%obj = ( CFG => { DSN => 'test', PDF => 'MyPDFdriver', }, CLIENT => { 10101 => { Name => 'Client Name1', Adress => 'Adress1', Phone => '555-7865', Media => 'Mail', }, 10102 => { Name => 'Client Name2', Adress => 'Adress2', Phone => '555-7866' Media => 'Fax', }, }, ORDER => { 2ZXWEQ => { CLIENT => 10101, Info => 'Pix proj 123', ITEMS => [VX12345, VX12346], }, 3ZSIUY => { CLIENT => 10101, Info => 'Something else', ITEMS => [VX12347, VX12348], }, }, ITEM => { VX12345 => { ORDER => 2ZXWEQ, TYPE => HW33, Price => 123, }, VX12346 => { ORDER => 2ZXWEQ, TYPE => HW33, Price => 123, }, VX12347 => { ORDER => 3ZSIUY, TYPE => HW34, Price => 155, }, VX12348 => { ORDER => 3ZSIUY, TYPE => SW12, Price => 1203, }, }, TYPE => { HW33 => 'foo manipulator', HW34 => 'bar stimulator', SW12 => 'baz simulator', }, ); so print $obj->{TYPE}{ $obj->{ITEM}{VX12348}{TYPE} } would yield baz stimulator