---
title: "Processing nested XML/JSON structures"
slug: "processing-nested-xml-json-structures"
tags: ["xml_json", "task"]
updated: 2026-11-13T08:14:47Z
published: 2026-11-13T08:14:47Z
canonical: "help.dox42.com/processing-nested-xml-json-structures"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.dox42.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Processing nested XML/JSON structures

To process nested XML or JSON structures, you can create multiple XML/JSON data sources that build on each other. Each additional data source references a data field generated by the preceding data source, allowing you to access the XML or JSON structure level by level. This way you define an XML or a JSON index once and reference it reliably afterwards.

**JSON example used for this article**

In our example, the JSON file contains nested elements, as the `ReleaseOverview` element has child elements and the `IssueOverview` child element, in turn, has its own child elements.

```json
{
	"NameOfWorklogSummaryFile" : "Test File",
	"ProjectName": "Test Project",
	"DateFrom":"2020-08-26T00:00:00",
	"DateTo":"2020-09-24T00:00:00",
	"ReleaseOverview" : 
	[
		{
			"Id":1,
			"Name":	"This is Release 1",
			"IssueOverview" : 
			[
				{
					"Id" : 10,
					"Name": "This is Issue 10",
					"Release": "This is Release 10",
					"Components":"These are Issue Components 10"
				},
				{
					"Id" : 11,
					"Name": "This is Issue 11",
					"Release": "This is Release 11",
					"Components":"These are Issue Components 11"
				}
			]
		},
		{
			"Id":2,
			"Name":	"This is Release 2",
			"IssueOverview" : 
			[
				{
					"Id" : 20,
					"Name": "This is Issue 20",
					"Release": "This is Release 20",
					"Components":"These are Issue Components 20"
				},
				{
					"Id" : 21,
					"Name": "This is Issue",
					"Release": "This is Release 21",
					"Components":"These are Issue Components  21"
				}
			]
		}
	],
	"WorklogItems":
	[
		{
			"IssueId":10.2,
			"Date":"2020-09-01T00:00:00",
			"Comment":"This is a comment",
			"Person":"Max Musterfrau",
			"TimeSpentAsDecimalString":"2.00"
		},
		{
			"IssueId": 11,
			"Date": "2022-09-01T00:00:00",
			"Comment": "This is another comment",
			"Person": "Max Mustermann",
			"TimeSpentAsDecimalString": "3.00"
		}
	]
}
```

## Prerequisites

- [You have created a document template](/help/docs/creating-a-document-template).
- [You have created a data map](/help/docs/creating-a-standard-data-map).

## Steps

1. Load your XML/JSON data and organise the top-level structure as shown in [Importing and structuring XML/JSON data](/help/docs/adding-an-xml-json-data-source-to-your-data-map). You have added an XML/JSON data source to your data map and structured the data so that it can be read.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> Make sure you have selected the **Complex Type** checkbox in the **Initialisation & Fields** tab for those elements that have important sub-elements.
> 
> Initialising the structure like shown in the screenshot creates data fields for all parent elements. Parent elements for which you selected the **Complex Type** checkbox can then be addressed in the subsequent steps.
> 
> ![Initialization settings for SharePoint MultiValue Field with XML and JSON data fields.](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/XML_JSON_complex_types.png)
2. Next, in the Data Map Designer window, select the **XML/JSON** data source from the **Data Sources** tab once again**.** The **XML/JSON** window opens.
3. In the **Data Source** tab, enter a name for the new data source in the **Name** field. Ideally, you should name the data source after the first element whose child elements you wish to access. In our case, this is `ReleaseOverview`.

![Configuration settings for XML/JSON data source with fields for name and URL.](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/XML_JSON_second_data_source.png)

XML/JSON data source referencing a data field
4. Select the **Insert Data Field** button to access the previously added data fields. The **dox42 Data Fields** explorer opens.

![Overview of data fields in dox42](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/XML_JSON_data_fields.png)

Available data fields from first XML/JSON data source
5. Select the first parent element whose child elements you wish to access. In our case, this is `ReleaseOverview`.
6. In the **Initialisation & Fields** tab, select the **Init from XSD/XML/JSON/WSDL** button to access the XML/JSON file you selected in step 1.

The **Init XML/JSON Data Source** window opens.
7. Select the **three dots** to open the data source.
8. Select the **Load** button to load its structure. The structure of the data source is displayed.
9. Select the element level from which the data is to be read. In our case, this is `ReleaseOverview > Item`, since this element has further sub-elements.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/iScreen Shoter - Parallels Desktop - 260910142331.png)

Parent element from which the XML/JSON data source is to be read
10. Select the **OK** button to close this window and go back to the **XML/JSON** window. All elements located below the selected (`item`) element are displayed in the table as structured data fields.
11. Via the **Read** column in the table, select how you want to read the individual XML elements
  - `SubElement` To read the entire element (default value)
  - `Attribute` To read the element’s attributes
  - `Content` To display all content as text, without any XML structure
  - `XPath` To display specific values using a filter
12. Via the **Data Field Name** column, define your data fields’ names that will be displayed in your template.
13. Leave the **Complex Type** checkbox selected if you want to retrieve sub-elements of another element. In our case, this is `IssueOverview`.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/XML_JSON_complex-type_Issue_overview.png)

Initialised structure for the `ReleaseOverview` element

Initialising the structure like shown in the screenshot above creates data fields for all parent elements. Parent elements for which you selected the **Complex Type** checkbox can then be addressed in the subsequent steps. In our case, this is `IssueOverview`.
14. Repeat steps 2 to 13 until you have reached the desired level of your XML/JSON data. In our case, we are creating another XML/JSON data source called “IssueOverview” to retrieve the sub-elements of `IssueOverview` and another XML/JSON data source called ‘WorklogItems’ to retrieve the sub-elements of `WorklogItems`.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> Once initialisation for one data source is complete, check whether the structure has been recognised correctly, whether all the required fields are present and whether the data is being read as expected. To do so, in the **XML/JSON** window, select the **Test** button.
15. Save your data map.

## Result

You have added different XML/JSON data sources to your data map in order to read the nested structure of an XML/JSON file.

> [!TIP]
> Tip
> 
> Expand the data sources to see at a glance which content is being read from them.
> 
> ![](https://cdn.document360.io/3acc69da-1de2-431d-95a6-08ae83717b4a/Images/Documentation/XML_JSON_nested_data_sources.png)
> 
> Added data sources to read a nested XML/JSON structure

You have also created data fields for the elements of the XML/JSON data source, which you can now use for your template design.