diff --git a/examples/data_transform_demo.go b/examples/data_transform_demo.go
index 20f3ba6..e545cf2 100644
--- a/examples/data_transform_demo.go
+++ b/examples/data_transform_demo.go
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ func testSplitJoinHandler() {
 	splitHandler := handlers.NewSplitHandler("split-test")
 	splitConfig := dag.Payload{
 		Data: map[string]any{
+			"operation": "split",
 			"fields":    []string{"full_name", "skills"},
 			"separator": " ",
 		},
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ func testSplitJoinHandler() {
 	splitHandler2 := handlers.NewSplitHandler("split-test-2")
 	splitConfig2 := dag.Payload{
 		Data: map[string]any{
+			"operation": "split",
 			"fields":    []string{"tags"},
 			"separator": ",",
 		},
@@ -176,6 +178,7 @@ func testSplitJoinHandler() {
 	joinHandler := handlers.NewJoinHandler("join-test")
 	joinConfig := dag.Payload{
 		Data: map[string]any{
+			"operation":     "join",
 			"source_fields": []string{"title", "first_name", "middle_name", "last_name"},
 			"target_field":  "full_name_with_title",
 			"separator":     " ",
@@ -186,6 +189,18 @@ func testSplitJoinHandler() {
 	result = runHandler(joinHandler, joinData, "Join Operation")
 	printResult("String joining", result)
 	printRequestConfigResult(joinData, joinConfig, result)
+
+	fmt.Printf("Split Test Data: %+v\n", testData)
+	fmt.Printf("Split Config: %+v\n", splitConfig.Data)
+	fmt.Printf("Split Result: %+v\n", result)
+
+	fmt.Printf("Split Test Data (comma): %+v\n", testData)
+	fmt.Printf("Split Config (comma): %+v\n", splitConfig2.Data)
+	fmt.Printf("Split Result (comma): %+v\n", result)
+
+	fmt.Printf("Join Test Data: %+v\n", joinData)
+	fmt.Printf("Join Config: %+v\n", joinConfig.Data)
+	fmt.Printf("Join Result: %+v\n", result)
 }
 
 func testFlattenHandler() {
diff --git a/handlers/split_join_handler.go b/handlers/split_join_handler.go
index c7d8950..5fa6832 100644
--- a/handlers/split_join_handler.go
+++ b/handlers/split_join_handler.go
@@ -49,14 +49,16 @@ func (h *SplitHandler) splitOperation(data map[string]any) map[string]any {
 	result := make(map[string]any)
 	fields := h.getTargetFields()
 	separator := h.getSeparator()
+	targetField := h.getTargetField()
 
-	fmt.Printf("Split Operation: Fields=%v, Separator='%s'\n", fields, separator)
+	fmt.Printf("Split Operation: Fields=%v, Separator='%s', TargetField='%s'\n", fields, separator, targetField)
 
 	// Copy all original data
 	for key, value := range data {
 		result[key] = value
 	}
 
+	var allParts []string
 	for _, field := range fields {
 		if val, ok := data[field]; ok {
 			if str, ok := val.(string); ok {
@@ -67,15 +69,15 @@ func (h *SplitHandler) splitOperation(data map[string]any) map[string]any {
 				// Create individual fields for each part
 				for i, part := range parts {
 					result[fmt.Sprintf("%s_%d", field, i)] = strings.TrimSpace(part)
+					allParts = append(allParts, strings.TrimSpace(part))
 				}
-
-				// Also store as array
-				result[field+"_parts"] = parts
-				result[field+"_count"] = len(parts)
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Store all parts in the target field
+	result[targetField] = allParts
+
 	return result
 }
 
@@ -121,6 +123,13 @@ func (h *SplitHandler) getTargetFields() []string {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (h *SplitHandler) getTargetField() string {
+	if field, ok := h.Payload.Data["target_field"].(string); ok {
+		return field
+	}
+	return "split_result" // Default target field
+}
+
 func (h *SplitHandler) getSeparator() string {
 	if sep, ok := h.Payload.Data["separator"].(string); ok {
 		return sep
@@ -239,6 +248,9 @@ func (h *JoinHandler) getSourceField() string {
 }
 
 func (h *JoinHandler) getSourceFields() []string {
+	if fields, ok := h.Payload.Data["source_fields"].([]string); ok {
+		return fields
+	}
 	if fields, ok := h.Payload.Data["source_fields"].([]interface{}); ok {
 		var result []string
 		for _, field := range fields {