diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.test.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.test.ts
index 9fd43be8dc5b37..9085ae07bbe3ea 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.test.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ function create(id: string) {
 
   return new IndexPattern({
     spec: { id, type, version, timeFieldName, fields, title },
-    savedObjectsClient: {} as any,
     fieldFormats: fieldFormatsMock,
     shortDotsEnable: false,
     metaFields: [],
@@ -214,7 +213,6 @@ describe('IndexPattern', () => {
       const spec = indexPattern.toSpec();
       const restoredPattern = new IndexPattern({
         spec,
-        savedObjectsClient: {} as any,
         fieldFormats: fieldFormatsMock,
         shortDotsEnable: false,
         metaFields: [],
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
index d38df68e9f4286..a0f27078543a9c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
  */
 
 import _, { each, reject } from 'lodash';
-import { SavedObjectsClientCommon } from '../..';
 import { DuplicateField } from '../../../../kibana_utils/common';
 
 import { ES_FIELD_TYPES, KBN_FIELD_TYPES, IIndexPattern, IFieldType } from '../../../common';
@@ -31,10 +30,9 @@ import { SerializedFieldFormat } from '../../../../expressions/common';
 
 interface IndexPatternDeps {
   spec?: IndexPatternSpec;
-  savedObjectsClient: SavedObjectsClientCommon;
   fieldFormats: FieldFormatsStartCommon;
-  shortDotsEnable: boolean;
-  metaFields: string[];
+  shortDotsEnable?: boolean;
+  metaFields?: string[];
 }
 
 interface SavedObjectBody {
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
index bfd0dc9d946c24..fd3d7a1d138fda 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
@@ -435,7 +435,6 @@ export class IndexPatternsService {
 
