The answer is a one-to-many, single direction relationship configured from the Date table to the Sales table. This configuration is correct because the Date table acts as the lookup or dimension table, while Sales is the fact table containing transactional data; setting the cardinality as one-to-many from Date to Sales ensures each date can relate to multiple sales records. The single cross-filter direction from Date to Sales guarantees that when you apply a date filter, all dates in the Date table remain visible, even if no sales occurred on a given date—this is essential for showing complete time series without gaps. On the PL-300 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of star schema fundamentals and the impact of filter propagation; a common trap is choosing bidirectional filtering, which is unnecessary here and can create ambiguous relationships. Remember the memory tip: “Dimension filters fact, not the other way around”—the Date table should always drive the filter direction to preserve all date rows.
PL-300 Model the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of model the data. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
You are building a star schema in Power BI. The Sales table contains sales amount, quantity, and discount. You need to create a relationship between Sales and a Date table. The Date table must have a one-to-many relationship with Sales, and all date filters must show sales even if no sales occurred on that date. Which relationship configuration should you use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
One-to-many, single direction (Date filters Sales)
Option D is correct: Single direction filter from Date to Sales ensures all dates are shown when used as a filter, and one-to-many is the appropriate cardinality. Option A is wrong because bidirectional filter is unnecessary and can cause ambiguity. Option B is wrong because many-to-one is the reverse relationship. Option C is wrong because cross-filter direction both is not needed.
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.
✗
One-to-many, single direction (Sales filters Date)
Why it's wrong here
Wrong filter direction; Sales should not filter Date.
✓
One-to-many, single direction (Date filters Sales)
Why this is correct
Correct cardinality and filter direction ensures all dates are shown.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
One-to-many, both directions
Why it's wrong here
Bidirectional filtering is not required and may cause ambiguity.
✗
Many-to-one, single direction (Date filters Sales)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect cardinality; Date is the lookup table, so cardinality should be one-to-many.
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: One-to-many, single direction (Date filters Sales) — Option D is correct: Single direction filter from Date to Sales ensures all dates are shown when used as a filter, and one-to-many is the appropriate cardinality. Option A is wrong because bidirectional filter is unnecessary and can cause ambiguity. Option B is wrong because many-to-one is the reverse relationship. Option C is wrong because cross-filter direction both is not needed.
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.
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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