- A
The date table is not marked as a date table in Power BI.
Why wrong: Marking the date table is important for time intelligence, but missing it would not directly cause incorrect results when using a date hierarchy; it would cause time intelligence functions to fail.
- B
The fact table is not in a star schema; it is snowflaked.
Why wrong: Snowflake schema is acceptable in Power BI; it does not directly cause incorrect measure results.
- C
The relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive.
If the relationship is inactive, it must be activated using USERELATIONSHIP in the measure; otherwise, the measure will not filter correctly by date.
- D
The relationship between the date table and the fact table is set to bidirectional cross-filtering.
Why wrong: Bidirectional filtering is not required for correct results; it can cause ambiguity but not typically incorrect measure results.
Quick Answer
The answer is an inactive relationship between the date table and the fact table. This is the most likely cause because Power BI only allows one active relationship between two tables; any additional relationships are inactive by default. When a measure uses time intelligence functions like TOTALYTD or SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR, or even a simple SUM with date filtering, the filter from a date hierarchy cannot propagate to the fact table through an inactive relationship, resulting in incorrect or blank results. On the PL-300 exam, this tests your understanding of relationship management and DAX context transition, often appearing as a trap where a visual shows no data or wrong totals despite a proper date table. The fix requires explicit activation using USERELATIONSHIP in your measure. Memory tip: think of inactive relationships as “sleeping filters”—they need USERELATIONSHIP to wake them up and pass the date context correctly.
PL-300 Model the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of model the data. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 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?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive.
Option C is correct because 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.
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.
- ✗
The date table is not marked as a date table in Power BI.
Why it's wrong here
Marking the date table is important for time intelligence, but missing it would not directly cause incorrect results when using a date hierarchy; it would cause time intelligence functions to fail.
- ✗
The fact table is not in a star schema; it is snowflaked.
Why it's wrong here
Snowflake schema is acceptable in Power BI; it does not directly cause incorrect measure results.
- ✓
The relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive.
Why this is correct
If the relationship is inactive, it must be activated using USERELATIONSHIP in the measure; otherwise, the measure will not filter correctly by date.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The relationship between the date table and the fact table is set to bidirectional cross-filtering.
Why it's wrong here
Bidirectional filtering is not required for correct results; it can cause ambiguity but not typically incorrect measure results.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume any relationship between tables will automatically filter, but Power BI requires exactly one active relationship per pair of tables, and inactive relationships are ignored unless explicitly activated in DAX.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Power BI uses a single active relationship path to propagate filters from a date table to a fact table. When the relationship is inactive, the engine treats it as a non-filtering link, so any DAX expression that does not explicitly invoke USERELATIONSHIP will not use that path. A common real-world scenario is when a fact table has multiple date columns (e.g., OrderDate, ShipDate) and only one can be active; the inactive relationship for ShipDate will cause measures to fail unless USERELATIONSHIP is used.
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.
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.
- →
Model the data — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Model the data practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PL-300 questions
966 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst PL-300 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PL-300 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PL-300 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Prepare the data practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to Prepare the data.
Deploy and maintain assets practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to Deploy and maintain assets.
Model the data practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to Model the data.
Visualize and analyze the data practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to Visualize and analyze the data.
Manage and secure Power BI practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to Manage and secure Power BI.
PL-300 fundamentals practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to PL-300 fundamentals.
PL-300 scenario practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to PL-300 scenario.
PL-300 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PL-300 questions linked to PL-300 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PL-300 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 PL-300 question test?
Model the data — This question tests Model the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The relationship between the date table and the fact table is inactive. — Option C is correct because 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.
What should I do if I get this PL-300 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This PL-300 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 PL-300 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.