Can GT compare text values?

Yes. GT compares text alphabetically, so =GT('Boston', 'Atlanta') returns TRUE. You can also compare mixed types: numbers sort before text alphabetically.

What's the difference between GT and GTE?

GT returns TRUE only when value1 is strictly greater than value2 (>), while GTE includes equality (≥). So =GT(85, 85) returns FALSE, but =GTE(85, 85) returns TRUE.

How do I use GT to flag all scores above a threshold in a spreadsheet?

Use IF with GT to label scores: =IF(GT(C2, 85), 'High', 'Low'). Alternatively, apply conditional formatting with the rule =GT($C2, 85) to highlight cells meeting the criteria.

Can I use GT to compare entire columns at once?

Not directly—GT compares single scalar values. Use BYROW to apply GT to each row: =BYROW(scores, LAMBDA(x, GT(x, 85))) returns an array of TRUE/FALSE for each score.

GT function

GT tests whether the first value is strictly greater than the second value, returning TRUE if so and FALSE if not.

=GT(value1, value2)

Generate a GT formula

Describe what you need. The generator will reach for GT where GT is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

Arguments

How GT reads its arguments

Argument	Required	Description
value1	Required	Any numeric or text value to compare; treated as the left side of the > operator.
value2	Required	Any numeric or text value to compare against; treated as the right side of the > operator.

Returns

Boolean — TRUE if value1 > value2, FALSE otherwise.

Availability

Excel: Not available · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Check if a student's score exceeds a passing threshold

Student	Subject	Assignment	Score	Max
Alice	Math	Quiz 1	92	100

=GT(92, 85)

Result: TRUE

Alice scored 92 on Quiz 1. Since 92 is greater than the passing threshold of 85, GT returns TRUE. This pattern works for any score column.

2. Compare two students' performances on the same assignment

Student	Subject	Assignment	Score	Max
Alice	Math	Quiz 1	92	100
Bob	Math	Quiz 1	76	100

=GT(92, 76)

Result: TRUE

Alice's Quiz 1 score (92) is compared to Bob's Quiz 1 score (76). Since 92 > 76, GT returns TRUE, confirming Alice performed better.

3. Verify that a score doesn't exceed the maximum possible points

Student	Subject	Assignment	Score	Max
Alice	Math	Quiz 2	88	100

=GT(88, 100)

Result: FALSE

Alice's Quiz 2 score of 88 is compared to the maximum possible score of 100. Since 88 is not greater than 100, GT returns FALSE, as expected for a valid submission.

Common errors

Which GT error are you seeing?

Error	Why it happens	How to fix it
#VALUE!	Attempting to compare a text value that cannot be coerced to a number with a numeric value—for example, a student name or text label instead of a score.	Ensure both arguments are numeric values or comparable text strings. Reference the correct column (e.g., use Score column E2, not Name column A2).
#N/A	One of the arguments references a cell or formula that returns #N/A, such as a VLOOKUP that fails to find a student name in the gradebook.	Wrap the problematic lookup with IFNA or IFERROR: =GT(IFERROR(VLOOKUP(...), 0), 85) to provide a default value before comparison.
#NULL!	Attempting to pass a range (e.g., E2:E10) or array instead of a single value as an argument; GT expects scalars, not arrays.	Reference a single cell, or use BYROW to apply GT to each cell: =BYROW(E2:E10, LAMBDA(x, GT(x, 85))) to compare each score individually.

Tips and when to use something else

GT treats text comparisons alphabetically: 'English' > 'Art' returns TRUE because 'E' comes after 'A'.
For 'greater than or equal to' comparisons, use GTE instead: =GTE(85, 85) returns TRUE, while =GT(85, 85) returns FALSE.
Combine GT with IF for conditional outputs: =IF(GT(score, 85), 'Excellent', 'Needs Improvement') labels results based on the comparison.
Use BYROW to apply GT across multiple scores at once: =BYROW(scores, LAMBDA(x, GT(x, 85))) checks each score against the threshold.

Related functions

GTEGTE returns TRUE when the first value is greater than or equal to the second, useful for filtering maintenance records by cost thresholds or mileage milestones.LTReturns TRUE if the first value is strictly less than the second, FALSE otherwise; useful for conditional logic and filtering.EQEQ returns TRUE if two values are exactly equal, FALSE otherwise. Use it to compare values in spreadsheet logic.IFThe IF function returns one value if a condition is true and another (or nothing) if it is false, letting you branch logic in a cell.BYROWBYROW applies a LAMBDA to each row of a range and returns a vertical array of the results, enabling row-wise calculations in Excel 365 and Google Sheets.

Frequently asked questions

Can GT compare text values?: Yes. GT compares text alphabetically, so =GT('Boston', 'Atlanta') returns TRUE. You can also compare mixed types: numbers sort before text alphabetically.
What's the difference between GT and GTE?: GT returns TRUE only when value1 is strictly greater than value2 (>), while GTE includes equality (≥). So =GT(85, 85) returns FALSE, but =GTE(85, 85) returns TRUE.
How do I use GT to flag all scores above a threshold in a spreadsheet?: Use IF with GT to label scores: =IF(GT(C2, 85), 'High', 'Low'). Alternatively, apply conditional formatting with the rule =GT($C2, 85) to highlight cells meeting the criteria.
Can I use GT to compare entire columns at once?: Not directly—GT compares single scalar values. Use BYROW to apply GT to each row: =BYROW(scores, LAMBDA(x, GT(x, 85))) returns an array of TRUE/FALSE for each score.

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Reviewed 2026-09-17