FAQ

This page is designed to answer the questions people ask before they trust a new way of handling sensitive data.
3 Steps Data replaces sending files with controlled access inside private Data Vaults.

What is a Data Vault?

A Data Vault is a private environment where you place sensitive information and control who can access it.
Instead of sending copies, people are invited into the Vault and interact with the data there.
You decide what they can see, what they can do, and how long access lasts.

How is this different from sending a file?

When you send a file, you lose visibility and control once it leaves you.
With a Data Vault, the data stays in one place and people access it there.
You control access and can change or remove it at any time.

Who is 3 Steps Data designed for?

Anyone who needs to share sensitive information while maintaining control over it.
This includes organisations, teams, professionals, and individuals managing important or confidential data.

Can people access data without a subscription?

Yes.
People you invite can access the data you share with them without needing their own 3 Steps Data subscription.

Getting Started

  • Yes.
    Each Data Vault can be configured to reflect your organisation, including its identity and environment.
    This allows people you invite to access data within a space that is clearly yours.

  • No.
    Data Vaults are designed to be simple to set up and use without specialist knowledge.
    You create a Vault, place your data inside it, and invite people with the permissions you choose.

How Data Vaults Work

  • Dropbox, Google Drive, and SharePoint are designed to store files and make them easy to share. In practice, that usually means sending links or copies and hoping they are handled correctly once they leave you.

    3 Steps Data works differently. You create a private, branded Data Vault and invite people into it. The data stays in one place, you control who can access it, what they can do, and you can change or remove that access at any time.

    When someone receives access, they are not just opening a file. They are entering a space that is clearly yours, where they can verify the share is authentic and interact with the data under your control.

    It’s a shift from sending files to sharing controlled access.

  • Yes.
    Access is not limited to people. Systems can also be given permission to access data inside a Vault.
    You control what they can access and how that access is used.

  • Any digital information you need to share under controlled conditions.
    This could include documents, financial information, identity records, project materials, or creative work.
    You decide what belongs in your Vault.

Access and Permissions

  • Only the people you authorise.
    You decide who can access the Vault, what they can see, and what they can do.
    You can update or remove access at any time.

  • Yes.
    Access can be made conditional on accepting your terms and conditions.
    This means people are not simply opening a file, but entering a controlled environment where the rules of access are clearly defined and acknowledged.
    It creates a clear record of agreement at the point access is granted.

  • Yes.
    You can define when access starts and when it ends.
    This allows information to be shared for a specific purpose or time period.

  • Yes.
    Because the data stays in the Vault, access can be removed at any time.
    Once revoked, the person can no longer access the information.

  • A Vault link on its own does not grant access.
    To enter, recipients must also provide a strong password issued by the Vault owner.
    This can be updated or reissued at any time, allowing you to maintain control over who can access the data.
    Access is only granted to people you have explicitly authorised.

  • Yes, if you allow it.
    Download permissions are set by you and can be restricted or monitored.
    All access and download activity is recorded within the Data Vault, including when it occurred, what was accessed, where it was accessed from, and how it was accessed.
    Control is strongest while data remains inside the Vault.

  • Yes.
    You can share the full spreadsheet or limit access to specific tabs.
    This allows you to control what is visible while keeping the rest private.

Security and Control

  • Data Vaults are designed to reduce risk by maintaining control over both access and visibility.
    Each Vault, and each item within it, is protected using encryption that is only accessible to the Vault owner and those they authorise.
    Access is permission-based and can be changed or removed at any time.
    All activity is recorded, giving you visibility into how your data is being used.

  • Yes.
    Activity logs show how information has been accessed over time.
    This gives you visibility into who accessed what and when.

  • No.
    The service provider does not have a mechanism to retrieve Vault content in its original, unencrypted form.
    Control remains with the person or organisation managing the Vault.

Data Ownership and Privacy

  • You do.
    3 Steps Data does not claim ownership of any data placed in a Vault.
    You decide how it is used and who can access it.

  • No.
    Data inside a Vault is not analysed, mined, or used for secondary purposes.
    The platform is designed to allow controlled access without using your data.

  • Each Data Vault is deployed in a selected jurisdiction.
    This allows you to align with local requirements or preferences around where data is held.

  • Yes.
    Each Vault is independent and can be deployed in a different jurisdiction.
    This allows you to manage data according to different regional needs.

Data Responsibility and Recovery

  • Access can be reset, but data cannot be recovered without your credentials.
    You are the only one with control over your Vault.
    If access is lost completely, the data cannot be restored.

  • No.
    The platform does not retain copies of your data.
    This is part of how control and privacy are maintained.

Use Cases

  • Yes.
    Vaults are designed to support sharing between organisations, teams, and external partners.
    You remain in control of who can access what.

  • Yes, if you allow it.
    You can grant permission for others to add information into the Vault.
    You remain in control of what is visible and how it is used.

    Executable files are not permitted.
    This helps ensure that anything added to the Vault remains data, not software.

Pricing and Setup

  • Pricing is based on the number of Data Vaults rather than the number of users.
    This allows you to share access without managing per-user licences.

  • You can grant access to as many authorised people as needed.
    Access and activity are controlled through permissions and visibility, rather than user limits.

    People you invite can access the Vault without needing their own subscription.

  • Yes.
    Annual plans receive a 20% discount compared to monthly billing.

  • Because the model is built around controlled environments, not user accounts.
    A Vault is where the data lives and is governed.
    Access can then be extended to others without creating additional licensing overhead.