diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6f14ff9..14b8f7b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,19 +26,20 @@ class MoviesFrom2014Query extends AbstractQuery
 	{
 		$this->searchIn('movies', 'movies');
 
-		$body = array(
-			'query' => array(
-				'filtered' => array(
-					'filter' => array(
-						'term' => array(
-							'year' => 2014
-						)
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
-
+		// Full notation
+		$body = [
+			'query' => [
+				'filtered' => [
+					'filter' => [
+						'term' => ['year' => 2014]
+					]
+				]
+			]
+		];
 		$this->setBody($body);
+
+		// Short (dotted) notation
+		$this->set('query.filtered.filter.term.year', 2014);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -58,17 +59,7 @@ class MoviesFrom2014Query extends AbstractQuery
 	{
 		$this->searchIn('movies', 'movies');
 
-		$body = array(
-			'query' => array(
-				'filtered' => array(
-					'filter' => array(
-						new YearFilter(2014)
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
-
-		$this->setBody($body);
+		$this->set('query.filtered.filter', [new YearFilter(2014)]);
 	}
 }
 ```
diff --git a/docs/index-management.md b/docs/index-management.md
index 63809b9..606e567 100644
--- a/docs/index-management.md
+++ b/docs/index-management.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Index Management
 
 The package includes an indices manager. You are required to register indices that you'll using, whether its for
-CRUD on the indices or for quering. The index manager is accessed via:
+CRUD on the indices or for querying. The index manager is accessed via:
 
 ```php
 $manager = $searcher->indicesManager();
@@ -20,33 +20,28 @@ class SuggestionsIndex extends \ElasticSearcher\Abstracts\AbstractIndex
     return 'suggestions';
   }
 
-  public function getTypes()
+  public function setup()
   {
-    return array(
-      'books'   => array(
-        'properties' => array(
-          'id'   => array(
-            'type' => 'integer'
-          ),
-          'name' => array(
-            'type' => 'string'
-          )
-        )
-      ),
-      'movies' => array(
-        'properties' => array(
-          'name' => array(
-            'type' => 'string'
-          )
-        )
-      )
-    );
+    $this->setTypes([
+      'books' => [
+        'properties' => [
+          'id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
+          'name' => ['type' => 'string'],
+        ]
+      ],
+      'movies' => [
+        'properties' => [
+          'name' => ['type' => 'string'],
+        ]
+      ]
+    ]);
   }
 }
 ```
 
-This the minimum required for defining an index. If you require more extensive configuration, override the `getBody`
-method.
+This the minimum required for defining an index. Inside the `setup()` method you can setup your index further,
+for example adding settings, aggregations, .... An index is [body aware](https://github.com/madewithlove/elasticsearcher/tree/master/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php)
+for easy manipulation.
 
 ### Using re-useable fragments
 
@@ -65,9 +60,9 @@ $suggestionsIndex  = new SuggestionsIndex();
 $searcher->indicesManager()->register($suggestionsIndex);
 
 // Grouped registration
-$indices = array(
+$indices = [
   $suggestionsIndex
-);
+];
 $searcher->indicesManager()->registerIndices($indices);
 
 // Other
diff --git a/docs/query-building.md b/docs/query-building.md
index bcb007c..1765cab 100644
--- a/docs/query-building.md
+++ b/docs/query-building.md
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ var_dump($result->getResults());
 
 ## Body building
 
-Inside your Query class you can build the body of the query however you like. We only require you to call `setBody` with
-the body array. Here are some examples.
+Inside your Query class you can build the body of the query however you like. A query is
+[body aware](https://github.com/madewithlove/elasticsearcher/tree/master/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php)
+for easy manipulation. Here are some examples.
 
 Basic example:
 
@@ -45,19 +46,20 @@ class MoviesYouMightLikeQuery extends QueryAbstract
   {
     $this->searchIn('suggestions', 'movies');
 
-     $body = array(
-      'query' => array(
-        'filtered' => array(
-          'filter' => array(
-            'term' => array(
-              'status' => 'active'
-            )
-          )
-        )
-      )
-     );
-
-     $this->setBody($body);
+    // Long notation
+    $body = [
+      'query' => [
+        'filtered' => [
+          'filter' => [
+            'term' => ['status' => 'active']
+          ]
+        ]
+      ]
+    ];
+    $this->setBody($body);
+
+    // Short dotted notation
+    $this->set('query.filtered.filter.term.status', 'active');
   }
 }
 ```
@@ -73,19 +75,7 @@ class MoviesYouMightLikeQuery extends AbstractQuery
   {
     $this->searchIn('suggestions', 'movies');
 
