As a senior account executive at IntraLinks, I often have insight into portfolio company communications from speaking with private equity clients and prospects. It turns out that exchanging information with their portfolio companies is not managed with a firm process in place. The portfolio company usually emails important documents back and forth or sends them via snail mail.

According to one client I’ve spoken with, information that often is shared between the portfolio company and its private equity parent includes flash reports, materials related to a board meeting that quarter, and information related to add-on acquisitions that may be taking place. Another client told me their portfolio companies report in on big orders, highlights on operational and financial successes along with a metrics page that is unique to each portfolio company.