GT in Google Sheets: Test Strict Thresholds and Overage
Use GT in Google Sheets to test whether a number exceeds a limit, distinguish equality at the boundary and flag capacity overruns with worked examples.
Verification status: See the evidence and test scope described in this guide. How formula examples are checked
Quick answer: =GT(102,100) has expected result TRUE. =GT(100,100) gives FALSE, because GT tests whether the first value is strictly greater than the second.
Syntax and argument order
=GT(value1, value2)
Both arguments are required. No optional defaults are documented. The Google GT reference identifies GT as equivalent to the > operator.
=GT(B2,C2) and =B2>C2 therefore express the same numeric comparison. The first value is the quantity being tested; the second is its comparison value. Reversing them changes the question. A Boolean TRUE does not measure how far above the threshold the quantity is.
Worked example: flag capacity overruns
Enter this table in A1:C5:
| Row | A: Session | B: Registered | C: Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Session | Registered | Capacity |
| 2 | Morning | 24 | 25 |
| 3 | Midday | 25 | 25 |
| 4 | Afternoon | 28 | 25 |
| 5 | Evening | 18 | 20 |
Enter Over capacity in D1, then fill this formula from D2 to D5:
=GT(B2,C2)
Expected results: FALSE, FALSE, TRUE, FALSE. Midday is full, but it is not over capacity. This distinction is the main reason to choose GT carefully.
For a report label, use:
=IF(GT(B2,C2),"Over capacity","Within capacity")
Expected labels are Within capacity, Within capacity, Over capacity, Within capacity. Here “within capacity” includes equality. If a full session requires a different action, give equality its own branch rather than treating it as an overrun.
Quantify the amount above the limit
In a separate column, use:
=IF(GT(B2,C2),B2-C2,0)
Expected values for the four sessions: 0, 0, 3, 0. The formula reports only excess registrations; it intentionally does not show spare capacity as a negative amount.
For the reverse question, =C2-B2 gives remaining capacity, including a negative number for an overrun. Keeping the Boolean flag, overage count and remaining capacity conceptually separate makes the report easier to audit.
Advanced application: one controlled threshold
Suppose a team reviews jobs whose duration exceeds 45 minutes. Enter 45 in F1, and enter 32, 45, 46, 60 in F3:F6. In G3, enter and fill down:
=GT(F3,$F$1)
Expected results: FALSE, FALSE, TRUE, TRUE. The absolute reference keeps the same threshold when the formula is filled down. Change F1 to 50 and the expected flags become FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, TRUE.
For a percentage overrun, use a separate positive target of 40 and actual duration of 46:
=GT(46,40)
=(46-40)/40
Expected results are TRUE and 0.15, with the latter displayed as 15% under a percentage format. GT alone does not produce the percentage. A zero target would require its own division policy.
Boundary tests worth keeping
| Formula | Expected result | Reason |
|---|---|---|
=GT(10,10) |
FALSE | Equal is not greater |
=GT(10.1,10) |
TRUE | First value is larger |
=GT(-2,-5) |
TRUE | -2 is greater on the number line |
=GT(-5,-2) |
FALSE | Argument order matters |
For an inclusive threshold, Google’s GTE function uses greater-than-or-equal semantics. GT should not be described as a “minimum achieved” test when hitting the minimum must count as success.
Errors and troubleshooting
Check the comparison direction, endpoint rule, units and reference locking before changing the function. A displayed rounded value may conceal a small stored excess. Numeric-looking text from an import should be normalized deliberately rather than relying on undocumented coercion.
The individual GT page does not provide a comprehensive error-token, text-ordering, blank-cell or array behavior specification. The examples use numeric scalars and do not infer those contracts from Excel. Errors in a source cell are distinct from a valid FALSE comparison.
Availability and verification
GT is documented in Google’s rolling Sheets service. Original introduction date, first version and last functioning numbered release are unestablished. The operator equivalence is documented for Sheets; destination applications should be checked separately when migrating formulas.
NOT_TESTED_IN_GOOGLE_SHEETS. The individual GT and GTE references were inspected on October 17, 2026. All example values and Boolean expectations were independently calculated. No native execution or screenshot is claimed.