-     $body = array(
-      'query' => array(
-        'filtered' => array(
-          'filter' => array(
-            'term' => array(
-              'status' => $this->getData('status')
-            )
-          )
-        )
-      )
-     );
-
-     $this->setBody($body);
+    $this->set('query.filtered.filter.term.status', $this->getData('status'));
   }
 }
 ```
diff --git a/docs/re-useable-fragments.md b/docs/re-useable-fragments.md
index 2d2b7c2..5fc136f 100644
--- a/docs/re-useable-fragments.md
+++ b/docs/re-useable-fragments.md
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ comes with a build-in set of fragments but you are encouraged to build your own.
 For example: `BookingRangeFilter(date, date)`, `MovieIDFilter(int)`, .... As long as they extend
 `ElasticSearcher\Abstracts\AbstractFragment` they can be used in queries or indices.
 
+A fragment is [body aware](https://github.com/madewithlove/elasticsearcher/tree/master/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php)
+for easy manipulation.
+
 ## Examples
 
 ```php
diff --git a/src/Abstracts/AbstractFragment.php b/src/Abstracts/AbstractFragment.php
index ef8cdc7..9661839 100644
--- a/src/Abstracts/AbstractFragment.php
+++ b/src/Abstracts/AbstractFragment.php
@@ -2,18 +2,14 @@
 
 namespace ElasticSearcher\Abstracts;
 
+use ElasticSearcher\Traits\BodyTrait;
+
 /**
  * Base class for fragments that can be used in the body of requests to Elasticsearch.
  */
 abstract class AbstractFragment
 {
-	/**
-	 * Body of the fragment to be executed. Should be the array as if you would pass it
-	 * directly to the ElasticSearcher SDK.
-	 *
-	 * @var array
-	 */
-	protected $body;
+	use BodyTrait;
 
 	/**
 	 * Should this fragment be merged with its parent, or simply be replaced.
@@ -23,20 +19,4 @@ abstract class AbstractFragment
 	 * @var bool
 	 */
 	public $mergeWithParent = false;
-
-	/**
-	 * @param array $body
-	 */
-	public function setBody(array $body)
-	{
-		$this->body = $body;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @return array
-	 */
-	public function getBody()
-	{
-		return $this->body;
-	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Abstracts/AbstractIndex.php b/src/Abstracts/AbstractIndex.php
index d35ac1c..6d10c72 100644
--- a/src/Abstracts/AbstractIndex.php
+++ b/src/Abstracts/AbstractIndex.php
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@
 namespace ElasticSearcher\Abstracts;
 
 use ElasticSearcher\Parsers\FragmentParser;
+use ElasticSearcher\Traits\BodyTrait;
 
 /**
  * Base class for indexes.
  */
 abstract class AbstractIndex
 {
+	use BodyTrait;
+
 	/**
 	 * @var FragmentParser
 	 */
@@ -22,13 +25,15 @@ abstract public function getName();
 	/**
 	 * @return array
 	 */
-	abstract public function getTypes();
+	abstract public function setup();
 
