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 preparing data for a Power BI report that requires a date table with continuous dates from 2020 to 2025. Which TWO methods can you use to create this date table in Power Query?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the List.Dates function to generate a list of dates.
Option D is correct because the List.Dates function in Power Query M generates a continuous list of dates by specifying a start date, a count of dates, and a step duration. This list can then be converted into a table, making it ideal for creating a date table directly in Power Query without leaving the data transformation environment.
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.
✗
Use the 'Enter Data' feature and manually type dates.
Why it's wrong here
Impractical for 5+ years of daily dates.
✗
Use the CALENDAR DAX function in a calculated table.
Why it's wrong here
CALENDAR is DAX, not Power Query.
✗
Reference another query that already has dates.
Why it's wrong here
This doesn't create a date table if none exists.
✓
Use the List.Dates function to generate a list of dates.
Why this is correct
List.Dates generates a date list that can be converted to a table.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Create a blank query and use #date and List.Transform to generate dates.
Why this is correct
You can use M language to generate dates manually.
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 confuse DAX functions (like CALENDAR) with Power Query M functions (like List.Dates), leading them to select Option B even though the question explicitly restricts the scope to Power Query.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The List.Dates function uses a step parameter (e.g., #duration(1,0,0,0) for daily increments) to generate a list of date values, which can be transformed into a table using Table.FromList or by converting the list to a table via the 'To Table' button. Under the hood, Power Query evaluates this lazily, meaning the list is materialized only when needed, but for a range of 2,190 days (2020–2025), performance is negligible. A real-world scenario is creating a fiscal date table where you need custom columns like fiscal year or week number, which is straightforward with List.Dates in Power Query.
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: Use the List.Dates function to generate a list of dates. — Option D is correct because the List.Dates function in Power Query M generates a continuous list of dates by specifying a start date, a count of dates, and a step duration. This list can then be converted into a table, making it ideal for creating a date table directly in Power Query without leaving the data transformation environment.
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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