The answer is a misconfigured gateway data source, which causes Power BI to serve stale data after a successful refresh. When the on-premises data gateway’s connection string or credentials are incorrect, the scheduled refresh may appear to complete successfully but actually loads a cached version of the dataset rather than querying the live SQL Server, leaving users with data from two days ago. On the PL-300 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of gateway caching behavior and the distinction between a refresh that runs versus one that retrieves fresh data—a common trap is assuming a green refresh status guarantees updated results. Remember the memory tip: “Green check, stale deck” means a successful refresh icon can hide a gateway cache issue, so always verify the data source configuration when reports lag behind the refresh schedule.
PL-300 Deploy and maintain assets Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and maintain assets. 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 manage a Power BI workspace that contains a dataset refreshed daily from an on-premises SQL Server. Users report that the report shows data from two days ago. You verify that the scheduled refresh ran successfully this morning. 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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The gateway is using a cached version of the data due to a misconfigured data source.
Option A is correct because the most likely cause is that the on-premises data gateway is using a cached version of the data due to a misconfigured data source. When the data source is misconfigured (e.g., incorrect credentials or connection string), the gateway may fall back to a previously cached dataset, causing the report to show stale data even though the scheduled refresh appears to have run successfully. This explains why users see data from two days ago despite a successful refresh this morning.
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 gateway is using a cached version of the data due to a misconfigured data source.
Why this is correct
A misconfigured gateway cache can cause stale data.
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 refresh took longer than expected and timed out.
Why it's wrong here
The refresh completed successfully, so timeout is not the issue.
✗
The scheduled refresh is not set to refresh the dataset.
Why it's wrong here
The refresh ran successfully, so scheduling is not the issue.
✗
The on-premises data gateway is offline.
Why it's wrong here
If the gateway were offline, the refresh would fail.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a successful refresh always means fresh data, but the gateway's caching behavior can mask a misconfigured data source, leading to stale data without an error.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Power BI uses the on-premises data gateway to connect to SQL Server, and the gateway caches data source metadata and credentials. A misconfigured data source (e.g., stale credentials or an incorrect server name) can cause the gateway to use a cached snapshot instead of fetching fresh data, leading to a successful refresh status but outdated results. This behavior is distinct from a refresh failure and is a known pitfall when managing gateway data sources.
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.
Deploy and maintain assets — This question tests Deploy and maintain assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The gateway is using a cached version of the data due to a misconfigured data source. — Option A is correct because the most likely cause is that the on-premises data gateway is using a cached version of the data due to a misconfigured data source. When the data source is misconfigured (e.g., incorrect credentials or connection string), the gateway may fall back to a previously cached dataset, causing the report to show stale data even though the scheduled refresh appears to have run successfully. This explains why users see data from two days ago despite a successful refresh this morning.
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
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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 user reports that a Power BI report is not refreshing data from a SQL Server database. The dataset uses Import mode. The gateway cluster shows all gateways are online. What is the most likely cause?
easy
A.The report is using a scheduled refresh with a conflicting time.
B.The gateway version is incompatible with the SQL Server version.
C.The dataset uses DirectQuery mode which requires a live connection.
✓ D.The data source credentials are incorrect or expired.
Why D: Option D is correct because in Import mode, Power BI caches data and refreshes it on a schedule using stored credentials. If those credentials expire or become invalid, the refresh fails even though the gateway cluster shows as online. The gateway being online only indicates network connectivity, not that the stored credentials are still valid for the SQL Server database.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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.
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