PL-300 Practice Test 3 — 30 Questions

Question 1

Your organization uses Microsoft Purview Information Protection to label sensitive data in Power BI datasets. You need to ensure that when a report is exported to Excel, the sensitivity label is automatically applied. What should you configure?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Ensure the dataset has a sensitivity label and that the export inherits the label.. When a Power BI dataset has a sensitivity label applied via Microsoft Purview Information Protection, any downstream exports (such as reports exported to Excel) automatically inherit that label. This inheritance ensures consistent protection across all outputs. Option D is incorrect because the Power BI admin portal setting 'Apply sensitivity labels to exported data' is used to apply labels when the data source does not have a label, but it does not override automatic inheritance from a labeled dataset. Option B is incorrect because DLP policies in Microsoft Purview monitor and protect data, but they do not automatically apply sensitivity labels to exports. Option C is incorrect because setting a default sensitivity label on a report is not a feature; sensitivity labels are inherited from the dataset, not configured per report.

Answer

Use data loss prevention (DLP) policies in Microsoft Purview.

Answer

Set a default sensitivity label on the report.

Answer

Enable 'Apply sensitivity labels to exported data' in the Power BI admin portal.

Question 2

Your organization uses Power BI Premium and wants to enforce that users can only see data relevant to their department (Sales, Marketing, Finance) using row-level security (RLS). The dataset contains a 'Department' column. You have created three RLS roles, each with a filter like [Department] = "Sales". You publish the dataset and add users to the roles. However, users in the Sales role can see all data. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The users are also assigned to workspace roles (e.g., Member) that grant them access to the dataset without RLS restrictions.. In Power BI, users assigned to workspace roles (Admin, Member, Contributor) have dataset-level permissions that bypass Row-Level Security (RLS). Since these users can access the dataset directly, RLS filters are not applied. Option A is incorrect because RLS roles are typically created in Power BI Desktop before publishing. Option B is incorrect; multiple roles combine filters using OR logic, so users in multiple roles see union of all allowed data, not all data. Option C is incorrect because RLS filters are case-insensitive by default. Option D correctly identifies that workspace roles override RLS.

Answer

The RLS roles were created in the Power BI service, not in Power BI Desktop.

Answer

The users are members of multiple RLS roles, so they see all data.

Answer

The RLS filter uses a string comparison that is case-sensitive and the data contains mixed case.

Question 3

Which TWO of the following are valid methods to share a Power BI report with external users (outside your organization)? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Invite the external user as a guest in your Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and share the report directly with them.. The correct answers are C and E. Option C: By inviting external users as guests in your Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) using Azure AD B2B, you can share Power BI reports directly with them without requiring them to have a Power BI license. Option E: 'Publish to web' creates a public embed code that anyone on the internet can view, making it suitable for sharing with external users. Option A is incorrect because exporting to PDF creates a static file, not an interactive report, and is not a sharing method. Option B is incorrect because external users need to be set up as guests or use publish to web; a direct link alone will not work without proper authentication. Option D is incorrect because embedding in SharePoint Online requires the external user to have access to the SharePoint site, which typically involves additional setup such as guest access.

Answer

Export the report to PDF and email it to the external user.

Answer

Send the external user a direct link to the report via email; they can view it without any additional setup.

Answer

Embed the report in a SharePoint Online page using the Power BI web part.

Question 4

Which THREE of the following are valid methods to enhance the accessibility of a Power BI report? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Provide keyboard navigation support by setting tab order.. Setting tab order in Power BI allows keyboard-only users to navigate through report visuals in a logical sequence, which is a core requirement of WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order). Option C is correct because Power BI provides built-in high contrast themes that enhance readability for users with visual impairments. Option E is correct because adding alt text to visuals ensures screen readers can convey the content to visually impaired users. Option D is not considered a valid method for this question; while using a color-blind friendly palette is a good design practice, it is not specifically a method to enhance accessibility in the context of the exam. Option A is incorrect as animations can distract and are not an accessibility feature.

Answer

Add animations to visuals to draw attention.

Answer

Use a color-blind friendly palette.

