The correct answer is that transactions are structured data and reports are unstructured data. This distinction hinges on the presence of a predefined schema: the sales transactions are recorded as rows in a relational database, which imposes a fixed structure of columns and data types, making them easily queryable with SQL. In contrast, the weekly sales reports stored as PDF files lack any such schema or data model, requiring additional processing like OCR or text extraction to be queried. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this question tests your ability to classify data types based on storage format rather than content—a common trap is assuming all business documents are semi-structured. Remember the memory tip: if it fits neatly into rows and columns, it’s structured; if it’s a free-form file like a PDF or image, it’s unstructured.
DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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.
A company processes sales transactions in real-time from a retail website. Each transaction is recorded as a row in a relational database. Additionally, the company stores weekly sales reports as PDF files. Which statement correctly describes these data types?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Transactions are structured, reports are unstructured.
Transactions are structured because they are stored as rows in a relational database, which imposes a fixed schema with defined columns and data types. Weekly sales reports as PDF files are unstructured because they lack a predefined data model and cannot be easily queried using SQL without additional processing. Option B correctly identifies this distinction.
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.
✗
Transactions are unstructured, reports are semi-structured.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Transactions have a fixed schema so they are structured, not unstructured. Reports are not semi-structured; they lack a schema.
✓
Transactions are structured, reports are unstructured.
Why this is correct
Correct. Transactions have a rigid schema (structured), and PDF files lack a predefined schema (unstructured).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Both are structured because they are files.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Only data with a fixed schema is structured. PDF files do not have a predictable schema.
✗
Both are unstructured because they are digital.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Digital data can be structured (e.g., database tables) or unstructured (e.g., PDFs).
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'file format' with 'data structure', assuming all files are structured, when in fact PDFs are unstructured binary files that lack the row/column schema of relational data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Structured data in a relational database is organized into tables with rows and columns, enforced by a schema (e.g., SQL DDL) and supports ACID transactions. Unstructured data like PDFs uses a binary format (e.g., PDF 1.7 specification) that stores text, images, and layout as objects, requiring specialized parsers (e.g., Apache PDFBox) to extract content. In real-world scenarios, companies often use Azure Data Factory to ingest structured transaction data into Azure SQL Database while storing PDF reports in Azure Blob Storage for downstream analytics.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Describe core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Transactions are structured, reports are unstructured. — Transactions are structured because they are stored as rows in a relational database, which imposes a fixed schema with defined columns and data types. Weekly sales reports as PDF files are unstructured because they lack a predefined data model and cannot be easily queried using SQL without additional processing. Option B correctly identifies this distinction.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company stores product information such as product ID, name, price, and category in a relational database with rows and columns. This data is best described as:
easy
✓ A.Structured data
B.Semi-structured data
C.Unstructured data
D.Transactional data
Why A: Structured data conforms to a predefined schema with rows and columns, making it easily searchable and queryable via SQL. The product information (ID, name, price, category) fits this model exactly, as each attribute has a fixed data type and is stored in a relational database table.
Variation 2. A data file contains records for customer orders. Each record has fields for OrderID, CustomerID, and OrderDate that are present in every record. However, some records include an optional 'DiscountCode' field, and others include an optional 'GiftMessage' field. The file is stored in JSON format. Which type of data does this file represent?
easy
A.Structured data
✓ B.Semi-structured data
C.Unstructured data
D.Transactional data
Why B: The JSON file contains records with a fixed set of fields (OrderID, CustomerID, OrderDate) that are always present, but also includes optional fields (DiscountCode, GiftMessage) that may appear in some records but not others. This mix of a consistent schema with flexible, self-describing fields is the hallmark of semi-structured data. JSON itself is a semi-structured format because it uses key-value pairs and allows nested or optional attributes without requiring a rigid schema.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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