A method for configuring a multi-path index includes receiving and storing, in a database management system configured to store a structured document in its native format, a multi-path index definition associated with a data model corresponding to the structured document. In an embodiment, the multi-path index definition includes a sub-path definition that covers a plurality of descendant elements of a root element of the data model and includes at least one index property. Each of a plurality of descendant elements covered by the sub-path definition is automatically indexed according to the at least one index property. The multi-path index definition is stored in a data structure associated with a multi-path index configured to store indexed data from the structured document.