# Outputting blank values as null or fixed values

You can output blank values as null or fixed values using expressions.

To output blank values of a column as null, use the following expression syntax:

```
rowName.columnName.equals("")?null:rowName.columnName
```

To output blank values of a column as fixed values, use the following expression syntax:

```
rowName.columnName.equals("")?fixValue:rowName.columnName
```

In the following example, any blank values in the name column will be replaced with null; any blank values in the company column will be replaced with the string Unknown.

![Expression editor.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/components/8.0/Resources/images/blank_output_expression.png)

The following two tables show the input and output of a tMap component with these two expressions applied.

Input table:

| id | name | company |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | John | Talend |
| 2 |  | Apple |
| 3 | Jane |  |

Output table:

| id | name | company |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | John | Talend |
| 2 | null | Apple |
| 3 | Jane | Unknown |