title: CASTing a datetime to string if null value - keeping original datetime formatting
body: <p>I have the following part of my query:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ISNULL(cast(fd.decision_date as varchar(20)), 'PENDING') as facility,
  ISNULL(cast(cd.decision_date as varchar(20)), 'PENDING') as corporate,
  ISNULL(cast(cb.creation_date as varchar(20)), 'PENDING') as billing
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My values are originally of datetime datatype, but what I want to do is return the word 'PENDING' if the value is NULL.</p>
  
  <p>With the code above, my results are <code>cast</code>ed to a <code>varchar</code>, thus returning something like:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Aug 20 2013 9:35AM 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>instead of <code>2013-08-20 09:35:54</code></p>
  
  <p>Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.</p>