Forum Discussion
Dataflow Gen2-To read a JSON data column n load multiple tables named after parent keys
In Dataflow Gen2, there’s no direct option to automatically split a JSON column into multiple tables based on parent keys, but you can do it manually using Power Query. First, use Json.Document to parse the JSON column, then create separate queries for each key by drilling into the relevant parts of the JSON. Each of these queries can be expanded into table format and marked as output tables individually. This way, each parent key's data is loaded into its own table.
Hi PrachiShepunde ,
Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.
You're working with Dataflow Gen2 in Fabric and want to:
Read a column containing complex JSON (large, with multiple parent-child key structures).
Dynamically split the JSON into multiple tables, one for each parent key, named accordingly.
You are not seeing a transformation option in Dataflow Gen2 that lets you do this directly.
What You Can Do
Unfortunately, Dataflow Gen2 transformations are limited when it comes to dynamic schema generation or creating multiple outputs dynamically (like Power Query or Data Factory pipelines can). But here’s how you can work around this:
Approach (Semi-automated, using Power Query in Dataflow Gen2)
Load Your Source Table
Start a Dataflow Gen2.
Load the table that contains the JSON column.
Parse the JSON Column
Let’s assume your column is called jsonData.
In a new custom column, use:
= Json.Document([jsonData])
This will parse the JSON string into a record (or list, depending on structure).
If jsonData is already parsed, skip this step.
Convert to Table and Expand
If the root is a record:
= Record.ToTable([ParsedJson])
You’ll now get two columns: Name (parent key) and Value.
You can now filter each parent key, and expand their nested values into rows.
Manually Create a Table Per Parent Key
Sadly, you must manually create a query per top-level key (e.g., "Employee", "Department", etc.).
For each key:
Filter Name = "Employee"
Expand the [Value] column
Promote headers, clean data
Rename the query as Employee
Repeat for other keys. Each query becomes a table output in the dataflow.
Create your first Microsoft Fabric dataflow - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn
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Best regards,
LakshmiNarayana.
Thanks for the solution, I will give it a try and reply back