SORTM in SoftMaker PlanMaker 2026: Sort a numerical array with PlanMaker’s special SORTM function
Learn the SORTM function in SoftMaker PlanMaker 2026 with sample cells, a reproducible formula, expected results, troubleshooting and the official reference.
Reference checked: Examples have not been run in this spreadsheet application. How we verify guides
Quick answer: Sort a numerical array with PlanMaker’s special SORTM function. A researcher has a short vector of counts and wants a sorted result without rewriting the source list.
This is a PlanMaker 2026 formula reference with original example data and an independently checkable expected result.
When to use SORTM
A researcher has a short vector of counts and wants a sorted result without rewriting the source list. The calculation can then be repeated across additional rows while retaining the source values for review.
Syntax and argument order
=SORTM(Range, Key [, Mode] [, Columnwise] [, ColumnNumber])
The spelling and argument order come from the official SoftMaker PlanMaker 2026 function reference. The samples use comma-separated arguments as shown in SoftMaker’s English-language examples. PlanMaker documentation also shows semicolons in some syntax descriptions; separator behavior can depend on locale. Follow the separator your installed application accepts.
Reproduce the example
Create a small worksheet with the following cells. Treat the labels as context; the formula references the specified ranges.
| Original vector |
|---|
| 4 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
For this PlanMaker array formula, select a three-cell vertical output range and enter the formula using Ctrl+Shift+Enter, as described by SoftMaker’s array-formula instructions. Unlike dynamic SORT, SORTM uses the legacy array-entry workflow:
Place the following formula in the selected output range:
=SORTM({4;2;3},{1})
Expected result: 2, 3, 4 (in separate output rows).
Why it works: The key {1} selects the first ordering dimension and ascending order. The array values are arranged in ascending order.
If your result differs, compare the sample values, quotation marks, argument separators, and cell references against the formula shown.
A second example
=SORTM({4;2;3},{1;TRUE})
Expected result: 4, 3, 2 (in separate output rows). Use the second result as a separate check with changed inputs.
Troubleshooting and practical cautions
SORTM is a PlanMaker-specific array function. The official manual describes entering it as an array formula and warns it is not available in Excel format; do not confuse it with the dynamic SORT function.
Use the exact array-entry procedure in your installed PlanMaker version. The static result above is a reference expectation, not evidence of native execution.
Compatibility and version notes
For migrated workbooks, check array and file-format behavior rather than assuming formulas retain the same functionality when saved as legacy .xls or imported into another spreadsheet.
Verification status: The function and arguments were checked against SoftMaker’s PlanMaker 2026 manual, but no native PlanMaker session was available for testing. Calculated outcomes use the listed sample values. No application screenshot is presented as genuine here. Independently calculated expectations are not native-application execution in SoftMaker PlanMaker 2026.
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Documentation: SoftMaker PlanMaker 2026 reference for SORTM.