 	/**
 	 */
 	public function __construct()
 	{
 		$this->fragmentParser = new FragmentParser();
+
+		$this->setup();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -36,15 +41,36 @@ public function __construct()
 	 */
 	public function getBody()
 	{
-		$body = [
-			'settings' => $this->getSettings(),
-			'mappings' => $this->getTypes(),
-		];
-
 		// Replace fragments with their raw body.
-		$body = $this->fragmentParser->parse($body);
+		return $this->fragmentParser->parse($this->body);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param array $types
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function setTypes(array $types)
+	{
+		return $this->set('mappings', $types);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function getTypes()
+	{
+		return $this->get('mappings');
+	}
 
-		return $body;
+	/**
+	 * @param array $settings
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function setSettings(array $settings)
+	{
+		return $this->set('settings', $settings);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -52,18 +78,16 @@ public function getBody()
 	 */
 	public function getSettings()
 	{
-		return null;
+		return $this->get('settings');
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * @param string $type
 	 *
-	 * @return mixed
+	 * @return array
 	 */
 	public function getType($type)
 	{
-		$types = $this->getTypes();
-
-		return $types[$type];
+		return $this->get('mappings.'.$type);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Abstracts/AbstractQuery.php b/src/Abstracts/AbstractQuery.php
index 41772c5..c681acc 100644
--- a/src/Abstracts/AbstractQuery.php
+++ b/src/Abstracts/AbstractQuery.php
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@
 use ElasticSearcher\ElasticSearcher;
 use ElasticSearcher\Parsers\ArrayResultParser;
 use ElasticSearcher\Parsers\FragmentParser;
+use ElasticSearcher\Traits\BodyTrait;
 
 /**
  * Base class for queries.
  */
 abstract class AbstractQuery
 {
+	use BodyTrait;
+
 	/**
 	 * @var ElasticSearcher
 	 */
@@ -30,13 +33,6 @@ abstract class AbstractQuery
 	 */
 	protected $types = [];
 
-	/**
-	 * Body of the query to execute.
-	 *
-	 * @var array
-	 */
-	protected $body = [];
-
 	/**
 	 * Data that can be used when building a query.
 	 *
@@ -142,14 +138,6 @@ protected function searchInTypes(array $types)
 		$this->types = array_unique($this->types);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * @param array $body
-	 */
-	protected function setBody(array $body)
-	{
-		$this->body = $body;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Build the query by adding all chunks together.
 	 *
diff --git a/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php b/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ceabc58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Traits/BodyTrait.php
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace ElasticSearcher\Traits;
+
+use Illuminate\Support\Arr;
+
+/**
+ * A body can be an entire query or just a chunk of query (fragment).
+ * Any entity (query, fragment, index, ...) that builds request body's should
+ * use this trait.
+ *
+ * @package ElasticSearcher\Traits
+ */
+trait BodyTrait
+{
+	/**
+	 * Body of the query to execute.
+	 *
+	 * @var array
+	 */
+	public $body = [];
+
+	/**
+	 * @param array $body
+	 */
+	public function setBody(array $body)
+	{
+		$this->body = $body;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return array
+	 */
+	public function getBody()
+	{
+		return $this->body;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set a value in the body using the dotted notation.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $key
+	 * @param mixed $value
+	 *
+	 * @return $this
+	 */
+	public function set($key, $value)
+	{
+		Arr::set($this->body, $key, $value);
+
+		return $this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get a value in the body using the dotted notation.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $key
+	 * @param mixed $default
+	 *
+	 * @return $this
+	 */
+	public function get($key, $default = null)
+	{
+		return Arr::get($this->body, $key, $default);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tests/Traits/BodyTraitTest.php b/tests/Traits/BodyTraitTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ebe17c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Traits/BodyTraitTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<?php
+
+use ElasticSearcher\Traits\BodyTrait;
+
+class BodyTraitTest extends ElasticSearcherTestCase
+{
+	public function testSet()
+	{
+		$mock = $this->getMockForTrait(BodyTrait::class);
+
+		$mock->set('key', 'value');
+		$this->assertEquals(['key' => 'value'], $mock->getBody());
+
+		$mock->set('key.nested', 'value');
+		$this->assertEquals(['key' => ['nested' => 'value']], $mock->getBody());
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tests/dummy/Indexes/AuthorsIndex.php b/tests/dummy/Indexes/AuthorsIndex.php
index 5859e03..ac2dc2f 100644
--- a/tests/dummy/Indexes/AuthorsIndex.php
+++ b/tests/dummy/Indexes/AuthorsIndex.php
@@ -9,32 +9,22 @@ public function getName()
 		return 'authors';
 	}
 
