DP-203 Derived Column Practice Question
You are designing a data processing solution in Azure Data Factory that uses mapping data flows. You need to perform type conversions on incoming data. Which two transformations can be used to change data types? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Derived Column
Options B and E are correct. Derived Column can change data types through expressions, and Select can cast types during column projection. Option C (Assert) is incorrect because it only validates and routes rows based on conditions; it does not convert data types. Option A (Conditional Split) and Option D (Sort) are also incorrect.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Conditional Split
Why it's wrong here
Conditional Split routes rows to different streams based on expressions and leaves column data types untouched. It is used for branching logic, so it would be correct when rows must be separated by criteria, not when casting a column from string to decimal.
- ✓
Derived Column
Why this is correct
The Derived Column transformation lets you add or replace columns and explicitly set their data types through the expression builder, so incoming string values can be cast to integer, date or decimal within the mapping data flow.
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Assert
Why it's wrong here
Assert evaluates a condition and fails the flow when it is not met; it validates data rather than converting it. It is used to enforce data-quality rules mid-pipeline, so it would be correct when rows must be rejected on a business rule, not when changing column data types.
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Sort
Why it's wrong here
Sort orders rows by column values and cannot alter a column's data type. It is used to sequence records before windowed or aggregate operations, so it would be the right transformation when row ordering matters, not when converting string values to integers or timestamps.
- ✓
Select
Why this is correct
The Select transformation includes a type conversion capability, letting you map each incoming column to a specified data type and rename or drop columns in the same step, satisfying the requirement to change data types within mapping data flows.
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