diff --git a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Cell.fs b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Cell.fs
index 5978d00..babbfe9 100644
--- a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Cell.fs
+++ b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Cell.fs
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ let encodeRows (cell:FsCell) =
 
 let decodeRows rowNumber : Decoder<FsCell> =
     Decode.object (fun builder ->
-        let v,dt = builder.Required.Field value (Value.decode)
-        let c = builder.Required.Field column Decode.int
-        new FsCell(v,dt,FsAddress(rowNumber,c))
+        let v,dt = builder.Optional.Field value (Value.decode) |> Option.defaultValue ("", DataType.Empty)
+        let c = builder.Optional.Field column Decode.int |> Option.defaultValue 0
+        new FsCell(v,dt,FsAddress(Option.defaultValue 0 rowNumber,c))
     )
 
 
diff --git a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Row.fs b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Row.fs
index 66a659e..5fcdd50 100644
--- a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Row.fs
+++ b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Row.fs
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ let encode (row:FsRow) =
         cells, Encode.seq (row.Cells |> Seq.map Cell.encodeRows)
     ]
 
-let decode : Decoder<int*FsCell seq> =
+let decode : Decoder<int option*FsCell seq> =
     Decode.object (fun builder ->
-        let n = builder.Required.Field number Decode.int
-        let cs = builder.Required.Field cells (Decode.seq (Cell.decodeRows n))
+        let n = builder.Optional.Field number Decode.int
+        let cs = builder.Optional.Field cells (Decode.seq (Cell.decodeRows n)) |> Option.defaultValue Seq.empty
         n,cs
     )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Worksheet.fs b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Worksheet.fs
index 10e7333..c285c72 100644
--- a/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Worksheet.fs
+++ b/src/FsSpreadsheet/Json/Worksheet.fs
@@ -27,16 +27,29 @@ let encodeRows (sheet:FsWorksheet) =
 
 let decodeRows : Decoder<FsWorksheet> =
     Decode.object (fun builder ->
+        let mutable rowIndex = 0
+        
         let n = builder.Required.Field name Decode.string
         let ts = builder.Optional.Field tables (Decode.seq Table.decode)
-        let rs = builder.Required.Field rows (Decode.seq Row.decode)
+        let rs = builder.Optional.Field rows (Decode.seq Row.decode) |> Option.defaultValue Seq.empty
         let sheet = new FsWorksheet(n)
         rs
         |> Seq.iter (fun (rowI,cells) -> 
+            let mutable colIndex = 0
+            let rowI = 
+                match rowI with
+                | Some i -> i
+                | None -> rowIndex + 1
+            rowIndex <- rowI
             let r = sheet.Row(rowI)
             cells 
             |> Seq.iter (fun cell ->
-                let c = r[cell.ColumnNumber]
+                let colI = 
+                    match cell.ColumnNumber with
+                    | 0 -> colIndex + 1
+                    | i -> i
+                colIndex <- colI
+                let c = r[colI]
                 c.Value <- cell.Value
                 c.DataType <- cell.DataType
             )
diff --git a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Js.Tests/Json.Tests.fs b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Js.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
index 79b4591..5e487f3 100644
--- a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Js.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
+++ b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Js.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
@@ -8,6 +8,52 @@ open Fable.Pyxpecto
 let rows =
     testList "Rows" [
 