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. The Power Query M code connects to a SQL Server database and performs data transformation. However, the query is failing with a privacy level error. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The query combines data from SQL Server and another data source with incompatible privacy levels.. A privacy level error in Power Query occurs when combining data from multiple sources with incompatible privacy levels. The query connects to SQL Server and performs transformations, but if it also references another source (e.g., from a previous step or additional data) with a privacy level that conflicts with SQL Server's privacy level, the Power Query firewall blocks the query. In this scenario, the most likely cause is that the query combines SQL Server data with another data source (such as a CSV file or another database) that has a privacy level set to 'Private' while SQL Server is set to 'Organizational' or 'Public', causing the error. Option D correctly identifies this. Options A and B are incorrect because a single data source cannot cause a privacy level error, and inconsistent privacy levels across environments do not trigger the firewall on a single source.

Answer

The SQL Server credentials are not correctly configured in the data source settings.

Answer

The privacy levels for the SQL Server data source are set inconsistently across the environment.

Answer

The query uses a CSV file from a local folder that has a privacy level set to 'Private'.

Question 6

You are reviewing a Power BI dataset configuration in the service. The JSON shows a data source for an Azure SQL Database. Which statement about the configuration is correct?

Accepted Answer

The dataset uses cloud-only data sources and does not require a gateway.. Azure SQL Database is a cloud-native data source in Power BI, and cloud data sources do not require a gateway, whether using DirectQuery or Import. The configuration shown in the JSON is for an Azure SQL Database, which is inherently cloud-only, so no gateway is needed. Option A is incorrect because key-based authentication is not supported for Azure SQL Database; using 'Key' credential type would cause a connection failure. Option B is incorrect because the JSON does not indicate single sign-on (no 'SingleSignOn' property set to true). Option C is incorrect because a cloud gateway is not required for Azure SQL Database; it is only needed for on-premises or virtual-network sources.

Answer

The dataset uses key-based authentication and does not use single sign-on.

Answer

The dataset uses single sign-on with Azure AD.

Answer

The dataset is configured to use a cloud gateway for direct query.

Question 7

You publish a Power BI report to a workspace that uses an organizational app. After updating the report, you want users to see the changes immediately without having to reinstall the app. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Update the app in the workspace by selecting 'Update app'.. Updating the app in the workspace by selecting 'Update app' publishes the latest version of the report (and any other content) to the existing app without requiring users to reinstall. The app is a container that points to the workspace content; updating it refreshes that pointer, making changes immediately available to users who already have the app installed.

Answer

Delete and recreate the app from the workspace.

Answer

Republish the report from Power BI Desktop.

Answer

Ask users to refresh their browser cache.

Question 8

You are preparing data for a Power BI report. You have a table that contains a 'ProductID' column with some null values. You need to ensure that the 'ProductID' column does not contain any null values in the data model. Which Power Query transformation should you apply?

Accepted Answer

Replace Values -> Replace null with a default value. Replacing null values with a default value directly ensures that the ProductID column has no nulls in the data model. This transformation can be applied to a specific column using 'Replace Values' in Power Query, where you replace null with a chosen default. Options A and B do not address null values. Option C, 'Remove Blank Rows', only removes rows where all columns are blank, so rows with data in other columns but null ProductID remain, failing the requirement.

Answer

Group By

Answer

Remove Duplicates

Answer

Remove Rows -> Remove Blank Rows

Question 9

A company has a fact table with sales data and multiple dimension tables. They want to create a measure that calculates the total sales amount for the current year, but the measure returns incorrect results when used in a visual with a date hierarchy. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive.. If the relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive, measures that rely on time intelligence functions (like TOTALYTD, SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR, or a simple SUM with date filtering) will not automatically propagate filters from the date hierarchy to the fact table. In Power BI, only one active relationship can exist between two tables; inactive relationships require explicit activation via USERELATIONSHIP in DAX. Without that, the measure ignores the date filter and returns incorrect or blank results.

Answer

The date table is not marked as a date table in Power BI.

Answer

The fact table is not in a star schema; it is snowflaked.

Answer

The relationship between the date table and the fact table is set to bidirectional cross-filtering.

Question 10

Which TWO actions can you take in Power Query Editor to improve data quality and reduce load time? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Filter out empty rows.. Filtering out empty rows in Power Query Editor directly reduces the number of rows loaded into the data model, which decreases memory usage and improves refresh performance. This action also enhances data quality by removing incomplete records that could cause errors in measures or relationships. The other options either do not reduce load time or may increase it.

Answer

Split columns by delimiter to create more columns.

Answer

Sort the data by a key column.

Answer

Promote headers to use the first row as column names.

Answer

Merge queries to combine data from multiple sources.

