Help with an IF formula with text

[Julie_Barber]

I have volunteer applications imported from 123formbuilder to airtable using Zapier. Some parts of the application have radial selections, where an application can choose a predetermined option, or they can choose “something else” and enter a custom value in a short text field that becomes available. When this data is sent to my base, there becomes two columns, one that populates with a primary selection and a second one that will either be blank or has the applicant’s custom response in it. I’m trying to organize this data into one column that either pulls from the first column if the second column is blank, or chooses the second column if it is not blank. What is the best way to accomplish this? I’m fairly certain I need an IF formula of some sort, but I don’t know enough to know if there is a better way.

An example of this can be viewed here: https://airtable.com/shrje2Jcz0ww2BrP1

I can’t share the actual table due to all the personal information we collect but the sample table will hopefully be sufficient for now!

[Julie_Barber · Accepted solution]

I solved it finally with the help of a related forum topic:

Formula that worked is: IF({Pronouns 1},IF({Pronouns 2},{Pronouns 2},{Pronouns 1}))

Do not ask me why this works. HAHA!

[Zollie]

Great work! Here’s a shorter way to write that:

IF({Pronouns 2},{Pronouns 2},{Pronouns 1})

Here’s how an IF function works:

IF(
    something that returns true or false,
    what is returned if true,
    what is returned if false
)

In your case, if there is data in {Pronouns 2}, it’ll return true, otherwise it’ll return false.

[Julie_Barber]

Thank you for the extra help with these and for explaining it! I’m still very green when it comes to non-mathematical formulas!