SQL Query Returns NULL as a Value

Question

I am trying to force an employee number when email address doesn't exist (is null) for a user. Regardless what I do, I always get NULL for the employee number in the result set. How do I force the employees number?

I have tried CASE WHEN len(B.email) < 1 THEN '1234568' This doesn't work.

I have tried CASE WHEN C.EMPLOYEE = 1234568 /*(b/c employee exists)*/ THEN '1234568' This doesn't work either.

I have also tried NULLIF(B.email,'EMAIL') This doesn't work either.

SELECT 
    EMPLOYEE, DATE, [JOB CODE], HM_ACCT_UNIT,
    CASE  
       WHEN SUM(HOURS) < '10.0' 
          THEN LEFT(REPLACE(SUM(ROUND(HOURS, 2)), '.', ''), 3)  
       WHEN SUM(HOURS) >= '10.0' 
          THEN LEFT(REPLACE(SUM(ROUND(HOURS, 2)), '.', ''), 4) 
       ELSE LEFT(REPLACE(SUM(ROUND(HOURS, 2)), '.', ''), 3) 
    END AS HOURS
FROM
    (SELECT
         CASE
            WHEN B.emaill = 'xx@some.com' THEN '123456'
            WHEN B.email = 'xy@some.com' THEN '123457'
            WHEN B.email IS NULL THEN '123458'
            ELSE RIGHT('000000' + CONVERT(VARCHAR, C.EMPLOYEE), 6)
         END AS 'EMPLOYEE',
         REPLACE(CONVERT(VARCHAR(10), CAST(a.start AS date), 101), '/', '') 'DATE',
         '14' as 'JOB CODE',
         -- CONVERT(int, REPLACE(dur, '.0', ''), 4) / 60 AS HOURS,
         CONVERT(DECIMAL(10, 2), dur) / 60 AS HOURS,
         CASE
            WHEN A.project = 'SOMETHINGELSE' THEN '123'
            ELSE '12345' 
         END AS 'HM_ACCT_UNIT'
     FROM 
         [dbo].[project] A
     LEFT OUTER JOIN 
         [dbo].[user] B ON A.uid = B.uid
     LEFT OUTER JOIN 
         EMPLOYEE C ON RTRIM(LTRIM(C.EMAIL_ADDRESS)) = LTRIM(RTRIM(B.email))
     LEFT OUTER JOIN 
         GL D ON D.ACCT_UNIT = C.HM_ACCT_UNIT
     LEFT OUTER JOIN 
         [dbo].[projList] CPT ON LTRIM(RTRIM(CPT.[Capital Project])) = LTRIM(RTRIM(A.project))
     WHERE 
         CONVERT(CHAR(10), a.start, 103) >= DATEADD(DAY, -14, GETDATE())
         AND (A.project LIKE '%SOMETHING%' OR A.project = 'SOMETHINGELSE')) A
GROUP BY 
    EMPLOYEE, DATE, [JOB CODE], HM_ACCT_UNIT
ORDER BY 
    DATE

My result set always returns this for one employee whose email is missing.

NULL    04072020    14  10XX202XX   5000

Answer 1

You can find out if the value is NULL using IS NULL . For example:

CASE WHEN B.email is null THEN '1234568'

You can combine this predicate with other ones using OR to cover other similar cases. For example:

CASE WHEN len(B.email) < 1 or B.email is null THEN '1234568'

Answer 2

I was overthinking this issue. The B.email was never null. I was mapping the B.email with C.EMAIL_ADDRESS. The issue is that the C.EMAIL_ADDRESS was null. I cant mark question as closed.