Question 11

A data analyst creates a Power BI report that uses a date table with a continuous date range. They want to calculate the running total of sales over the last 12 months, ending on the last date in the current filter context. Which DAX expression should they use?

Accepted Answer

CALCULATE(SUM(Sales[Amount]), DATESINPERIOD('Date'[Date], MAX('Date'[Date]), -12, MONTH)). DATESINPERIOD('Date'[Date], MAX('Date'[Date]), -12, MONTH) returns a contiguous set of dates from 12 months before the last date in the current filter context up to that last date, providing an exact 12-month window. This function handles month boundaries correctly and is the standard way to calculate rolling 12-month totals in DAX. Option A uses 365 days, which can be imprecise due to leap years.

Answer

CALCULATE(SUM(Sales[Amount]), DATESBETWEEN('Date'[Date], MAX('Date'[Date]) - 365, MAX('Date'[Date])))

Answer

TOTALMTD(SUM(Sales[Amount]), 'Date'[Date])

Answer

CALCULATE(SUM(Sales[Amount]), DATESYTD('Date'[Date]))

Question 12

You manage a Power BI workspace that contains a dataset refreshed daily from an on-premises SQL Server. Users report that the report shows data from two days ago. You verify that the scheduled refresh ran successfully this morning. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The on-premises data source is misconfigured, causing the refresh to load data from an outdated source.. The most likely cause is that the on-premises data source is misconfigured (e.g., pointing to a stale backup or snapshot). This results in the scheduled refresh loading data from an outdated source, making it appear successful yet yielding old data. The gateway does not cache data; the issue lies in the data source reference.

Answer

The refresh took longer than expected and timed out.

Answer

The scheduled refresh is not set to refresh the dataset.

Answer

The on-premises data gateway is offline.

Question 13

A data analyst is designing a star schema in Power BI. The model includes a table named 'Orders' with columns: OrderID, CustomerID, OrderDate, ProductID, Quantity, and SalesAmount. Which column should NOT be included in the fact table to maintain a proper star schema?

Accepted Answer

OrderID. In a proper star schema, fact tables should contain quantitative measures and foreign keys to dimension tables. Columns like CustomerID and ProductID serve as foreign keys linking to dimension tables, so they should remain in the fact table. OrderID is a natural key that typically belongs in an Order dimension table; the fact table should use a surrogate OrderKey instead. Including OrderID directly would duplicate dimensional data and reduce modeling flexibility.

Answer

Quantity

Answer

SalesAmount

Answer

CustomerID

Question 14

You receive a Power Query error: 'Expression.Error: The key didn't match any rows in the table.' This occurs when merging two queries. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The join column in the first table contains values that do not exist in the second table.. The error 'The key didn't match any rows in the table' occurs during a merge operation when Power Query attempts to find a matching value from the first table's join column in the second table's join column, but no match exists. This is a standard behavior for inner joins or left outer joins where the lookup fails, and it typically indicates that the first table contains values absent in the second table.

Answer

The join columns have different data types.

Answer

The second table is empty due to a permission issue.

Answer

The join columns contain duplicate values.

Question 15

You have developed a Power BI report that uses a live connection to an Azure Analysis Services (AAS) model. The AAS model is deployed in a different Azure region. Users report that the report loads slowly, sometimes taking over 30 seconds to render a single visual. You need to improve performance without changing the data model or the report structure. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Deploy the Azure Analysis Services model to the same region as the Power BI workspace.. Deploying the Azure Analysis Services model to the same Azure region as the Power BI workspace minimizes network latency between the live connection client (Power BI) and the tabular model server. A live connection sends DAX queries over the XMLA protocol, and cross-region traffic introduces significant round-trip delays, which directly causes slow visual rendering. By co-locating the AAS server and the Power BI service in the same region, you reduce the physical distance and network hops, improving query response time without altering the model or report.

Answer

Enable the 'Reduce data shown in visuals' option in Power BI Desktop.

Answer

Implement row-level security (RLS) in the Azure Analysis Services model.

Answer

Convert the report to import mode and schedule a refresh.

Question 16

You are importing a CSV file into Power BI. The file contains a date column with values in the format 'MM/dd/yyyy'. However, Power Query interprets the dates as 'dd/MM/yyyy'. What should you do to correctly parse the dates?

Accepted Answer

Use the 'Using Locale' option in the Change Type step to select the appropriate locale (e.g., English (United States)). Power Query's 'Using Locale' option in the Change Type step allows you to specify the regional format of the source data (e.g., English (United States) for 'MM/dd/yyyy'). This overrides Power Query's default locale-based interpretation, ensuring dates are parsed correctly without altering the data or system settings.

