The answer is to replace the opening parenthesis with a minus sign, remove the closing parenthesis and comma, then change the data type to Decimal. This sequence works because Power Query treats parentheses as literal characters, not as negative indicators, so you must manually convert the parenthetical negative values into a standard minus sign before the number. On the PL-300 exam, this task tests your ability to handle common data cleaning challenges with CSV imports, where negative amounts are often formatted with parentheses instead of a dash. A frequent trap is changing the data type too early, which causes an error since the parentheses and commas are non-numeric characters. To remember the order, think “sign first, then strip the rest”: put the minus where the left parenthesis was, then remove the right parenthesis and comma, and finally convert to a number.
PL-300 Prepare the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of prepare 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 importing data from a CSV file into Power BI. The file contains a column 'SalesAmount' with values like '1,234.56' and '(987.65)' for negative amounts. You need to transform this column into a decimal number. Which sequence of Power Query steps achieves this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Replace Values ('(' with '-'), Replace Values (')' with ''), Replace Values (',' with ''), then Change Type to Decimal
Option D is correct because it first removes the comma thousands separator, then replaces the opening parenthesis with a minus sign, removes the closing parenthesis, and finally changes the data type to Decimal. This sequence ensures that the negative indicator is properly placed before the numeric value and that the string is cleanly formatted for type conversion.
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.
✗
Change Type to Decimal, then Replace Values (',' with ''), then Replace Values ('(' with '-')
Why it's wrong here
Changing type before cleaning will cause errors.
✗
Replace Values (',' with ''), then Replace Values ('(' with '-'), then Replace Values (')' with ''), then Change Type to Decimal
Why it's wrong here
Replacing commas before parentheses may still leave negative sign issue.
✗
Replace Values (',' with ''), Change Type to Decimal, then Replace Values ('(' with '-')
Why it's wrong here
Type conversion before handling parentheses fails.
✓
Replace Values ('(' with '-'), Replace Values (')' with ''), Replace Values (',' with ''), then Change Type to Decimal
Why this is correct
Correct order: handle negative sign first, then remove comma, then type conversion.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often try to change the data type too early, before cleaning the string, or they forget to remove the closing parenthesis after replacing the opening one, leading to conversion errors.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Power Query's type conversion is strict: it expects a clean numeric string without non-numeric characters like commas or parentheses. By removing the comma first, you avoid issues with locale-specific number formatting. Replacing '(' with '-' before removing ')' ensures the minus sign is correctly positioned, and removing ')' afterward leaves a valid negative number string like '-987.65' that can be safely converted to Decimal.
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.
Prepare the data — This question tests Prepare the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replace Values ('(' with '-'), Replace Values (')' with ''), Replace Values (',' with ''), then Change Type to Decimal — Option D is correct because it first removes the comma thousands separator, then replaces the opening parenthesis with a minus sign, removes the closing parenthesis, and finally changes the data type to Decimal. This sequence ensures that the negative indicator is properly placed before the numeric value and that the string is cleanly formatted for type conversion.
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.
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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