manage deals and team members
   • Broker — can manage their own deals
   • Associate — view access with limited editing

Each team member only sees the deals they're assigned to, ensuring confidentiality across your practice.

What's Next?#

Now that your first deal is set up, explore these features:

• Document management — upload and organise deal documents
• Buyer tracking — add and manage potential buyers
• NDA management — send and track NDAs digitally
• AI teaser generation — create blind profiles automatically