Hierarchical Data
Hierarchical data allows you to organize information in a nested structure to represent parent-child relationships. Qrvey can work with hierarchical data to create detailed, multi-level data visualizations and analyses.
Note: Hierarchical datasets are only available in Qrvey Ultra.
Create a Hierarchical Dataset
Hierarchical data is often uploaded as a JSON file.
-
Navigate to Data > Dataset.
-
Select New Dataset. A modal opens.

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From your connections list, locate a JSON file.
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Select Create to open a modal.
View Hierarchical Dataset
Select an existing hierarchical dataset to review any numeric or text arrays, objects, or object arrays in your JSON file.
For example, assuming the following JSON structure:
[
{
"Name":"John Smith",
"DOB":"12/23/1975",
"children":2,
"childrenAges":[10,12], // numeric array
"carModels":["Ford","Chevy"], // string array
"address": { "city":"Chicago", "state":"IL"}, // object
"countriesVisited":[ // object array
{ "id":10, "country":"Germany" },
{ "id":15, "country":"Spain" },
{ "id":18, "country":"Iraq" }
]
}
]
The Data > Dataset > Columns page registers these new data structures.
- The user interface displays new column types such as Numeric Array, Text Array, Object, and Object Array.
- The
addresscolumn is an object that contains its own nested columns. - The
countriesVisitedobject array contains its own nested columns. The column and its children are not selected and are disabled.

You can also go to the Data > Dataset > View Source Data tab to see how the raw data is registered in Qrvey.
The parent records in the main data source have a one-to-many relationship with countriesVisited object array, which can act like a left join between two relational tables and can be “inflated” to produce a flat dataset.
Customize Hierarchical Datasets
Before loading your dataset, you can apply Transformations, modify the design, and flatten object arrays.
To flatten an object array, follow these steps.
- Select Transformations in the top right corner of the columns list.
- Drag the Array Flatten transformation to the workspace.
- Select the Inflate option from the dropdown.
When the Transformation modal closes, the transformation flattens the array. You can view the result on the Dataset Design tab.
