Excel-to-JSON

Flat vs Nested JSON Conversion - Deep Dive into Conversion Modes

Welcome to part 6 of our Excel to JSON series! We’ve covered the various tools and supported data formats. Today, we’re diving deep into two conversion modes: Flat JSON Mode and Nested JSON Mode. Understanding these modes is crucial for getting the best results from your Excel to JSON conversions.

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The Two Conversion Modes

Excel to JSON offers two distinct conversion modes, each designed for different types of Excel data structures:

  1. Flat JSON Mode: For simple, non-hierarchical Excel data
  2. Nested JSON Mode: For Excel data with column headers that indicate nested structures

Choosing the right mode can make the difference between clean, usable JSON data and data that’s difficult to work with.

Flat JSON Mode

What is Flat JSON Mode?

Flat JSON Mode is designed for simple Excel structures where each column represents a single-level property. Each column header becomes a direct JSON key.

When to Use Flat JSON Mode

Use Flat JSON Mode when your Excel:

  • Has simple, one-level column headers
  • Contains no hierarchical or nested data structures
  • You want a straightforward JSON output
  • Your column headers don’t use dot notation or similar patterns

Example Excel Data for Flat Mode

Excel:

Name Age Company
John Doe 25 WTSolutions
Jane Smith 30 Microsoft

Flat Mode Conversion Result

JSON:

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[
  {
    "Name": "John Doe",
    "Age": 25,
    "Company": "WTSolutions"
  },
  {
    "Name": "Jane Smith",
    "Age": 30,
    "Company": "Microsoft"
  }
]

Pros of Flat Mode

  • Simplicity: Easy to understand and use
  • Direct Mapping: One-to-one column to JSON key mapping
  • Fast Processing: Quick conversion for simple structures
  • Predictable Output: Consistent, flat JSON structure

Cons of Flat Mode

  • Limited Structure: Can’t represent hierarchical data
  • Flat Keys: All keys are at the same level
  • Not Ideal for Complex Data: Doesn’t leverage JSON’s nesting capabilities

Nested JSON Mode

What is Nested JSON Mode?

Nested JSON Mode is designed for Excel data where column headers indicate hierarchical or nested structures. It uses dot notation in column headers to create nested JSON objects.

When to Use Nested JSON Mode

Use Nested JSON Mode when your Excel:

  • Has column headers with dot notation (e.g., student.name, student.age)
  • Contains hierarchical or nested data structures
  • You want to leverage JSON’s nesting capabilities
  • Your data represents objects with properties

Example Excel Data for Nested Mode

Excel:

id student.name student.familyname student.age
1 Meimei Han 12
2 Lily Jaskson 15

Nested Mode Conversion Result

JSON:

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[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "student": {
      "name": "Meimei",
      "familyname": "Han",
      "age": 12
    }
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "student": {
      "name": "Lily",
      "familyname": "Jaskson",
      "age": 15
    }
  }
]

Nested Delimiters (Pro Feature)

Nested JSON Mode allows you to customize how nested properties are named using different delimiters:

Dot (.) - Default

student.name, student.age

Underscore (_)

student_name, student_age

Double Underscore (__)

student__name, student__age

Forward Slash (/)

student/name, student/age

Example with Different Delimiters

Excel:

id student_name student_familyname student_age
1 Meimei Han 12
2 Lily Jaskson 15

JSON with Underscore Delimiter:

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[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "student": {
      "name": "Meimei",
      "familyname": "Han",
      "age": 12
    }
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "student": {
      "name": "Lily",
      "familyname": "Jaskson",
      "age": 15
    }
  }
]

Pros of Nested Mode

  • Hierarchical Structure: Represents complex data relationships
  • JSON-Native: Leverages JSON’s nesting capabilities
  • Organized Output: Logical grouping of related properties
  • Flexible: Handles multiple levels of nesting

Cons of Nested Mode

  • Complexity: More complex than Flat Mode
  • Requires Planning: Need to structure Excel headers correctly
  • Pro Feature Required: Some delimiter options require subscription

Comparing Flat vs Nested Mode

Side-by-Side Comparison

Let’s compare both modes with the same Excel data:

Input Excel:

id student.name student.familyname student.age
1 Meimei Han 12
2 Lily Jaskson 15

Flat Mode Result:

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[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "student.name": "Meimei",
    "student.familyname": "Han",
    "student.age": 12
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "student.name": "Lily",
    "student.familyname": "Jaskson",
    "student.age": 15
  }
]

Nested Mode Result (Dot Delimiter):

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[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "student": {
      "name": "Meimei",
      "familyname": "Han",
      "age": 12
    }
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "student": {
      "name": "Lily",
      "familyname": "Jaskson",
      "age": 15
    }
  }
]

Decision Guide

Scenario Recommended Mode Reason
Simple key-value pairs Flat Mode No nesting needed
Need to analyze nested data Nested Mode Makes nested data accessible
Want to preserve flat structure Flat Mode Keeps all keys at same level
Have complex hierarchical data Nested Mode Flattens for analysis
Quick, simple conversion Flat Mode Faster and simpler
Need JSON-native structure Nested Mode Leverages JSON capabilities

Practical Examples

Example 1: Employee Data

Excel:

EmployeeID Name Department Salary
001 John Sales 50000

Use Flat Mode because:

  • Simple, one-level structure
  • No hierarchical relationships
  • Direct column to key mapping

Result:

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{
  "EmployeeID": 001,
  "Name": "John",
  "Department": "Sales",
  "Salary": 50000
}

Example 2: Student Information

Excel:

id student.name student.contact.email student.contact.phone
1 Alice [email protected] 555-1234

Use Nested Mode because:

  • Column headers indicate nesting (student.contact.email)
  • Hierarchical data structure
  • Logical grouping of related properties

Result:

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{
  "id": 1,
  "student": {
    "name": "Alice",
    "contact": {
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "phone": "555-1234"
    }
  }
}

Example 3: Product Catalog

Excel:

ProductID product.name product.specs.cpu product.specs.ram product.specs.storage
P001 Laptop Intel i7 16GB 512GB SSD

Use Nested Mode because:

  • Multiple levels of nesting
  • Product specifications grouped together
  • Complex hierarchical structure

Result:

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{
  "ProductID": "P001",
  "product": {
    "name": "Laptop",
    "specs": {
      "cpu": "Intel i7",
      "ram": "16GB",
      "storage": "512GB SSD"
    }
  }
}

Tips for Choosing the Right Mode

1. Analyze Your Data Structure

Look at your Excel data and identify:

  • Are column headers simple or do they use dot notation?
  • Do you have hierarchical relationships?
  • What will be the primary use case for the JSON?

2. Consider Your Use Case

Think about what you’ll do with the JSON data:

  • Will you need to access nested properties?
  • Do you prefer flat or hierarchical structure?
  • Are you working with systems that expect a specific format?

3. Test Both Modes

When in doubt, try both modes:

  • Convert with Flat Mode first
  • Convert with Nested Mode
  • Compare the results
  • Choose the one that better fits your needs

4. Use Pro Features Wisely

If you have Pro access:

  • Experiment with different delimiters
  • Find the delimiter that works best with your data
  • Test with various nested structures

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Using Flat Mode for Nested Data

Problem: You use Flat Mode for Excel data with dot notation headers, resulting in flat JSON that doesn’t represent the intended structure.

Solution: Switch to Nested Mode to properly represent hierarchical data.

Pitfall 2: Using Nested Mode for Simple Data

Problem: You use Nested Mode for simple Excel data, creating unnecessary complexity.

Solution: Use Flat Mode for simple, one-level structures.

Pitfall 3: Wrong Delimiter Choice

Problem: Your chosen delimiter conflicts with your data or naming conventions.

Solution: Choose a delimiter that works with your data and team conventions.

Pitfall 4: Inconsistent Header Naming

Problem: Column headers don’t consistently use or not use dot notation.

Solution: Standardize your header naming conventions before conversion.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the differences between Flat and Nested JSON conversion modes, you’re ready to explore advanced features available in Excel to JSON. In our next post, we’ll cover Pro features and customization options that can take your Excel to JSON conversions to the next level.

Ready to try different conversion modes? Visit the Excel to JSON Web App and experiment with both modes!

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