-	public function getTypes()
+	public function setup()
 	{
-		return array(
-			'directors' => array(
-				'properties' => array(
-					'id'         => array(
-						'type' => 'integer'
-					),
-					'first_name' => array(
-						'type' => 'string'
-					),
-					'last_name'  => array(
-						'type' => 'string'
-					)
-				)
-			),
-			'producers'  => array(
-				'properties' => array(
-					'id'   => array(
-						'type' => 'integer'
-					),
-					'name' => array(
-						'type' => 'string'
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
+		$this->setTypes([
+			'directors' => [
+				'properties' => [
+					'id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
+					'first_name' => ['type' => 'string'],
+					'last_name' => ['type' => 'string']
+				]
+			],
+			'producers' => [
+				'properties' => [
+					'id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
+					'name' => ['type' => 'string']
+				]
+			]
+		]);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/dummy/Indexes/MoviesIndex.php b/tests/dummy/Indexes/MoviesIndex.php
index bc26ceb..a59573a 100644
--- a/tests/dummy/Indexes/MoviesIndex.php
+++ b/tests/dummy/Indexes/MoviesIndex.php
@@ -9,22 +9,16 @@ public function getName()
 		return 'movies';
 	}
 
-	public function getTypes()
+	public function setup()
 	{
-		return array(
-			'movies' => array(
-				'properties' => array(
-					'id'   => array(
-						'type' => 'integer'
-					),
-					'name' => array(
-						'type' => 'string'
-					),
-					'year' => array(
-						'type' => 'integer',
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
+		$this->setTypes([
+			'movies' => [
+				'properties' => [
+					'id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
+					'name' => ['type' => 'string'],
+					'year' => ['type' => 'integer'],
+				]
+			]
+		]);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/dummy/Queries/MovieWithIDXQuery.php b/tests/dummy/Queries/MovieWithIDXQuery.php
index c6e0aa4..453c644 100644
--- a/tests/dummy/Queries/MovieWithIDXQuery.php
+++ b/tests/dummy/Queries/MovieWithIDXQuery.php
@@ -8,16 +8,6 @@ public function setup()
 	{
 		$this->searchIn('movies', 'movies');
 
-		$body = array(
-			'query' => array(
-				'filtered' => array(
-					'filter' => array(
-						new IDFilter($this->getData('id'))
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
-
-		$this->setBody($body);
+		$this->set('query.filtered.filter', [new IDFilter($this->getData('id'))]);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/dummy/Queries/MoviesFrom2014Query.php b/tests/dummy/Queries/MoviesFrom2014Query.php
index 1f1a034..aa4cacd 100644
--- a/tests/dummy/Queries/MoviesFrom2014Query.php
+++ b/tests/dummy/Queries/MoviesFrom2014Query.php
@@ -9,16 +9,6 @@ public function setup()
 	{
 		$this->searchIn('movies', 'movies');
 
-		$body = array(
-			'query' => array(
-				'filtered' => array(
-					'filter' => array(
-						new TermFilter('year', 2014)
-					)
-				)
-			)
-		);
-
-		$this->setBody($body);
+		$this->set('query.filtered.filter', [new TermFilter('year', 2014)]);
 	}
 }