The answer is that the Date table’s year-end date is set to December 31, causing DATESYTD to return blank for all months except December. This happens because the DATESYTD function in DAX calculates a year-to-date period based on the last date of the year defined in the Date table’s metadata; if the year ends in December, the function only recognizes December as the final month, so it filters out all earlier months. On the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst PL-300 exam, this tests your understanding of how time intelligence functions rely on the Date table’s configuration, not just the relationship or measure syntax—a common trap is assuming DATESYTD always works from January, when it actually uses the table’s specified year-end. Remember the memory tip: “YTD follows the year’s end, not the year’s start,” so always check your Date table’s year-end date if YTD results seem missing.
PL-300 Model the data Practice Question
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```dax
Sales YTD =
CALCULATE(
SUM(Sales[Amount]),
DATESYTD('Date'[Date])
)
```
The model has a Date table marked as a date table and a relationship to Sales[OrderDate]. However, the measure returns BLANK for all months except December. What is the most likely cause?
Refer to the exhibit. The DAX measure 'Sales YTD' is defined as shown. The model has a Date table marked as a date table and a relationship to Sales[OrderDate]. However, the measure returns BLANK for all months except December. 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.
Refer to the exhibit.
```dax
Sales YTD =
CALCULATE(
SUM(Sales[Amount]),
DATESYTD('Date'[Date])
)
```
The model has a Date table marked as a date table and a relationship to Sales[OrderDate]. However, the measure returns BLANK for all months except December. What is the most likely cause?
A
The measure uses 'Date'[Date] but the fact table uses 'Sales'[OrderDate].
Why wrong: The measure correctly uses the Date table column.
B
The Date table is not marked as a date table.
Why wrong: If not marked, time intelligence functions would return an error, not BLANK.
C
The Date table's year-end date is December 31, so YTD only shows data for December.
DATESYTD uses the year-end date from the date table; if the fiscal year ends in December, YTD for other months returns BLANK.
D
The relationship between the Date table and Sales table is inactive.
Why wrong: An inactive relationship would cause BLANK for all months, not just December.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Date table's year-end date is December 31, so YTD only shows data for December.
Option D is correct because DATESYTD uses the date table's year-end date, which by default is December 31. If the Date table's year ends in December, the YTD calculation only returns values for that month. Option A is wrong because the relationship is correctly configured. Option B is wrong because the measure uses the Date table column. Option C is wrong because the Date table is marked as a date table.
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 measure uses 'Date'[Date] but the fact table uses 'Sales'[OrderDate].
Why it's wrong here
The measure correctly uses the Date table column.
✗
The Date table is not marked as a date table.
Why it's wrong here
If not marked, time intelligence functions would return an error, not BLANK.
✓
The Date table's year-end date is December 31, so YTD only shows data for December.
Why this is correct
DATESYTD uses the year-end date from the date table; if the fiscal year ends in December, YTD for other months returns BLANK.
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 Sales table is inactive.
Why it's wrong here
An inactive relationship would cause BLANK for all months, not just December.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 PL-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 Date table's year-end date is December 31, so YTD only shows data for December. — Option D is correct because DATESYTD uses the date table's year-end date, which by default is December 31. If the Date table's year ends in December, the YTD calculation only returns values for that month. Option A is wrong because the relationship is correctly configured. Option B is wrong because the measure uses the Date table column. Option C is wrong because the Date table is marked as a date table.
What should I do if I get this PL-300 question wrong?
Identify which PL-300 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
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.
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.