diff --git a/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItem.h b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItem.h
index 3b03955..84e70c0 100644
--- a/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItem.h
+++ b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItem.h
@@ -64,6 +64,46 @@ public:
     /// Gets all data
     QVariantHash data() const noexcept;
 
+    /**
+     * Merge in the item the source item passed as parameter.
+     *
+     * The merge is done by adding as child of the item the complete tree represented by the source
+     * item. If a part of the tree already exists in the item (based on the name of the nodes), it
+     * is merged by completing the existing tree by items "leaves" (products, components or nodes
+     * with no child).
+     *
+     * For example, with item representing the tree:
+     * R (root node)
+     *   - N1 (node)
+     *     -- N11 (node)
+     *        --- P1 (product)
+     *        --- P2 (product)
+     *   - N2 (node)
+     *
+     * and the source item representing the tree:
+     * N1 (root node)
+     *   - N11 (node)
+     *     -- P3 (product)
+     *   - N12 (node)
+     *
+     * The leaves of the source item to merge into the item are N1/N11/P3 and N1/N12 => we therefore
+     * have the following merge result:
+     * R
+     *   - N1
+     *     -- N11
+     *        --- P1
+     *        --- P2
+     *        --- P3 (added leaf)
+     *     -- N12 (added leaf)
+     *
+     * @param item the source item
+     * @remarks No control is performed on products or components that are merged into the same tree
+     * part (two products or components may have the same name)
+     * @remarks the merge is made by copy (source item is not changed and still exists after the
+     * operation)
+     */
+    void merge(const DataSourceItem &item);
+
     bool isRoot() const noexcept;
 
     QString name() const noexcept;
diff --git a/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.h b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..722da2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#ifndef SCIQLOP_DATASOURCEITEMMERGEHELPER_H
+#define SCIQLOP_DATASOURCEITEMMERGEHELPER_H
+
+class DataSourceItem;
+
+/**
+ * @brief The DataSourceItemMergeHelper struct is used to merge two data source items
+ * @sa DataSourceItem::merge()
+ */
+struct DataSourceItemMergeHelper {
+    /// Merges source item into dest item
+    static void merge(const DataSourceItem &source, DataSourceItem &dest);
+};
+
+#endif // SCIQLOP_DATASOURCEITEMMERGEHELPER_H
diff --git a/core/meson.build b/core/meson.build
index 11a1fb6..864624b 100644
--- a/core/meson.build
+++ b/core/meson.build
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ core_sources = [
   'src/DataSource/DataSourceController.cpp',
   'src/DataSource/DataSourceItem.cpp',
   'src/DataSource/DataSourceItemAction.cpp',
+  'src/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.cpp',
   'src/Network/NetworkController.cpp',
   'src/Plugin/PluginManager.cpp',
   'src/Settings/SqpSettingsDefs.cpp',
diff --git a/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItem.cpp b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItem.cpp
index 35972b7..a0a80a5 100644
--- a/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItem.cpp
+++ b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItem.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <DataSource/DataSourceItem.h>
 #include <DataSource/DataSourceItemAction.h>
+#include <DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.h>
 
 #include <QVector>
 
@@ -75,6 +76,11 @@ QVariantHash DataSourceItem::data() const noexcept
     return impl->m_Data;
 }
 
+void DataSourceItem::merge(const DataSourceItem &item)
+{
+    DataSourceItemMergeHelper::merge(item, *this);
+}
+
 bool DataSourceItem::isRoot() const noexcept
 {
     return impl->m_Parent == nullptr;
diff --git a/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.cpp b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36a8192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#include "DataSource/DataSourceItemMergeHelper.h"
+
+#include <DataSource/DataSourceItem.h>
+
+void DataSourceItemMergeHelper::merge(const DataSourceItem &source, DataSourceItem &dest)
+{
+    /// @todo ALX
+}