+        testCase "Read Standard" <| fun _ -> 
+            // Read object taken from https://spreadsheet.dsl.builders/#_sheets_and_rows
+            let s = """{
+  "sheets": [
+    {
+      "name": "Sample",
+      "rows": [
+        {
+          "number": 5,
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line Number Five"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        {
+        },
+        {
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line Number Seven"
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}"""
+            let wb = FsWorkbook.fromRowsJsonString(s)
+            let sheet = Expect.wantSome (wb.TryGetWorksheetByName "Sample") "Sheet Sample"
+            Expect.equal sheet.Rows.Count 3 "Row count"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 5) "Row 5"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(5)
+            Expect.isTrue (row1.HasCellAt 1) "Row 5 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row1.[1].Value) "Line Number Five" "Row 5 cell value"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 6) "Row 6"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(6)
+            Expect.hasLength row1.Cells 0 "Row 6 cell count"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 7) "Row 7"
+            let row2 = sheet.Row(7)
+            Expect.isTrue (row2.HasCellAt 1) "Row 7 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row2.[1].Value) "Line Number Seven" "Row 7 cell value"
+
         testCase "Read-Write DefaultTestObject" <| fun _ ->
             let dto = DefaultTestObject.defaultTestObject()
             let s = dto.ToRowsJsonString()
diff --git a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Net.Tests/Json.Tests.fs b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Net.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
index 25028fb..c797d9d 100644
--- a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Net.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
+++ b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Net.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
@@ -7,6 +7,51 @@ open Fable.Pyxpecto
 
 let rows =
     testList "Rows" [
+        testCase "Read Standard" <| fun _ -> 
+            // Read object taken from https://spreadsheet.dsl.builders/#_sheets_and_rows
+            let s = """{
+  "sheets": [
+    {
+      "name": "Sample",
+      "rows": [
+        {
+          "number": 5,
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line 5"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        {
+        },
+        {
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line 7"
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}"""
+            let wb = FsWorkbook.fromRowsJsonString(s)
+            let sheet = Expect.wantSome (wb.TryGetWorksheetByName "Sample") "Sheet Sample"
+            Expect.equal sheet.Rows.Count 3 "Row count"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 5) "Row 5"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(5)
+            Expect.isTrue (row1.HasCellAt 1) "Row 5 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row1.[1].Value) "Line 5" "Row 5 cell value"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 6) "Row 6"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(6)
+            Expect.hasLength row1.Cells 0 "Row 6 cell count"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 7) "Row 7"
+            let row2 = sheet.Row(7)
+            Expect.isTrue (row2.HasCellAt 1) "Row 7 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row2.[1].Value) "Line 7" "Row 7 cell value"
 
         testCase "Read-Write DefaultTestObject" <| fun _ ->
             let dto = DefaultTestObject.defaultTestObject()
diff --git a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Py.Tests/Json.Tests.fs b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Py.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
index 67686d0..53b6fbf 100644
--- a/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Py.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
+++ b/tests/FsSpreadsheet.Py.Tests/Json.Tests.fs
@@ -7,7 +7,52 @@ open Fable.Pyxpecto
 
 let rows =
     testList "Rows" [
+        testCase "Read Standard" <| fun _ -> 
+            // Read object taken from https://spreadsheet.dsl.builders/#_sheets_and_rows
+            let s = """{
+  "sheets": [
+    {
+      "name": "Sample",
+      "rows": [
+        {
+          "number": 5,
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line 5"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        {
+        },
+        {
+          "cells": [
+            {
+              "value": "Line 7"
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}"""
+            let wb = FsWorkbook.fromRowsJsonString(s)
+            let sheet = Expect.wantSome (wb.TryGetWorksheetByName "Sample") "Sheet Sample"
+            Expect.equal sheet.Rows.Count 3 "Row count"
 
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 5) "Row 5"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(5)
+            Expect.isTrue (row1.HasCellAt 1) "Row 5 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row1.[1].Value) "Line 5" "Row 5 cell value"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 6) "Row 6"
+            let row1 = sheet.Row(6)
+            Expect.hasLength row1.Cells 0 "Row 6 cell count"
+
+            Expect.isTrue (sheet.ContainsRowAt 7) "Row 7"
+            let row2 = sheet.Row(7)
+            Expect.isTrue (row2.HasCellAt 1) "Row 7 cell"
+            Expect.equal (row2.[1].Value) "Line 7" "Row 7 cell value"
+        
         testCase "Read-Write DefaultTestObject" <| fun _ ->
             let dto = DefaultTestObject.defaultTestObject()
             let s = dto.ToRowsJsonString()