Quick Answer
The answer is to use the Extract - Duration transformation or split the column by a space delimiter. The Extract - Duration method works by calculating the duration from midnight, which isolates the time component from a full datetime value like '2023-10-15 14:30:00' into a pure time format. Splitting by a space delimiter separates the date and time strings into two columns, allowing you to discard the date portion and keep only the time. On the PL-300 exam, this tests your ability to handle datetime transformations in Power Query, often appearing in data preparation scenarios from SQL Server or other databases. A common trap is confusing Extract - Duration with extracting just the hour or minute, which gives a number, not a full time value. To remember, think of Duration as "time since midnight" — it literally measures how much of the day has passed, giving you the time portion cleanly.
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 from a SQL Server database. The table 'Sales' contains a column 'OrderDate' that includes both date and time (e.g., '2023-10-15 14:30:00'). You need to create a separate column for the time portion only. Which TWO Power Query transformations can you use?
Extract - Duration
Extracts time as duration from midnight.
Extract - Year
Why wrong: Extracts year, not time.
Merge Columns
Why wrong: Combines columns, not extract time.
Format - Trim
Why wrong: Trims spaces, does not extract time.
Split Column by Delimiter (space)
Splits date and time into two columns.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Extract - Duration
Option A is correct because the 'Extract - Duration' transformation in Power Query extracts the time portion from a datetime column by calculating the duration since midnight, effectively isolating the time component. Option E is correct because splitting the column by a space delimiter separates the date and time parts into two columns, allowing you to keep only the time portion. Both methods produce a time-only value suitable for analysis.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Extract - Duration
Why this is correct
Extracts time as duration from midnight.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Extract - Year
Why it's wrong here
Extracts year, not time.
Merge Columns
Why it's wrong here
Combines columns, not extract time.
Format - Trim
Why it's wrong here
Trims spaces, does not extract time.
Split Column by Delimiter (space)
Why this is correct
Splits date and time into two columns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may think 'Extract - Duration' is only for calculating time differences, not for isolating the time portion, or they may overlook that splitting by a space delimiter is a valid alternative to more complex date/time functions.
Detailed technical explanation
In Power Query, 'Extract - Duration' uses the underlying M function `Time.From` to convert a datetime to a time value by subtracting the date part (effectively using `DateTime.Time`). Splitting by delimiter leverages the `Table.SplitColumn` function with a space as the delimiter, which works because SQL Server's datetime format includes a space between date and time. A subtle behavior: if the time includes milliseconds, splitting by space still works, but you may need to handle leading zeros or AM/PM if the data uses 12-hour format.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Prepare the data — This question tests Prepare the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Extract - Duration — Option A is correct because the 'Extract - Duration' transformation in Power Query extracts the time portion from a datetime column by calculating the duration since midnight, effectively isolating the time component. Option E is correct because splitting the column by a space delimiter separates the date and time parts into two columns, allowing you to keep only the time portion. Both methods produce a time-only value suitable for analysis.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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