SPLK-1002 Advanced Searching and Statistics Practice Question
An analyst wants to see the count of distinct users for each department over the last week. The data contains fields: user, department, date. Which search is correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse `count()` (total events) with `dc()` (distinct count) or try to use `distinct_count` as a function name, which is a common Splunk syntax mistake tested in the SPLK-1003 exam.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
... | stats dc(user) by department
The `dc()` function in Splunk's `stats` command calculates the distinct count of values in a field, which is exactly what the analyst needs: the count of distinct users per department over the last week. The `by department` clause groups the results by department, and the implicit time range (last week) is applied via the search time picker or an explicit time filter in the query.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
... | stats distinct_count(user) by department
Why it's wrong here
distinct_count is not valid; use dc().
- ✓
... | stats dc(user) by department
Why this is correct
dc() calculates distinct count.
- ✗
... | eval distinct_count=dc(user) | stats sum(distinct_count) by department
Why it's wrong here
dc cannot be used in eval; also sum of distinct counts is not meaningful.
- ✗
... | stats count(user) by department
Why it's wrong here
count counts all occurrences, not distinct.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SPLK-1002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Splunk 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 SPLK-1002 exam.