diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49157c0..670facc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1306,7 +1306,7 @@ Absolute path of file at `some/path/myfile.cpp`:
 {{ file_path "../myfile.tmpl" }}
 ```
 
-## `pivot` "keyColumn" "typeColumn" [input]
+## `pivot_rows` "keyColumn" "typeColumn" [input]
 
 Read a CSV map and turn rows into columns and columns into rows.
 
@@ -1325,7 +1325,7 @@ As a convention the data columns need to be named `1`, `2`, ... Allowed types ar
 * number (JSON type number)
 * float64
 
-Calling ```pivot("key","type",(file_csv "file.csv" ','))``` returns
+Calling ```pivot_rows("key","type",(file_csv "file.csv" ','))``` returns
 
 ```json
 [
diff --git a/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs.go b/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs.go
index a5c3a55..a018cec 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs.go
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ func rowsToMap(keyCol, valCol string, rows []map[string]interface{}) (retMap map
 	return
 }
 
-// pivot turns rows into columns and columns into rows
-func pivot(key, typ string, rows []map[string]any) (sheet []map[string]any, err error) {
+// pivotRows turns rows into columns and columns into rows
+func pivotRows(key, typ string, rows []map[string]any) (sheet []map[string]any, err error) {
 
 	getStr := func(data any) (s string) {
 		s, _ = data.(string)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func pivot(key, typ string, rows []map[string]any) (sheet []map[string]any, err
 			continue
 		}
 		switch sheetType {
-		case "string", "int64", "float64", "number":
+		case "string", "int64", "float64", "number", "json":
 			// supported
 		default:
 			return nil, errors.Errorf("type %q not supported", sheetType)
@@ -109,6 +109,12 @@ func pivot(key, typ string, rows []map[string]any) (sheet []map[string]any, err
 			switch sheetType {
 			case "string":
 				sheetRow[sheetKey] = v
+			case "json":
+				var i interface{}
+				err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(v), &i)
+				if err == nil {
+					sheetRow[sheetKey] = i
+				}
 			case "int64":
 				sheetRow[sheetKey], _ = strconv.ParseInt(v, 10, 64)
 			case "float64":
diff --git a/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs_test.go b/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs_test.go
index 009ee74..ca61f99 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs_test.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/template/template_funcs_test.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func TestPivot(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	dataP, err := pivot("key", "type", data)
+	dataP, err := pivotRows("key", "type", data)
 	if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
index 640a43b..13c76d4 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ func (loader *Loader) Render(
 		"rows_to_map": func(keyColumn, valueColumn string, rowsInput interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
 			return rowsToMap(keyColumn, valueColumn, getRowsFromInput(rowsInput))
 		},
-		"pivot": pivot,
+		"pivot_rows": pivotRows,
 		"group_map_rows": func(groupColumn string, rowsInput interface{}) (map[string][]map[string]interface{}, error) {
 			grouped_rows := make(map[string][]map[string]interface{}, 1000)
 			rows := getRowsFromInput(rowsInput)