Ok, Harlan,
I tried the last two equations you mentioned, and the first one does not
work. It only returns a zero.
(--Map!$E$4:$E$30=$A3)

or

(Map!$E$4:$E$30=$A3&"")


So, all of this still brings me back to the point of-- how do I,
consistently, constantly, get it to work, without having to go through and
find out why one equation works and the very next one does not work.
My whole point for coming in here to ask is that the equation is not
consistently working, and I'm spending far too much time going through
looking for small, inconspicuous reasons for its failure. I came looking to
learn more about this equation because it did once work, and it sped up my
work process by an undefinable amount of time. It's now taking 3 x's longer
to figure out why it's not working.
You're saying that one column could be being recognized as text strings,
when the other column its comparing to could be being recognized as numeric
values, and as such it returns a false because the text string is not
recognized the same as a numeric value.
This then takes me back to the point of WHY?
I don't care what the value is. I don't care that 12345 is numeric in one
cell, and a text string in the other column. I just want it to be recognized
as being the same, because regardless of the format/properties behind each,
it is still just 12345.
I entered it as JUST 12345. I did not enter it as "12345" in one column, and
12345 in the other. Nor did I enter it as <12345, etc... ad infinitum. Which
seems to me to be strictly a background/behind-the-scenes format issue.
So, going back to my original point--
1- is there anyway to consistently get it to work one way, without having to
spend hours looking at why it doesn't?
2- Thus far the incongruencies that I've experienced with this routine is
aggravating at best, and downright ruinous at worst.
3- if no one here knows the answers that I seek, who can I speak with that
will get me the correct way to handle this?