diff --git a/examples/cproj/zinn.yml b/examples/cproj/zinn.yml
index 2f60e35..8c9f4e4 100644
--- a/examples/cproj/zinn.yml
+++ b/examples/cproj/zinn.yml
@@ -7,15 +7,15 @@ constants:
   OBJECTS: "{{re SOURCES '([^\\\\s ]*).c' (cat BUILDDIR '/' '$1.o')}}"
 jobs:
   builddir:
-    outputs: ["{{BUILDDIR}}"]
+    outputs: "{{BUILDDIR}}"
     run: mkdir -vp {{BUILDDIR}}
 
   object:
     args: [path]
     requires:
       - job: builddir
-    inputs: ["{{path}}"]
-    outputs: ["{{BUILDDIR}}/{{subst path '.c' '.o'}}"]
+    inputs: "{{path}}"
+    outputs: "{{BUILDDIR}}/{{subst path '.c' '.o'}}"
     run: |
       echo "compiling."
       sleep 1
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ jobs:
           param: path
           inputs: "{{SOURCES}}"
       - job: builddir
-    input_list: "{{OBJECTS}}"
-    output_list: "{{BUILDDIR}}/{{BIN}}"
+    inputs: "{{OBJECTS}}"
+    outputs: "{{BUILDDIR}}/{{BIN}}"
     run: |
       echo "linking."
       sleep 1
diff --git a/src/job.rs b/src/job.rs
index 415becf..069550d 100644
--- a/src/job.rs
+++ b/src/job.rs
@@ -27,16 +27,16 @@ pub struct JobDescription {
     args: Vec<String>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    inputs: Vec<String>,
+    inputs: Option<String>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    input_list: Option<String>,
+    input_list: Vec<String>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    outputs: Vec<String>,
+    outputs: Option<String>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
-    output_list: Option<String>,
+    output_list: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 /// Executable job with dependencies resolved and all variables applied
@@ -122,23 +122,23 @@ impl JobDescription {
         }
 
         let mut inputs = Vec::new();
-        for input in &self.inputs {
-            inputs.push(handlebars.render_template(input, &combined_vars)?);
-        }
-        if let Some(input_str) = &self.input_list {
+        if let Some(input_str) = &self.inputs {
             let rendered_input_str = handlebars.render_template(input_str, &combined_vars)?;
             let additional_inputs = rendered_input_str .split(char::is_whitespace).map(|s| s.to_owned());
             inputs.extend(additional_inputs)
         }
-        let mut outputs = Vec::new();
-        for output in &self.outputs {
-            outputs.push(handlebars.render_template(output, &combined_vars)?);
+        for input in &self.input_list {
+            inputs.push(handlebars.render_template(input, &combined_vars)?);
         }
-        if let Some(output_str) = &self.output_list {
+        let mut outputs = Vec::new();
+        if let Some(output_str) = &self.outputs {
             let rendered_output_str = handlebars.render_template(output_str, &combined_vars)?;
             let additional_outputs = rendered_output_str .split(char::is_whitespace).map(|s| s.to_owned());
             outputs.extend(additional_outputs)
         }
+        for output in &self.output_list {
+            outputs.push(handlebars.render_template(output, &combined_vars)?);
+        }
 
         let run = handlebars.render_template(&self.run, &combined_vars)?;
         let name = name.replace('\n', "");