PlanMaker GESTEP: Inclusive Thresholds and Numeric Flags
GESTEP returns 1 at or above a supplied threshold and 0 below it. Build explicit boundary tests, count qualifying readings and construct non-overlapping bands.
Verification status: See the evidence and test scope described in this guide. How formula examples are checked
GESTEP returns 1 at or above a supplied threshold and 0 below it. Build explicit boundary tests, count qualifying readings and construct non-overlapping bands.
Availability and verification
The PlanMaker 2026 manual, 2024 manual and 2021 manual were retrieved on October 15, 2026. They document this function in those manual families. They do not establish its original introduction or a last-working-version endpoint; both historical endpoints remain unverified. Support in every FreeOffice/mobile edition or individual desktop build is outside this check.
No native PlanMaker execution was performed. Expected values below are independently checked mathematical controls, not captured application results. Formulas use the English manual’s commas; verify localized names and separators in the installed product.
Exact syntax and the equality boundary
=GESTEP(Number, Step)
The PlanMaker manuals show both Number and Step. They do not label Step optional or specify an omitted default. Supply the threshold explicitly, including zero: =GESTEP(A2,0).
The rule is Number ≥ Step. Equality is included. The output is numeric 1 or 0, not the amount by which the threshold is exceeded. A very large reading and a reading exactly on the boundary both produce the same flag.
The three official controls are =GESTEP(41,42) → 0, =GESTEP(42,42) → 1, and =GESTEP(42.1,42) → 1. They isolate below, equal and above without depending on hidden worksheet cells.
Complete threshold worksheet
Create ThresholdReadings with Reading in A1, Threshold in B1, Meets_threshold in C1 and Weight in D1. Enter these numeric values, then fill C2 =GESTEP(A2,B2) through C7.
| Row | A: reading | B: threshold | Expected C | D: weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 41 | 42 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | 42 | 42 | 1 | 8 |
| 4 | 42.1 | 42 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | -1 | -2 | 1 | 6 |
C9 =C2+C3+C4+C5+C6+C7 has expected result 4. The last row qualifies because −1 is greater than −2; comparing absolute magnitudes would answer a different question.
In a copy change A2 from 41 to 42. C2 becomes 1 and the count becomes 5. In another copy of the original, change B3 from 42 to 42.01. C3 becomes 0 and the original count becomes 3. Apply these changes separately to keep their effects clear.
Advanced: calculate a weighted qualifying total
Put Qualifying_weight in E1 and fill E2 =C2*D2 through E7. With the original table the results are 0,8,3,0,2,6; =E2+E3+E4+E5+E6+E7 is 19. The first changed-input case adds five to give 24. The separate threshold change removes eight to give 11.
A flag is a gate on a specified weight, not a measurement unit or probability. The meaning of Weight must come from the application. Keep the original readings and thresholds visible so someone can audit why a row contributed.
Advanced: count a half-open numeric band
For a lower bound of 10 and upper bound of 20, the expression =GESTEP(F2,10)-GESTEP(F2,20) selects 10 ≤ F2 < 20. The subtraction excludes the upper endpoint because it qualifies for both step tests.
On BandCheck, enter 9,10,15,20,21 in F2:F6 and fill that expression in G2:G6. Expected flags are 0,1,1,0,0, totaling 2. Changing the final 21 to 19 makes its flag 1 and the count 3.
This construction relies on the chosen lower bound being less than the upper bound. It is a deliberately specified half-open interval, not a universal convention for bins. The same threshold 20 can be the inclusive start of the next band, avoiding double counting at that shared boundary.
Advanced: assemble a three-level response
For a hypothetical level schedule, use =10+5*GESTEP(F2,10)+7*GESTEP(F2,20) in H2 and fill down using the original BandCheck inputs. Expected levels are 10,15,15,22,22. The first increment starts at 10 and the second at 20.
At F2=20 both flags are one, so the result is 10+5+7=22. Below 10 both are zero. These are explicit mathematical levels for a model, not a recommendation for a fee, entitlement or safety threshold. The workbook cannot select the appropriate policy just from the function name.
Errors and troubleshooting
The short PlanMaker entry does not give a detailed type, blank, omitted-argument or error-propagation matrix. The examples use numeric cells and both arguments. No error code or numeric-text conversion is invented from another spreadsheet’s GESTEP implementation.
If a boundary row surprises you, inspect the actual underlying number and Step, not only rounded display values. A displayed 42 could conceal a value just below the threshold. The examples use explicit finite values and do not certify floating-point tolerance near computed boundaries.
Before using this in an installed build, reproduce the table, test below/equal/above separately and record the build, language and workbook format. A mathematical indicator check does not establish that imported text was converted as intended or that another program interprets an omitted argument identically.