diff --git a/Core/Executor/ContentManager.php b/Core/Executor/ContentManager.php
index ce24b6a3..ac702372 100644
--- a/Core/Executor/ContentManager.php
+++ b/Core/Executor/ContentManager.php
@@ -270,24 +270,37 @@ protected function matchContents($action)
      *
      * @param ContentCreateStruct|ContentUpdateStruct $createOrUpdateStruct
      * @param ContentType $contentType
-     * @param array $fields
+     * @param array $fields see description of expected format in code below
      * @throws \Exception
      */
     protected function setFields($createOrUpdateStruct, array $fields, ContentType $contentType)
     {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            // each $field is one key value pair
-            // eg.: $field = array($fieldIdentifier => $fieldValue)
-            $fieldIdentifier = key($field);
+        $i = 0;
+        // the 'easy' yml: key = field name, value = value
+        // deprecated: the 'legacy' yml: key = numerical index, value = array ( field name => value )
+        foreach ($fields as $key => $field) {
+
+            if ($key === $i && is_array($field) && count($field) == 1) {
+                // each $field is one key value pair
+                // eg.: $field = array($fieldIdentifier => $fieldValue)
+                reset($field);
+                $fieldIdentifier = key($field);
+                $fieldValue = $field[$fieldIdentifier];
+            } else {
+                $fieldIdentifier = $key;
+                $fieldValue = $field;
+            }
 
             $fieldType = $contentType->fieldDefinitionsByIdentifier[$fieldIdentifier];
             if ($fieldType == null) {
                 throw new \Exception("Field '$fieldIdentifier' is not present in field type '{$contentType->identifier}'");
             }
 
-            $fieldValue = $this->getFieldValue($field[$fieldIdentifier], $fieldType, $contentType->identifier, $this->context);
+            $fieldValue = $this->getFieldValue($fieldValue, $fieldType, $contentType->identifier, $this->context);
 
             $createOrUpdateStruct->setField($fieldIdentifier, $fieldValue, $this->getLanguageCode());
+
+            $i++;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageContent.yml b/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageContent.yml
index 7495971d..2dd37c1b 100644
--- a/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageContent.yml
+++ b/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageContent.yml
@@ -15,37 +15,37 @@
     owner: xxx # user id, login or email if unique; Optional, set the content owner
     modification_date: zzz # Optional, set content modification date (for formats, see: http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.formats.php)
     attributes:
-        - attribute1: value1
-        - attribute2: value2
-        - attribute3: |
-                      value can be
-                      on multiple lines
-                      and new lines are preserved on parsing
-        - attribute4: >
-                      value on multiple
-                      lines, but new line is not preserved on parsing
+        attribute1: value1
+        attribute2: value2
+        attribute3: |
+                    value can be
+                    on multiple lines
+                    and new lines are preserved on parsing
+        attribute4: >
+                    value on multiple
+                    lines, but new line is not preserved on parsing
         # ezimage/ezbinaryfile file attribute example
-        - attribute5:
+        attribute5:
             path: 'path/to/image' # Relative path from MigrationsVersions/images/ or MigrationsVersions/files/
             alt_text: xyz # Optional, only used for images
             filename: abc # Optional, taken from the actual file if not specified
             mime_type: def # Optional. For ezbinaryfile only. If not specified, the actual file is analyzed using the php function mime_content_type()
         # ezimage/ezbinaryfile file attribute example, using simplified form
-        - attribute5b: 'path/to/image'
+        attribute5b: 'path/to/image'
         # ezxmltext, showing an example of using references
-        - attribute6: '<section><paragraph><embed view="embed" size="medium" object_id="[reference:example_reference]" /></paragraph></section>'
+        attribute6: '<section><paragraph><embed view="embed" size="medium" object_id="[reference:example_reference]" /></paragraph></section>'
         # Adding values to an ezauthor field
-        - attribute7:
-              -

