- A
The Discount column might have negative values causing the total to be incorrect.
Why wrong: Negative discounts would affect the total but not the filter behavior.
- B
The measure should use SUM instead of SUMX because there are no row-level calculations.
Why wrong: The measure needs SUMX to multiply columns per row.
- C
The Date table is not marked as a date table, and the relationship is not set to filter in both directions.
If the Date table is not properly marked, the slicer may not filter the Sales table correctly. Also, the relationship direction should be single from Date to Sales.
- D
The measure does not use the Date table; it references only the Sales table, so it ignores filters from other tables.
Why wrong: The measure references Sales, which is filtered by Date via the relationship, so it should respond to slicers.
PL-300 Model the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of model 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 building a Power BI report for a sales team. You have a table named 'Sales' with columns: SalesDate, ProductID, Quantity, UnitPrice, Discount. You also have a 'Date' table with continuous date range. You create a relationship from Sales[SalesDate] to Date[Date]. You need to calculate the total sales amount (Quantity * UnitPrice - Discount). You write the following measure:
TotalSales = SUMX(Sales, Sales[Quantity] * Sales[UnitPrice] - Sales[Discount])
The measure returns the correct total. However, when you slice by month from the Date table, the total does not change. 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 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
The Date table is not marked as a date table, and the relationship is not set to filter in both directions.
Option C is correct because when a Date table is not marked as a date table, Power BI does not automatically enable bidirectional cross-filtering between the Date and Sales tables. Without this, slicers on the Date table (e.g., month) do not propagate filters to the Sales table, so the measure, which iterates over Sales rows, remains unaffected. Marking the Date table as a date table ensures that date hierarchies and slicers correctly filter related fact tables.
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 Discount column might have negative values causing the total to be incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
Negative discounts would affect the total but not the filter behavior.
- ✗
The measure should use SUM instead of SUMX because there are no row-level calculations.
Why it's wrong here
The measure needs SUMX to multiply columns per row.
- ✓
The Date table is not marked as a date table, and the relationship is not set to filter in both directions.
Why this is correct
If the Date table is not properly marked, the slicer may not filter the Sales table correctly. Also, the relationship direction should be single from Date to Sales.
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 measure does not use the Date table; it references only the Sales table, so it ignores filters from other tables.
Why it's wrong here
The measure references Sales, which is filtered by Date via the relationship, so it should respond to slicers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume any relationship automatically allows filters to flow in both directions, but Power BI requires explicit configuration (marking as date table or setting bidirectional cross-filtering) for date-based slicers to affect measures that only reference the fact table.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Power BI uses a star schema where dimension tables (like Date) filter fact tables (like Sales) via relationships. By default, relationships are single-direction (from dimension to fact). If the Date table is not marked as a date table, Power BI may not treat it as a proper dimension for time intelligence, and slicers on its columns may not automatically apply filters to the Sales table. Marking it as a date table enables automatic bidirectional filtering for date hierarchies, ensuring slicers on month or year affect measures like TotalSales.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PL-300 question test?
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 is not marked as a date table, and the relationship is not set to filter in both directions. — Option C is correct because when a Date table is not marked as a date table, Power BI does not automatically enable bidirectional cross-filtering between the Date and Sales tables. Without this, slicers on the Date table (e.g., month) do not propagate filters to the Sales table, so the measure, which iterates over Sales rows, remains unaffected. Marking the Date table as a date table ensures that date hierarchies and slicers correctly filter related fact tables.
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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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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