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.
Your Power BI dataset uses DirectQuery to a SQL Server data warehouse. Users report that reports are slow. You need to improve performance without changing the data source. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create aggregated tables in Power BI using the Aggregations feature.
Option C is correct because creating aggregated tables in Power BI using the Aggregations feature allows you to pre-summarize data at a higher granularity while still using DirectQuery. This reduces the amount of data queried from the SQL Server data warehouse, improving report performance without changing the underlying data source or switching to Import mode.
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.
✗
Switch the dataset to Import mode.
Why it's wrong here
Import mode is a different storage mode, not a performance fix for DirectQuery.
✗
Disable the 'Enable query reduction' option in Power BI Desktop.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling query reduction may increase the number of queries.
✓
Create aggregated tables in Power BI using the Aggregations feature.
Why this is correct
Aggregations reduce the amount of data queried from the source.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the memory limit of the on-premises data gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Memory limit does not affect DirectQuery performance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume performance improvements must come from switching to Import mode or tuning the gateway, but the Aggregations feature is specifically designed to optimize DirectQuery performance without altering the source system.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Aggregations feature in Power BI works by creating a separate table (often at a higher grain, e.g., daily instead of transactional) that is stored in memory (Import mode) while the detail table remains in DirectQuery. When a query can be satisfied by the aggregated table, Power BI automatically routes it there, reducing the load on the SQL Server and network latency. This is particularly effective in star schema models where fact tables are large, as it leverages query folding and avoids full table scans.
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: Create aggregated tables in Power BI using the Aggregations feature. — Option C is correct because creating aggregated tables in Power BI using the Aggregations feature allows you to pre-summarize data at a higher granularity while still using DirectQuery. This reduces the amount of data queried from the SQL Server data warehouse, improving report performance without changing the underlying data source or switching to Import mode.
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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