Array use in Data model

This has been frustrating me for a while...

 Basically a small bit of background info. I am first taking an streamed XML 
file, but for this example it is static (not streaming). The XML file looks 
like this.. (without the node's)

 
3715,874.00,876.00,882.50,854.50,7.25,1,100235,875.00,0|3716,1180.00,1181.00,119

5.00,1151.00,10.00,1,100235,1180.50,0|

 I have converted this to a string, then split the string along the pipes to 
get each value set in an array, I have then split the array again along the 
comma's to get each value separated. I then collect each value in an array. 

 I now want to put this final array into a datamodel so that I can output the 
arrays into corresponding columns in a datagrid.

 I can get the data into a datagrid but its comes out as a string (the whole 
array output in 1 row). I think this is because a standard Datamodel assume's 
its value is a string. I have tried using the example from the help docs which 
declares an object with arrays inside but this will not work. I get errors. It 
doesn't look formatted correctly, but when I try it failes:

 <mx:Object id="model1">
     <employees>
         <mx:Object>
             <mx:Array>
                 <name>
                     <mx:Object>
                         <first>
                             <mx:String></mx:String>
                         </first>
                         <last>
                             <mx:String></mx:String>
                         </last>
                     </mx:Object>
                 </name>
                 <department>
                 <mx:String></mx:String>
                 </department>
             <email>
                     <mx:String></mx:String>
                 </email>
             </mx:Object>
         </employees>
     </mx:Array>
 </mx:Object>




 Please help!

 Thanks, Mark