     const indexPattern = new IndexPattern({
       spec,
-      savedObjectsClient: this.savedObjectsClient,
       fieldFormats: this.fieldFormats,
       shortDotsEnable,
       metaFields,
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/__snapshots__/tabify_docs.test.ts.snap b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/__snapshots__/tabify_docs.test.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d5ddaa31b8ac3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/__snapshots__/tabify_docs.test.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[`tabifyDocs converts fields by default 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "columns": Array [
+    Object {
+      "id": "fieldTest",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "fieldTest",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": Object {
+          "id": "number",
+        },
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "fieldTest",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "invalidMapping",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "invalidMapping",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "invalidMapping",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "nested.field",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "nested.field",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": Object {
+          "id": "number",
+        },
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "nested.field",
+    },
+  ],
+  "rows": Array [
+    Object {
+      "fieldTest": 123,
+      "invalidMapping": 345,
+      "nested.field": 123,
+    },
+  ],
+  "type": "datatable",
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`tabifyDocs converts source if option is set 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "columns": Array [
+    Object {
+      "id": "sourceTest",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "sourceTest",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": Object {
+          "id": "number",
+        },
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "sourceTest",
+    },
+  ],
+  "rows": Array [
+    Object {
+      "sourceTest": 123,
+    },
+  ],
+  "type": "datatable",
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`tabifyDocs skips nested fields if option is set 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "columns": Array [
+    Object {
+      "id": "fieldTest",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "fieldTest",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": Object {
+          "id": "number",
+        },
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "fieldTest",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "invalidMapping",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "invalidMapping",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "invalidMapping",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "nested",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "nested",
+        "index": "test-index",
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "object",
+      },
+      "name": "nested",
+    },
+  ],
+  "rows": Array [
+    Object {
+      "fieldTest": 123,
+      "invalidMapping": 345,
+      "nested": Array [
+        Object {
+          "field": 123,
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  ],
+  "type": "datatable",
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`tabifyDocs works without provided index pattern 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "columns": Array [
+    Object {
+      "id": "fieldTest",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "fieldTest",
+        "index": undefined,
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "fieldTest",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "invalidMapping",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "invalidMapping",
+        "index": undefined,
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "invalidMapping",
+    },
+    Object {
+      "id": "nested.field",
+      "meta": Object {
+        "field": "nested.field",
+        "index": undefined,
+        "params": undefined,
+        "type": "number",
+      },
+      "name": "nested.field",
+    },
+  ],
+  "rows": Array [
+    Object {
+      "fieldTest": 123,
+      "invalidMapping": 345,
+      "nested.field": 123,
+    },
+  ],
+  "type": "datatable",
+}
+`;
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/index.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/index.ts
index 90ac3f2fb730b9..9e6657f5e8d83e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/index.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,26 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
+import { SearchResponse } from 'elasticsearch';
+import { SearchSource } from '../search_source';
+import { tabifyAggResponse } from './tabify';
+import { tabifyDocs, TabifyDocsOptions } from './tabify_docs';
+import { TabbedResponseWriterOptions } from './types';
+
+export const tabify = (
+  searchSource: SearchSource,
+  esResponse: SearchResponse<unknown>,
+  opts: Partial<TabbedResponseWriterOptions> | TabifyDocsOptions
+) => {
+  return !esResponse.aggregations
+    ? tabifyDocs(esResponse, searchSource.getField('index'), opts as TabifyDocsOptions)
+    : tabifyAggResponse(
+        searchSource.getField('aggs'),
+        esResponse,
+        opts as Partial<TabbedResponseWriterOptions>
+      );
+};
+
 export { tabifyAggResponse } from './tabify';
 export { tabifyGetColumns } from './get_columns';
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.test.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a1218928561c66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import { tabifyDocs } from './tabify_docs';
+import { IndexPattern } from '../../index_patterns/index_patterns';
+import { SearchResponse } from 'elasticsearch';
+
+describe('tabifyDocs', () => {
+  const fieldFormats = {
+    getInstance: (id: string) => ({ toJSON: () => ({ id }) }),
+    getDefaultInstance: (id: string) => ({ toJSON: () => ({ id }) }),
+  };
+
+  const index = new IndexPattern({
+    spec: {
+      id: 'test-index',
+      fields: {
+        sourceTest: { name: 'sourceTest', type: 'number', searchable: true, aggregatable: true },
+        fieldTest: { name: 'fieldTest', type: 'number', searchable: true, aggregatable: true },
+        'nested.field': {
+          name: 'nested.field',
+          type: 'number',
+          searchable: true,
+          aggregatable: true,
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    fieldFormats: fieldFormats as any,
+  });
+
+  const response = {
+    hits: {
+      hits: [
+        {
+          _source: { sourceTest: 123 },
+          fields: { fieldTest: 123, invalidMapping: 345, nested: [{ field: 123 }] },
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  } as SearchResponse<unknown>;
+
+  it('converts fields by default', () => {
+    const table = tabifyDocs(response, index);
+    expect(table).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+
+  it('converts source if option is set', () => {
+    const table = tabifyDocs(response, index, { source: true });
+    expect(table).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+
+  it('skips nested fields if option is set', () => {
+    const table = tabifyDocs(response, index, { shallow: true });
+    expect(table).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+
+  it('works without provided index pattern', () => {
+    const table = tabifyDocs(response);
+    expect(table).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..78ebee9e657172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/search/tabify/tabify_docs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import { SearchResponse } from 'elasticsearch';
+import { isPlainObject } from 'lodash';
+import { IndexPattern } from '../../index_patterns/index_patterns';
+import { Datatable, DatatableColumn, DatatableColumnType } from '../../../../expressions/common';
+
+export function flattenHit(
+  hit: Record<string, any>,
+  indexPattern?: IndexPattern,
+  shallow: boolean = false
+) {
+  const flat = {} as Record<string, any>;
+
+  function flatten(obj: Record<string, any>, keyPrefix: string = '') {
+    for (const [k, val] of Object.entries(obj)) {
+      const key = keyPrefix + k;
+
+      const field = indexPattern?.fields.getByName(key);
+
+      if (!shallow) {
+        const isNestedField = field?.type === 'nested';
+        if (Array.isArray(val) && !isNestedField) {
+          val.forEach((v) => isPlainObject(v) && flatten(v, key + '.'));
+          continue;
+        }
+      } else if (flat[key] !== undefined) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      const hasValidMapping = field?.type !== 'conflict';
+      const isValue = !isPlainObject(val);
+
+      if (hasValidMapping || isValue) {
+        if (!flat[key]) {
+          flat[key] = val;
+        } else if (Array.isArray(flat[key])) {
+          flat[key].push(val);
+        } else {
+          flat[key] = [flat[key], val];
+        }
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      flatten(val, key + '.');
+    }
+  }
+
+  flatten(hit);
+  return flat;
+}
+
+export interface TabifyDocsOptions {
+  shallow?: boolean;
+  source?: boolean;
+}
+
+export const tabifyDocs = (
+  esResponse: SearchResponse<unknown>,
+  index?: IndexPattern,
+  params: TabifyDocsOptions = {}
+): Datatable => {
+  const columns: DatatableColumn[] = [];
+
+  const rows = esResponse.hits.hits
+    .map((hit) => {
+      const toConvert = params.source ? hit._source : hit.fields;
+      const flat = flattenHit(toConvert, index, params.shallow);
+      for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(flat)) {
+        const field = index?.fields.getByName(key);
+        const fieldName = field?.name || key;
+        if (!columns.find((c) => c.id === fieldName)) {
+          const fieldType = (field?.type as DatatableColumnType) || typeof value;
+          const formatter = field && index?.getFormatterForField(field);
+          columns.push({
+            id: fieldName,
+            name: fieldName,
+            meta: {
+              type: fieldType,
+              field: fieldName,
+              index: index?.id,
+              params: formatter ? formatter.toJSON() : undefined,
+            },
+          });
+        }
+      }
+      return flat;
+    })
+    .filter((hit) => hit);
+
+  return {
+    type: 'datatable',
+    columns,
+    rows,
+  };
+};
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/public/public.api.md b/src/plugins/data/public/public.api.md
index 1390b28ec830db..d2439e3f1573c9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/public/public.api.md
+++ b/src/plugins/data/public/public.api.md
@@ -2283,7 +2283,7 @@ export const UI_SETTINGS: {
 // src/plugins/data/common/es_query/filters/meta_filter.ts:54:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FilterMeta" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/common/es_query/filters/phrase_filter.ts:33:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "PhraseFilterMeta" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/common/es_query/filters/phrases_filter.ts:31:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "PhrasesFilterMeta" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
-// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:64:5 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FormatFieldFn" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
+// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:62:5 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FormatFieldFn" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/common/search/aggs/types.ts:98:51 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "AggTypesRegistryStart" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/public/field_formats/field_formats_service.ts:67:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FormatFactory" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/public/index.ts:66:23 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FILTERS" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md b/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
index 65313adfc0e0f2..3143d5baa5b774 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
@@ -1113,8 +1113,8 @@ export function usageProvider(core: CoreSetup_2): SearchUsage;
 //
 // src/plugins/data/common/es_query/filters/meta_filter.ts:53:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FilterState" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/common/es_query/filters/meta_filter.ts:54:3 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FilterMeta" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
-// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:58:45 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "IndexPatternFieldMap" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
-// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:64:5 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FormatFieldFn" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
+// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:56:45 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "IndexPatternFieldMap" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
+// src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts:62:5 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FormatFieldFn" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:40:23 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "buildCustomFilter" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:40:23 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "buildFilter" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:71:21 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "getEsQueryConfig" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts