The answer is total sales for the previous year relative to the selected year. This measure is correct because the `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` function shifts the current filter context back by exactly one year, so when a user selects a specific year in a slicer or axis, the measure automatically returns the corresponding sales from the prior year. On the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals PL-900 exam, this tests your understanding of time intelligence functions in DAX, often appearing in a scenario where you must identify year-over-year comparison logic. A common trap is confusing `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` with `PREVIOUSYEAR`, but remember that `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` preserves the exact date range (e.g., full quarter or month), while `PREVIOUSYEAR` always returns the entire prior calendar year. For a quick memory tip, think “Same period, last year” — the function name itself tells you it mirrors the current period’s boundaries but one year back.
PL-900 Practice Question: Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform
This PL-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the business value of microsoft power platform. 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.
```
Measure =
VAR SelectedYear = SELECTEDVALUE('Date'[Year])
RETURN
CALCULATE(
SUM(Sales[Amount]),
'Date'[Year] = SelectedYear - 1
)
```
Refer to the exhibit. You see a Power BI DAX measure. What does this measure calculate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Total sales for the previous year relative to the selected year.
The DAX measure uses the `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` function, which shifts the current filter context back by one year. When placed in a visual with a year slicer or axis, it returns the total sales for the same period in the previous year relative to the selected year. This is a standard time intelligence calculation for comparing year-over-year absolute values.
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.
✓
Total sales for the previous year relative to the selected year.
Why this is correct
Correct: it calculates the sum for the year before the selected one.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Total sales for the current year.
Why it's wrong here
It uses SelectedYear - 1, so it's previous year.
✗
Running total of sales up to the selected year.
Why it's wrong here
It's not a running total; it's a single year calculation.
✗
Year-over-year growth percentage.
Why it's wrong here
It returns a sum, not a percentage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` with a year-over-year growth percentage calculation, but the measure only returns the absolute value from the previous year, not the growth rate.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` leverages the date table’s contiguous date range and the `DATEADD` function internally, shifting all dates in the current filter context by -1 year. A subtle behavior is that it requires a properly marked date table with continuous dates; if the date table has gaps, the function may return unexpected blanks. In a real-world scenario, this measure is often used in a matrix with years on rows to show prior year sales for comparison, but it does not automatically handle partial periods (e.g., comparing a partial current year to a full prior year).
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.
Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform — This question tests Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Total sales for the previous year relative to the selected year. — The DAX measure uses the `SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR` function, which shifts the current filter context back by one year. When placed in a visual with a year slicer or axis, it returns the total sales for the same period in the previous year relative to the selected year. This is a standard time intelligence calculation for comparing year-over-year absolute values.
What should I do if I get this PL-900 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A Power BI report uses the KQL query shown. What is the purpose of this query?
medium
A.To list all sales transactions for North America
✓ B.To show total sales per product category for North America in descending order
C.To calculate average sales amount by region
D.To filter sales data by product category
Why B: The KQL query uses the `summarize` operator to group sales data by `ProductCategory` and calculate the total sales amount using `sum(SalesAmount)`. The `where` clause filters for `Region == 'North America'`, and `order by` sorts the aggregated results in descending order. This produces a list of product categories with their total sales for North America, sorted from highest to lowest.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
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This PL-900 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-900 exam.
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