NVL will do the job (nice one, Ron), but COALESCE will, too COALESCE is standard SQL, and can also handle more than two parameters there are subtle differences, though -- see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/950084/oracle-differences-between-nvl-and-coalesce by the way, i thought oracle doesn't like the AS keyword... > SELECT all sorts of things > , WOSQ.DEPARTMENT AS SQUAWKSDEPARTMENT > , WOST.DEPARTMENT AS STEPSDEPARTMENT rudy http://r937.com/