The correct answer is that there is no active relationship between the Sales table and the Product and Date tables. SUMMARIZECOLUMNS automatically applies filter context from the grouping columns, but if the tables involved lack an active relationship, the engine cannot propagate those filters to the Sales table, resulting in blank measures. This is a classic PL-300 exam trap: candidates often overlook that SUMMARIZECOLUMNS does not create cross-table filtering on its own—it relies entirely on existing model relationships. On the exam, you might see a SUMMARIZECOLUMNS blank result in DAX Studio, and the trick is to check the model diagram for inactive or missing relationships rather than suspecting syntax errors. Remember the mnemonic: “No link, no think”—without an active relationship, SUMMARIZECOLUMNS returns blanks for any measure referencing an unrelated table.
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. The following is a DAX measure:
EVALUATE
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(
'Product'[Category],
'Date'[Year],
"Total Sales", SUM('Sales'[Amount]),
"Total Cost", SUM('Sales'[Cost])
)
ORDER BY 'Product'[Category], 'Date'[Year]
You run the above DAX query in DAX Studio. The result set shows a row for each Category and Year combination, but the Total Sales and Total Cost columns are both blank. What is the most likely reason?
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.
Refer to the exhibit. The following is a DAX measure:
EVALUATE
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(
'Product'[Category],
'Date'[Year],
"Total Sales", SUM('Sales'[Amount]),
"Total Cost", SUM('Sales'[Cost])
)
ORDER BY 'Product'[Category], 'Date'[Year]
A
The Sales[Amount] column contains only BLANK values
Why wrong: Not likely if other queries work.
B
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS cannot compute two aggregate columns
Why wrong: It can compute multiple aggregations.
C
The ORDER BY clause is causing the aggregation to fail
Why wrong: ORDER BY is applied after aggregation.
D
There is no active relationship between the Sales table and the Product and Date tables
Without relationships, the filter context does not propagate.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
There is no active relationship between the Sales table and the Product and Date tables
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS automatically adds a filter context. If there is no relationship between Sales and Product or Date, the columns will be blank. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because SUMMARIZECOLUMNS can compute multiple expressions. Option C is wrong because BLANK treatment does not affect sum. Option D is wrong because ordering does not affect calculation.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 Sales[Amount] column contains only BLANK values
Why it's wrong here
Not likely if other queries work.
✗
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS cannot compute two aggregate columns
Why it's wrong here
It can compute multiple aggregations.
✗
The ORDER BY clause is causing the aggregation to fail
Why it's wrong here
ORDER BY is applied after aggregation.
✓
There is no active relationship between the Sales table and the Product and Date tables
Why this is correct
Without relationships, the filter context does not propagate.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PL-300 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Model the data — This question tests Model the data — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: There is no active relationship between the Sales table and the Product and Date tables — SUMMARIZECOLUMNS automatically adds a filter context. If there is no relationship between Sales and Product or Date, the columns will be blank. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because SUMMARIZECOLUMNS can compute multiple expressions. Option C is wrong because BLANK treatment does not affect sum. Option D is wrong because ordering does not affect calculation.
What should I do if I get this PL-300 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PL-300 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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