@model SIServices.ViewModels.SODViewModel
@using (Html.BeginForm("Initiate", "SOD", FormMethod.Post, new { id =
  "initiateSOD" })) // enctype = "multipart/form-data"
 {
      @Html.AntiForgeryToken()

      ...

      @* form inputs as html helpers *@
      @* html table data is collected as json *@

var cols = [];
   cols.push("DIGITAL_FILE_TYPE_ID");
   cols.push("DOCUMENT_LAPI_ID");
   var DigitalMaps = [];
   $("table#digital-map-table tbody tr").each(function () {
   data = {};

   var selectedDigitalMapVal = $(this).data("selectedDigitalMapVal");
   data[cols[0]] = selectedDigitalMapVal;
   var documentId = $(this).data("documentID");
   data[cols[1]] = documentId.toString();
   DigitalMaps.push(data);
   data = {};

   });

    var headers = { __RequestVerificationToken:
      $('input[name="__RequestVerificationToken"]').val() };

                if (DigitalMaps != null) {
                    $.ajax({
                        headers: headers,
                        url: "@Url.Action("Initiate")",
                        type: "POST",
                        cache: false,
                        contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
                        data: DigitalMaps,
                        dataType: "json",
                        success: function (succ) {
                            console.log(succ);
                        },
                        error: function (err) {
                            console.log(err.statusText);
                        }
                    });
                }

namespace SIServices.ViewModels
   {
       public class SODViewModel
       {
          // a lot of properties - around 50
          public int? DigitalMapId { get; set; }
          public List<DIGITAL_MAPS> DigitalMaps { get; set; }

[HttpPost]
    [ValidateHeaderAntiForgeryToken]
    public ActionResult Initiate(SODViewModel vm)
    {