data.json

{
  "text":"project title",
  "stakeholders":[
    {
      "text":"a stakeholder",
      "outcomes":[
        {
          "text":"Another outcome",
          "indicators":[
            {
              "text":"more indicators"
            },
            {
              "text":"another indicator"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "text":"outcome one",
          "indicators":[
            {
              "text":"more text"
            },
            {
              "text":"indicator one"
            },
            {
              "text":"indicator two"
            },
            {
              "text":"indicator three"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "dateAdded":"2015-05-06T17:22:58.343Z"
}

saving.js

async.each(stakeholders, function(stakeholder, stakeholderCallback) {
    makeStakeholder(project, stakeholder, user, stakeholderCallback)
}, function(err) {
    callback(null, project, user)
})

/////////////////

makeIndicator = function(indicator, outcome, user, callback) {
  var newIndicator = new Indicator({
      text: indicator.text
      , parent: outcome._id
      , ownedBy: user._id
  })
  newIndicator.save(function(err, savedIndicator) {
      outcome.indicators.push(savedIndicator)
      outcome.save()
      callback(null)
  })
}

makeOutcome = function(outcome, stakeholder, user, callback) {
    var newOutcome = new Outcome({
      text: outcome.text
      , parent: stakeholder._id
      , ownedBy: user._id
    })

    newOutcome.save(function(err, savedOutcome) {
      async.series([
        function(seriesCallback) {
          var indicators = outcome.indicators
          async.each(indicators, function(indicator, indicatorCallback) {
              makeIndicator(indicator, savedOutcome, user, indicatorCallback)
          }, function(err) {
              seriesCallback(null)
          })
        },
        function(seriesCallback) {
          stakeholder.outcomes.push(savedOutcome)
          stakeholder.save()
          seriesCallback(null)
          callback(null)
        }
      ])
    })
}

makeStakeholder = function(project, stakeholder, user, callback) {
    var newStakeholder = new Stakeholder({
        text: stakeholder.text
        , parent: project._id
        , ownedBy: user._id
    })

    newStakeholder.save(function(err, savedStakeholder) {
        async.series([
          function(seriesCallback) {
            var outcomes = stakeholder.outcomes
            async.each(outcomes, function(outcome, outcomeCallback) {
              makeOutcome(outcome, savedStakeholder, user, outcomeCallback)
            }, function(err) {
                seriesCallback(null)
            })
          },
          function(seriesCallback) {
            project.stakeholders.push(savedStakeholder)
            project.save()
            seriesCallback(null)
            callback(null)
          }
        ])
    })
}

schemas.js

var StakeholderSchema   = new Schema({
  text: String
  , outcomes : [{ type: Schema.ObjectId, ref: 'Outcome' }]
  , ownedBy: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'User'
  }
  , parent: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'Project'
  }
})

var OutcomeSchema   = new Schema({
  text: String
  , indicators : [{ type: Schema.ObjectId, ref: 'Indicator' }]
  , ownedBy: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'User'
  }
  , parent: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'Stakeholder'
  }
})

var IndicatorSchema   = new Schema({
  text: String
  , ownedBy: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'User'
  }
  , parent: {
    type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,
    ref: 'Outcome'
  }
})