- A
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Sales[StoreID]), DATESMTD('Calendar'[Date])) >= 10))
This correctly filters products with at least 10 stores in the current month (using DATESMTD) and then calculates the running total over the last 12 months.
- B
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), VALUES(Sales[ProductID]))
Why wrong: VALUES keeps the current filter context but does not filter products with fewer than 10 stores.
- C
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), ALL('Calendar'))
Why wrong: This calculates running total for all products without the store count filter.
- D
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), COUNTROWS(SUMMARIZE(Sales, Sales[StoreID])) >= 10))
Why wrong: This filter evaluates store count over the entire period, not just the current month.
PL-300 Visualize and analyze the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of visualize and analyze 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.
You are a Power BI analyst for a retail company. You have a dataset containing a 'Sales' table with columns: SalesDate, StoreID, ProductID, Quantity, UnitPrice, and Discount. You also have a 'Calendar' table marked as a date table with a continuous date range from 2018 to 2023. You need to create a measure that calculates the running total of sales amount (Quantity * (UnitPrice - Discount)) over the last 12 months, but only for products that have been sold in at least 10 different stores in the current month. The measure should be dynamic based on the current filter context (e.g., month, year). The report will be used by regional managers to monitor product performance. You have already created a base measure: TotalSales = SUMX(Sales, Sales[Quantity] * (Sales[UnitPrice] - Sales[Discount])). Which DAX measure should you create?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Sales[StoreID]), DATESMTD('Calendar'[Date])) >= 10))
Option A is correct because it uses CALCULATE with DATESINPERIOD to compute the running total over the last 12 months, and then applies a filter that restricts the calculation to only those products that have been sold in at least 10 distinct stores in the current month (via DATESMTD). The use of ALL(Sales[ProductID]) inside the filter ensures that the product-level filtering is applied over all products, while the inner CALCULATE with DATESMTD evaluates the store count condition within the current month context, making the measure dynamic based on the filter context.
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.
- ✓
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Sales[StoreID]), DATESMTD('Calendar'[Date])) >= 10))
Why this is correct
This correctly filters products with at least 10 stores in the current month (using DATESMTD) and then calculates the running total over the last 12 months.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), VALUES(Sales[ProductID]))
Why it's wrong here
VALUES keeps the current filter context but does not filter products with fewer than 10 stores.
- ✗
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), ALL('Calendar'))
Why it's wrong here
This calculates running total for all products without the store count filter.
- ✗
RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), COUNTROWS(SUMMARIZE(Sales, Sales[StoreID])) >= 10))
Why it's wrong here
This filter evaluates store count over the entire period, not just the current month.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often forget to use ALL() to expand the product context and instead use VALUES(), which restricts the filter to only products already in the current selection, or they fail to nest a separate CALCULATE with DATESMTD to evaluate the store count condition specifically for the current month.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The DATESINPERIOD function shifts the date window back 12 months from the last date in the current filter context, enabling a rolling 12-month total. The inner CALCULATE with DATESMTD restricts the store count evaluation to the current month, which is critical because the condition 'sold in at least 10 different stores in the current month' must be evaluated per month, not over the entire 12-month window. Using ALL(Sales[ProductID]) inside the outer filter ensures that the product condition is applied globally, not limited to products already visible in the current context.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PL-300 question test?
Visualize and analyze the data — This question tests Visualize and analyze the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: RunningTotal = CALCULATE([TotalSales], DATESINPERIOD('Calendar'[Date], MAX('Calendar'[Date]), -12, MONTH), FILTER(ALL(Sales[ProductID]), CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Sales[StoreID]), DATESMTD('Calendar'[Date])) >= 10)) — Option A is correct because it uses CALCULATE with DATESINPERIOD to compute the running total over the last 12 months, and then applies a filter that restricts the calculation to only those products that have been sold in at least 10 distinct stores in the current month (via DATESMTD). The use of ALL(Sales[ProductID]) inside the filter ensures that the product-level filtering is applied over all products, while the inner CALCULATE with DATESMTD evaluates the store count condition within the current month context, making the measure dynamic based on the filter context.
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: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
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