The GETPIVOTDATA function is a pretty hairy looking formula in Pivot Tables. The idea behind GETPIVOTDATA is to consistently pull the same data from a Pivot Table, even if the data is sorted or filtered differently. Excel will create the GETPIVOTDATA formula for you if you mouse over or arrow over to the Pivot Table cell(s) you need in the formula. As long as the cell you’re focusing on stays in the Pivot Table, you should get the results you expect.
GETPIVOTDATA is a great formula to use when you want to consistently focus on the same cell(s) even as the data pivots. You’ll also notice that even when the Pivot Table data sorts up or down the list of values, the GETPIVOTDATA cell stays in the same place. The downside to GETPIVOTDATA is that when you don’t want to focus on a specific cell but want to copy and paste the formulas, GETPIVOTDATA is very cumbersome to use. Stay tuned for the next video for a workaround that will create more user friendly formulas in that situation.