- A
Set a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects.
It prevents queries from scanning too much data.
- B
Create materialized copies of tables for each dashboard.
Why wrong: Copies increase storage costs.
- C
Schedule queries to run every minute to keep the cache warm.
Why wrong: Frequent queries increase slot consumption and costs.
- D
Enable BI Engine for all tables to speed up queries.
Why wrong: BI Engine has its own cost and is not free.
- E
Use flat-rate reservations for predictable workloads.
Reservations provide cost predictability and can be cheaper than on-demand.
Question 722 of 1,000
Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence →easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
Cost Control Strategies for BigQuery BI Queries
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of define data structures and implement sql for business intelligence. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO are effective strategies to control costs when running BI queries on BigQuery? (Choose two.)
Quick Answer
The answer is using flat-rate reservations for predictable workloads and setting a custom cost control (max bytes billed) to prevent runaway queries. Flat-rate reservations provide fixed pricing for steady BI workloads, eliminating the variable costs of on-demand pricing, while the max bytes billed setting acts as a hard cap on query processing, ensuring no single query exceeds your budget. On the Google Professional Cloud Database Engineer exam, this topic tests your ability to balance performance and cost in BigQuery, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must choose between on-demand, flat-rate, and BI Engine pricing models. A common trap is assuming BI Engine always reduces costs—it actually adds reservation costs on top of compute. Another pitfall is thinking scheduled queries are inherently cheaper; they can inflate costs if not tuned. Remember the mnemonic “Flat and Cap” for flat-rate reservations and custom cost caps, as these two directly control spend without hidden fees.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects.
Option A is correct because setting a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects in BigQuery allows you to cap the amount of data processed per query, preventing runaway costs from accidental or inefficient queries. This is a direct cost control mechanism that enforces a hard stop on query bytes processed, ensuring that users cannot exceed a predefined budget.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Set a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects.
Why this is correct
It prevents queries from scanning too much data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create materialized copies of tables for each dashboard.
Why it's wrong here
Copies increase storage costs.
- ✗
Schedule queries to run every minute to keep the cache warm.
Why it's wrong here
Frequent queries increase slot consumption and costs.
- ✗
Enable BI Engine for all tables to speed up queries.
Why it's wrong here
BI Engine has its own cost and is not free.
- ✓
Use flat-rate reservations for predictable workloads.
Why this is correct
Reservations provide cost predictability and can be cheaper than on-demand.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse performance optimization strategies (like BI Engine or caching) with cost control measures, but the question specifically asks for strategies that control costs, not improve speed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BigQuery's maximum bytes billed limit is enforced at the project level via the `maximum_bytes_billed` parameter in the `default_query_job_config` or through organization policies. When a query exceeds this limit, it is rejected with a `bytesBilledLimitExceeded` error, preventing any charges beyond the cap. This is particularly useful in multi-tenant environments where you want to allow ad-hoc queries without risking budget overruns, and it works alongside flat-rate reservations (Option E) which provide predictable pricing for steady workloads.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCDE questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud Database Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCDE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCDE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service.
Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Bootstrapping a Google Cloud Organisation for DevOps.
Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Applying Site Reliability Engineering Practices to a Service.
Implementing Service Monitoring Strategies practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Implementing Service Monitoring Strategies.
Optimising Service Performance practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Optimising Service Performance.
Plan and manage database infrastructure practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Plan and manage database infrastructure.
Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence.
Design and implement database schemas practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Design and implement database schemas.
Monitor and optimize database performance practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to Monitor and optimize database performance.
PCDE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to PCDE fundamentals.
PCDE scenario practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to PCDE scenario.
PCDE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCDE questions linked to PCDE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCDE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence — This question tests Define data structures and implement SQL for Business Intelligence — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects. — Option A is correct because setting a maximum bytes billed limit for user projects in BigQuery allows you to cap the amount of data processed per query, preventing runaway costs from accidental or inefficient queries. This is a direct cost control mechanism that enforces a hard stop on query bytes processed, ensuring that users cannot exceed a predefined budget.
What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More PCDE practice questions
- A company stores sensor data in BigQuery. They have a table 'sensor_readings' with columns: sensor_id, reading_time, val…
- Which THREE are valid considerations when designing BigQuery tables for BI reporting?
- A company uses Cloud Build to build Docker images. They want to cache intermediate layers to speed up subsequent builds.…
- A company is adopting GitOps for their GKE clusters using Config Sync. They need to meet the following requirements: (1)…
- A team is migrating an on-premises PostgreSQL database to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL. The existing schema uses a large num…
- A DevOps engineer is setting up Docker credential helper for Artifact Registry on a Cloud Build worker. They want the bu…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCDE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCDE exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.