The most basic example of a GETPIVOTDATA formula in Microsoft Excel is when the function is used to retrieve a grand total of ...

Referencing can become difficult, especially if you’re using structured referencing. Instead, reference a spill range so you can use the hashtag shortcut.

However from the books and tutorials that I've been using I haven't come across a strategy or rule of thumb for when I should be using pointers and references and when I should not.