# Expand JSON not expanding JSON

**URL:** <https://community.parabola.io/t/expand-json-not-expanding-json/1393>\
**Category:** Ask a question\
**Created:** [December 14, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.parabola.io/t/expand-json-not-expanding-json/1393 "2020-12-14T20:28:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gustavo\_Dias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cab0a1/32.png) [@Gustavo\_Dias](https://community.parabola.io/u/Gustavo_Dias)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.parabola.io/t/expand-json-not-expanding-json/1393/1 "2020-12-14T20:28:29Z")

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I have a table with 34 columns, one of them has content in JSON format that I’d like to expand into their own columns.

The JSON data in the column looks like this:

```auto
{
	"location": {
		"country": "United States",
		"city": "Atlanta"
	},
	"members": ["2222222", "333333", "444444"],
	"pubSites": ["aaaaaaaaa", "bbbbbbbbb", "ccccccccc"],
	"purchased": false,
	"_id": "565ca23e23237c587a3",
	"createdOn": "2015-11-30T20:03:20.232Z",
	"failedCharges": 0,
	"name": "Joe Doe",
	"owner": "5510c332e423c78f20f",
	"slug": "Joe-Doe",
	"website": "www.joedoe.com",
	"profileImg": "https://uploads.domain.com/23242342/5cf7f8800492323230a0_Logomark_RGB_Small.jpg",
	"about": "We create digital products customers love."
}

```

However the Expand JSON step is not expanding the content. I get an N/A on the selector to pick the dataset.

 ![Screenshot 2020-12-14 at 21.27.07](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/parabola/original/2X/d/dd8dd8226695b1d77376060841840af10637e24d.png)

Am I missing anything? Is there a better way to tell Parabola to expand that specific column?

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![daniel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.parabola.io/daniel/32/732_2.png) [@daniel](https://community.parabola.io/u/daniel)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.parabola.io/t/expand-json-not-expanding-json/1393/2 "2020-12-14T21:04:52Z")

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Hey @Gustavo_Dias,

Thanks for pointing this out. It seems to be an issue with how we target and parse your JSON. Are there any cells in that column that contain blank values?

If so, try adding a [Sort rows](https://parabola.io/transform/sort-rows) step to push any cells with JSON to the top of your column. Using the [Expand JSON](https://parabola.io/transform/expand-json) step, you can now parse that column by selecting `Expand these non-datasets` under the **Non-dataset Options** field.

The correct column to expand should show up!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gustavo\_Dias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cab0a1/32.png) [@Gustavo\_Dias](https://community.parabola.io/u/Gustavo_Dias)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 11:11am UTC](https://community.parabola.io/t/expand-json-not-expanding-json/1393/3 "2020-12-15T11:11:39Z")

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Thanks @daniel nailed it!