This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of model the data. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 Power BI dataset that contains a date table with columns: Date, Year, Month, Quarter, Day. The data model also includes a sales fact table with a SalesDate column. To enable time intelligence functions like TOTALYTD, what is the minimum requirement for the relationship between these tables?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a one-to-many relationship from the date table to the sales table and mark the date table as a date table.
Option B is correct because time intelligence functions like TOTALYTD require a properly configured date table marked as a date table, with a one-to-many relationship from the date table to the sales fact table. This ensures that the date table provides a continuous, unique set of dates that Power BI can use for time-based calculations, and marking it as a date table enables the engine to recognize it as the primary date dimension for time intelligence.
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.
✗
Create a calculated column in the sales table to extract the date part and relate it to the date table.
Why it's wrong here
A calculated column is unnecessary if the relationship is already established.
✓
Create a one-to-many relationship from the date table to the sales table and mark the date table as a date table.
Why this is correct
This is the standard requirement for time intelligence.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a many-to-many relationship between the date table and the sales table.
Why it's wrong here
Time intelligence functions require a one-to-many relationship.
✗
Create a one-to-many relationship from the sales table to the date table with bidirectional cross-filtering.
Why it's wrong here
Bidirectional filtering is not required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think any relationship between a date table and a fact table is sufficient, but they overlook the critical step of marking the date table as a date table, which is mandatory for time intelligence functions to work correctly.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Power BI's time intelligence functions like TOTALYTD use the marked date table to generate a continuous date range and apply DAX time shifting logic (e.g., DATESYTD). The relationship must be one-to-many from the date table to the fact table to ensure that filters on the date table propagate correctly to the fact table, and marking the date table as a date table tells the engine to use its Date column as the primary time axis, enabling automatic calendar generation and time-based calculations. In real-world scenarios, failing to mark the date table can cause time intelligence functions to return incorrect results or errors, especially when the fact table has gaps in dates.
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 — 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: Create a one-to-many relationship from the date table to the sales table and mark the date table as a date table. — Option B is correct because time intelligence functions like TOTALYTD require a properly configured date table marked as a date table, with a one-to-many relationship from the date table to the sales fact table. This ensures that the date table provides a continuous, unique set of dates that Power BI can use for time-based calculations, and marking it as a date table enables the engine to recognize it as the primary date dimension for time intelligence.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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