# Coalesce (Any value1, Any value2)
| **Name** | ***Coalesce*** |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Syntax | Coalesce (Any value1, Any value2) |
| Purpose | To return first non-null value in order of the parameters specified. |
| Description | Returns the first non-null value from specified parameters. Returns null if both parameters are null. |
| Return Type | Object |
| Parameters |
value1 \[System.Object] – First expression
value2 \[System.Object] – Second expression
|
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### **Example**
We have a *Customers* dataset, with missing values in the *Items* and *ShipCountry* fields, which we will use for this function.
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We will map these fields to *value1* and *value2* of the function transformation object.
Where,
*value1 = Items*
*value2 = ShipCountry*
Then, we will map the Output *value* field of the function transformation object and the remaining fields from our source file to an *Excel Workbook Destination.*
Right-click on the *Excel Workbook Destination* object and select *Preview Output.* You can see that Astera Data Stack has created a new column, and returned a value from either *Items* (value1)*, ShipCountry* (value2)*,* or null (if both specified parameters are null), in this particular order.
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