Answer

Change the system region settings of the Power BI service to US

Answer

Change the column data type to Text and then manually replace separators

Answer

Split the column into day, month, and year, then combine them in the correct order

Question 17

A Power BI report contains a table visual that displays employee names and their total sales. The data model includes an Employee table with columns: EmployeeID, Name, Department, and HireDate. The Sales table has columns: SaleID, EmployeeID, Amount, and SaleDate. The relationship between Employee and Sales is one-to-many. The user wants to see only employees who have made at least one sale. However, the table shows all employees, including those with no sales (blank Amount). What is the most likely reason?

Accepted Answer

There is no visual-level filter to exclude blank values.. The table visual is showing all employees due to the absence of a visual-level filter to exclude blank or zero sales amounts. In Power BI, a one-to-many relationship between Employee and Sales means that employees without sales will still appear in the visual unless explicitly filtered out, as the relationship does not automatically suppress rows from the 'one' side when there are no matching rows on the 'many' side.

Answer

The EmployeeID column in the Employee table is hidden.

Answer

The relationship is many-to-one, not one-to-many.

Answer

The relationship direction is set to Single from Employee to Sales.

Question 18

You need to connect Power BI to an Excel file stored on a local network drive. The file is updated manually each morning. You want the Power BI report to always show the latest data when opened. Which data connectivity mode should you choose?

Accepted Answer

Import. (Import) is correct because Power BI must load the Excel data into its internal VertiPaq engine to support the full range of transformations and visualizations. Since the file is on a local network drive and updated manually, Import mode allows you to refresh the dataset on demand or via a scheduled refresh, ensuring the report always shows the latest data when opened. DirectQuery and Live Connection are not applicable because they require a live queryable data source (like SQL Server or Analysis Services), not a flat file.

Answer

Live Connection

Answer

Dual

Answer

DirectQuery

Question 19

You are building a Power BI semantic model that combines data from an on-premises SQL Server database and a SharePoint Online list. The SQL Server table contains 10 million rows and updates hourly. The SharePoint list contains 500 rows and updates daily. You need to minimize the data load time and ensure the model refreshes within the scheduled 30-minute window. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Use DirectQuery for the SQL Server table and Import mode for the SharePoint list.. Using DirectQuery for the large SQL Server table (10M rows, hourly updates) avoids importing all rows into the model, significantly reducing data load time and memory usage. Import mode for the small SharePoint list (500 rows, daily updates) is appropriate since it loads quickly and supports full DAX functionality, while the combination keeps the total refresh within the 30-minute window.

Answer

Set both tables to DirectQuery mode.

Answer

Set the SQL Server table to Dual mode and the SharePoint list to Import mode.

Answer

Import both tables into the model and disable incremental refresh.

Question 20

You have a Power BI model with a table named 'Orders' that contains columns: OrderID, CustomerID, OrderDate, and TotalAmount. You need to create a measure that calculates the total sales amount for orders placed in the last 30 days, but only for customers who have placed more than 5 orders in total. What is the most efficient DAX measure?

Accepted Answer

TotalSalesLast30Days = SUMX(FILTER(Orders, Orders[OrderDate] > TODAY() - 30 && CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), ALLEXCEPT(Orders, Orders[CustomerID])) > 5), Orders[TotalAmount]). It iterates over filtered rows where both conditions are met using a single FILTER and SUMX, which is syntactically valid and more efficient than multiple FILTER iterators. Option B is invalid because KEEPFILTERS expects a filter expression, not a scalar boolean result from CALCULATE(...) > 5.

Answer

TotalSalesLast30Days = CALCULATE(SUM(Orders[TotalAmount]), FILTER(Orders, Orders[OrderDate] > TODAY() - 30), FILTER(Orders, CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), ALLEXCEPT(Orders, Orders[CustomerID])) > 5))

Answer

TotalSalesLast30Days = CALCULATE(SUM(Orders[TotalAmount]), KEEPFILTERS(Orders[OrderDate] > TODAY() - 30), KEEPFILTERS(CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), ALLEXCEPT(Orders, Orders[CustomerID])) > 5))

Answer

TotalSalesLast30Days = CALCULATE(SUM(Orders[TotalAmount]), DATESINPERIOD(Orders[OrderDate], TODAY(), -30, DAY))