-                name: Test Author

-                email: test@example.com

-              -
-                name: Another Author

-                email: another@example.com
+        attribute7:
+            -

+              name: Test Author

+              email: test@example.com

+            -
+              name: Another Author

+              email: another@example.com
         # Adding values to an ezobjectrelation field
-        - attribute8: x # content id or string: reference:xxx
+        attribute8: x # content id or string: reference:xxx
         # Adding values to an ezobjectrelationlist field
-        - ezobjectrelationlist: [ x, reference:xxx ] # array of content ids or reference strings
+        ezobjectrelationlist: [ x, reference:xxx ] # array of content ids or reference strings
     # Optionally assign object states to the content
     object_states:
         - xxx # int|string an object state id or identifier. If the identifier is not unique, use obj-state-gorup-identifier/obj-state-identifier
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@
     publication_date: zzz # Optional, set content modification date (for formats, see: http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.formats.php)
     new_remote_id: xxx # string Optional set a new RemoteId
     attributes: # the list of attribute identifier value pairs. For the format to use, see above
-        - attribute1: value1
-        - attribute2: value2
+        attribute1: value1
+        attribute2: value2
     # Optionally assign object states to the content
     object_states:
         - xxx # int|string an object state id or didentifier. For the format to use, see above
diff --git a/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageObjectStatesAndGoups.yml b/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageObjectStatesAndGoups.yml
index dffeec38..a8768799 100644
--- a/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageObjectStatesAndGoups.yml
+++ b/Resources/doc/DSL/ManageObjectStatesAndGoups.yml
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
     type: object_state_group
     identifier: x # String identifier of the object state group
     names: # Array of names keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: name
-        - languageCodeB: name
+        languageCodeA: name
+        languageCodeB: name
     descriptions: # Optional: array of descriptions keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: description
-        - languageCodeB: description
+        languageCodeA: description
+        languageCodeB: description
     references: #Optional
-         -
+        -
             identifier: referenceId # A string used to identify the reference
             attribute: attribute # An attribute to get the value of for the reference; supported: object_state_group_id, object_state_group_identifier
                                  # The shorthand 'id' can be used instead of 'object_state_group_id'
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
         identifier: y # string|string[] The Identifier of the object state group(s) to update
     identifier: x # Optional String: new identifier of the object state group
     names: # Optional: array of names keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: name
-        - languageCodeB: name
+        languageCodeA: name
+        languageCodeB: name
     descriptions: # Optional: array of descriptions keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: description
-        - languageCodeB: description
+        languageCodeA: description
+        languageCodeB: description
     references: #Optional
-         -
+        -
             identifier: referenceId # A string used to identify the reference
             attribute: attribute # An attribute to get the value of for the reference; supported: object_state_group_id, object_state_group_identifier
                                  # The shorthand 'id' can be used instead of 'object_state_group_id'
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@
     object_state_group: x # The Id of the object state group the new state will be created under.
     identifier: xyz # The string identifier of the new object state.
     names: # Array of names keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: name
-        - languageCodeB: name
+        languageCodeA: name
+        languageCodeB: name
     descriptions: # Optional: array of descriptions keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: description
-        - languageCodeB: description
+        languageCodeA: description
+        languageCodeB: description
     references: #Optional
-         -
+        -
             identifier: referenceId # A string used to identify the reference
             attribute: attribute # An attribute to get the value of for the reference (currently supports object_state_id)
                                  # The shorthand 'id' can be used instead of 'object_state_id'
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@
         identifier: x # string|string[] The string identifier of the object state to update. If the identifier is not unique, use group-identifier/state-identifier
     identifier: x # Optional String: new identifier of the object state
     names: # Optional: array of names keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: name
-        - languageCodeB: name
+        languageCodeA: name
+        languageCodeB: name
     descriptions: # Optional: array of descriptions keyed by language code.
-        - languageCodeA: description
-        - languageCodeB: description
+        languageCodeA: description
+        languageCodeB: description
     references: #Optional
-         -
+        -
             identifier: referenceId # A string used to identify the reference
             attribute: attribute # An attribute to get the value of for the reference (currently supports object_state_id)
                                  # The shorthand 'id' can be used instead of 'object_state_id'
diff --git a/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK004_content.yml b/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK004_content.yml
index 1d1e546f..201e6560 100644
--- a/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK004_content.yml
+++ b/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK004_content.yml
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
     sort_order: DESC
     modification_date: "2006:07:08 18:11:31"
     attributes:
-        - ezstring: hello world 3
+        ezstring: hello world 3
     references:
         -
             identifier: kmb_test_2_3
diff --git a/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK012_objectState.yml b/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK012_objectState.yml
index c19ecc33..d7944006 100644
--- a/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK012_objectState.yml
+++ b/Tests/dsl/good/UnitTestOK012_objectState.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         eng-GB:  Kaliop Migration Bundle Test Object State Group 1
     roles: [1, 2] # Anon, admin
     references:
-         -
+        -
             identifier: kmb_test_12
             attribute: id
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     descriptions:
         eng-GB:  Kaliop Migration Bundle Test Object State 1
     references:
-         -
+        -
             identifier: kmb_test_12_state
             attribute: id
 
diff --git a/WHATSNEW.md b/WHATSNEW.md
index f01826df..b56ec6ba 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW.md
+++ b/WHATSNEW.md
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ Version 3.0.0-beta3
 
 * Changes to the YML definition language:
 
+    * Creation and update of content: the format use to specify the attributes has been simplified. The old format is
+        still working but is considered deprecated and will be removed in the future 
+
     * Updating and deleting of Users, User Groups, Roles and Content Types: usage of a `match` key is allowed; previous
         ways of defining elements to match are deprecated