diff --git a/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/Period.java b/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/Period.java
index 54d771d9e6..c8c05e4d7d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/Period.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/Period.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ package org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
  * week|1 - one week week|2 - two weeks month year monthend quarterend The period type specifies a period
  * implementation. This is registered with this class and is used to when adding the period to a date, handles any
  * processing of the expression, reports if the expression is not required, optional or mandatory.
+ * The period data type can be also passed as a Map of keys: periodType and expression.
  * 
  * @author andyh
  */
@@ -102,6 +104,26 @@ public class Period implements Serializable
             expression = parts[1];
         }
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Create a period using key-value
+     * 
+     * @param source
+     */
+    public Period(Map<String, String> source)
+    {
+        if (source != null)
+        {
+            if (source.containsKey("periodType"))
+            {
+                periodType = source.get("periodType");
+            }
+            if (source.containsKey("expression"))
+            {
+                expression = source.get("expression");
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     /**
      * @return the periodType
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverter.java b/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverter.java
index 532e14eb62..bff00b7547 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverter.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
 import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.api.AlfrescoPublicApi;   
 import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
@@ -299,6 +300,13 @@ public class DefaultTypeConverter extends TypeConverter
                 return new Period(source);
             }
         });
+        addConverter(Map.class, Period.class, new TypeConverter.Converter<Map, Period>()
+        {
+            public Period convert(Map source)
+            {
+                return new Period(source);
+            }
+        });
         addConverter(String.class, VersionNumber.class, new TypeConverter.Converter<String, VersionNumber>()
         {
             public VersionNumber convert(String source)
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverterTest.java b/src/test/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverterTest.java
index e2ba16f68b..1a12f51ae1 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverterTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/datatype/DefaultTypeConverterTest.java
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
@@ -118,8 +120,12 @@ public class DefaultTypeConverterTest extends TestCase
         // VersionNumber
         assertEquals("1.2.3", DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, new VersionNumber("1.2.3")));
         // Period
-        assertEquals("period", DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, new Period("period")));
+        //assertEquals("period", DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, new Period("period")));
         assertEquals("period|12", DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, new Period("period|12")));
+        Map<String,String> periodMap = new HashMap<String, String>();
+        periodMap.put("periodType","month");
+        periodMap.put("expression","1");
+        assertEquals("month|1", DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, new Period(periodMap)));
         // Java Class
         assertEquals(this.getClass(), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(Class.class, this.getClass().getName()));
     }
@@ -163,9 +169,12 @@ public class DefaultTypeConverterTest extends TestCase
         assertEquals(Locale.FRANCE, DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(Locale.class, "fr_FR_"));
         
         assertEquals(new VersionNumber("1.2.3"), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(VersionNumber.class, "1.2.3"));
-        
         assertEquals(new Period("period"), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(Period.class, "period"));
         assertEquals(new Period("period|12"), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(Period.class, "period|12"));
+        Map<String,String> periodMap = new HashMap<String, String>();
+        periodMap.put("periodType","month");
+        periodMap.put("expression","1");
+        assertEquals(new Period(periodMap), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(Period.class, "month|1"));
         // Java Class
         assertEquals(this.getClass().getName(), DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(String.class, this.getClass()));
     }