> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://axiom.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Metadata functions

> This section explains how to use metadata functions in APL.

The table summarizes the metadata functions available in APL.

| Function                                                                     | Description                                                                                |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [column\_ifexists](/apl/scalar-functions/metadata-functions/column-ifexists) | Returns a named field if it exists in the dataset, or a fallback expression if it doesn't. |
| [cursor\_current](/apl/scalar-functions/metadata-functions/cursor-current)   | Returns a cursor string that marks the current position in the query execution.            |
| [ingestion\_time](/apl/scalar-functions/metadata-functions/ingestion-time)   | Returns the timestamp of when each record was ingested into Axiom.                         |