diff --git a/utils/update_fixtures_cross_sections.py b/utils/update_fixtures_cross_sections.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..c0fa7b968
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/update_fixtures_cross_sections.py
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+"""Helper script for creating cross_section JSON field of simulated dataset record fixutres.
+
+This helper script is useful for creating/updating the cross_sections JSON field in
+the CMS 2015 simulated datasets found in the CERN Open Data record fixtures.
+
+"""
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import click
+import json
+
+
+@click.command()
+@click.option(
+    "--cross_sections_path",
+    "-c",
+    required=True,
+    help="Relative path to the cross-section values json files directory",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--input_path", "-i", required=True, help="Relative path to the input directory"
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--output_path", "-o", required=True, help="Relative path to the output directory"
+)
+def main(cross_sections_path, input_path, output_path):  # noqa: D301,D412
+    """Update datasets to include the cross_sections JSON field.
+
+    Update datasets found at input_path to include the cross_sections JSON field
+    and store the updated datasets at output_path.
+
+    Example:
+
+    \b
+    $ ./utils/update_fixtures_cross_sections.py \\
+         -c ../MC2015/StandardModelPhysics
+         -i ../opendata.cern.ch/cernopendata/modules/fixtures/data/records \\
+         -o ../opendata.cern.ch/cernopendata/modules/fixtures/data/records
+    """
+    # rename cross-section values json files to their corresponding dataset names to make rest of code simpler
+    total_cross_section_files = 0
+    sub_categories = os.listdir(cross_sections_path)
+    for categ in sub_categories:
+        for json_file_name in os.listdir(f"{cross_sections_path}/{categ}"):
+            total_cross_section_files += 1
+            json_file = open(f"{cross_sections_path}/{categ}/{json_file_name}", "r")
+            json_file_content = json_file.read()
+            json_file.close()
+
+            json_record = json.loads(json_file_content)
+            dataset = json_record[0]["metadata"]["Dataset"]
+
+            new_file_name = f"{dataset.replace('/', '$')}.json"
+            if new_file_name[0] != "$":
+                new_file_name = "$" + new_file_name
+            os.rename(
+                f"{cross_sections_path}/{categ}/{json_file_name}",
+                f"{cross_sections_path}/{categ}/{new_file_name}",
+            )
+
+    # find paths to all datasets that need to be updated
+    find_datasets_cmd = (
+        f'find {input_path} -type f -name "cms-simulated-datasets-2015*.json"'
+    )
+    target_datasets_paths = subprocess.getoutput(find_datasets_cmd).split("\n")
+
+    total_datasets_amended = 0
+    total_format1 = 0
+    total_format2 = 0
+    total_format3 = 0
+    total_format4 = 0
+    total_format5 = 0
+    total_format6 = 0
+
+    # amend target records of all target datasets
+    for target_dataset_path in target_datasets_paths:
+        # read target records
+        target_dataset_basename = os.path.basename(target_dataset_path)[: -len(".json")]
+        target_dataset_file = open(target_dataset_path, "r")
+        target_dataset_content = target_dataset_file.read()
+        target_dataset_file.close()
+        target_records = json.loads(target_dataset_content)
+        print(f"Processing {target_dataset_basename}...")
+
+        # add cross_section metadata field
+        new_target_records = []
+        for record in target_records:
+            # find the record's corresponding cross-section values json file
+            cross_sections_file_name = record["title"].replace("/", "$")
+            find_cross_sections_cmd = (
+                f"find {cross_sections_path} -name '{cross_sections_file_name}.json'"
+            )
+            cross_sections_file = subprocess.getoutput(find_cross_sections_cmd)
+
+            if not cross_sections_file:
+                new_target_records.append(record)
+                continue
+
+            cross_sections_json_file = open(f"{cross_sections_file}", "r")
+            cross_sections_json_content = cross_sections_json_file.read()
+            cross_sections_json_file.close()
+            cross_sections_json_record = json.loads(cross_sections_json_content)
+            cross_sections_json_data = cross_sections_json_record[1]
+
+            record["cross_section"] = {}
+            # check the presence of certain attributes to identify the format the file is in
+            # see: https://github.com/Ari-mu-l/OpenData/tree/main
+            # Format 1
+            if (
+                "totX_beforeMat" in cross_sections_json_data
+                and "matchingEff" in cross_sections_json_data
+            ):
+                total_format1 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "matching_efficiency"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["matchingEff"]
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff_weights"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "neg_weight_fraction"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["negWeightFrac"]
+            # Format 2
+            elif "totX_beforeMat" in cross_sections_json_data:
+                total_format2 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"]["matching_efficiency"] = ""
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff_weights"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"]["neg_weight_fraction"] = ""
+            # Format 3
+            elif (
+                "totX_beforeFilter" in cross_sections_json_data
+                and "negWeightFrac" in cross_sections_json_data
+            ):
+                total_format3 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"]["matching_efficiency"] = ""
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff_weights"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "neg_weight_fraction"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["negWeightFrac"]
+            # Format 6 (unlisted format, but it is there in some json files)
+            elif "filterEff(weights)" in cross_sections_json_data:
+                total_format6 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"]["matching_efficiency"] = ""
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff(weights)"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"]["neg_weight_fraction"] = ""
+            # Format 4
+            elif "totX_beforeFilter" in cross_sections_json_data:
+                total_format4 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"]["matching_efficiency"] = ""
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff_weights"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"]["neg_weight_fraction"] = ""
+            # Format 5
+            else:
+                total_format5 += 1
+                record["cross_section"]["total_value"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "totX_final"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"][
+                    "total_value_uncertainty"
+                ] = cross_sections_json_data["totX_final_err"]
+                record["cross_section"]["matching_efficiency"] = ""
+                record["cross_section"]["filter_efficiency"] = cross_sections_json_data[
+                    "filterEff_weights"
+                ]
+                record["cross_section"]["neg_weight_fraction"] = ""
+
+            new_target_records.append(record)
+            total_datasets_amended += 1
+
+        # save the amended dataset
+        new_dataset_json = json.dumps(
+            new_target_records,
+            indent=2,
+            sort_keys=True,
+            ensure_ascii=False,
+            separators=(",", ": "),
+        )
+
+        updated_dataset_path = f"{output_path}/{target_dataset_basename}.json"
+        new_dataset_file = open(updated_dataset_path, "w")
+        new_dataset_file.write(new_dataset_json + "\n")
+        new_dataset_file.close()
+
+        # clean resulting JSON file
+        if os.path.exists("../opendata.cern.ch/scripts/clean_json_file.py"):
+            os.system(
+                f"../opendata.cern.ch/scripts/clean_json_file.py {updated_dataset_path}"
+            )
+
+    print(
+        f"Total number of cross-section values json files: {total_cross_section_files}, Total number of amended datasets: {total_datasets_amended}"
+    )
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 1: {total_format1}")
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 2: {total_format2}")
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 3: {total_format3}")
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 4: {total_format4}")
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 5: {total_format5}")
+    print(f"Total number of datasets amended using Format 6: {total_format6}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()