PL-300: Power BI Data Analyst Associate Practice Exam
The PL-300: Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification is a valuable credential designed for professionals who want to demonstrate expertise in preparing, modeling, visualizing, and analyzing data using Microsoft Power BI. This exam validates your ability to transform raw data into actionable insights and create impactful business intelligence reports that help organizations make informed decisions.
What is the PL-300 Certification Exam?
The PL-300 exam assesses your proficiency in Power BI’s core features and data analysis workflows. It focuses on your skills to connect to data sources, clean and transform data, develop data models, design reports, and optimize dashboards. Achieving this certification confirms your capability to effectively use Power BI tools to solve complex business problems with data-driven solutions.
What You Will Learn
By preparing for the PL-300 exam, you will gain hands-on expertise in:
Connecting and transforming data from multiple sources using Power Query
Creating efficient data models using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions)
Designing visually compelling reports and interactive dashboards
Implementing row-level security to control data access
Optimizing performance of Power BI reports and datasets
Publishing and sharing insights across your organization
Key Topics Covered
Data preparation: Importing, cleaning, and shaping data
Data modeling: Relationships, calculated columns, measures, hierarchies
Visualizations: Charts, maps, slicers, and custom visuals
Advanced analytics: Using DAX for calculations and time intelligence
Deployment: Power BI Service, data refresh, sharing, and collaboration
Security: Implementing role-based data restrictions
Why Choose Exam Sage for Your PL-300 Exam Preparation?
At Exam Sage, we offer comprehensive and carefully crafted practice tests tailored specifically for the PL-300 exam. Our practice questions are designed to mirror the actual exam difficulty and cover all essential domains, enabling you to build confidence and identify knowledge gaps before the real test. Each question comes with detailed explanations to deepen your understanding and reinforce learning.
Exam Sage is your trusted partner in exam preparation, delivering high-quality, updated, and original practice material that aligns with the latest Microsoft exam objectives. With our user-friendly platform and instant access to practice tests, you can study anytime, anywhere, and track your progress efficiently.
Prepare with Exam Sage and take a confident step toward becoming a certified Power BI Data Analyst Associate. Start practicing now and unlock the power of data with PL-300!
Sample Questions and Answers
1. Which of the following data transformation steps in Power Query is best suited to handle missing values by replacing them with a specific value?
A) Remove Rows
B) Replace Values
C) Fill Down
D) Group By
Answer: B) Replace Values
Explanation: Replace Values allows you to substitute missing or null values with a specific value, ensuring data completeness.
2. What is the primary purpose of relationships in a Power BI data model?
A) To import data faster
B) To link tables for combined analysis
C) To create calculated columns
D) To visualize data directly
Answer: B) To link tables for combined analysis
Explanation: Relationships connect tables based on common columns, enabling data from different tables to be analyzed together.
3. Which DAX function would you use to calculate the running total of sales over time?
A) SUMX()
B) CALCULATE()
C) TOTALYTD()
D) FILTER()
Answer: C) TOTALYTD()
Explanation: TOTALYTD() computes a year-to-date total, which is a common running total pattern for dates within a year.
4. You want to optimize a Power BI model by reducing its size. Which technique is the most effective?
A) Removing unused columns
B) Adding calculated columns
C) Increasing relationship cardinality
D) Using DirectQuery
Answer: A) Removing unused columns
Explanation: Eliminating unused columns reduces the data loaded into memory, significantly shrinking model size.
5. What type of visual would best show the trend of sales over several years?
A) Pie Chart
B) Line Chart
C) Donut Chart
D) Table
Answer: B) Line Chart
Explanation: Line charts are ideal for showing trends over time as they plot continuous data points.
6. In Power BI, what is the purpose of the Q&A visual?
A) To manually write SQL queries
B) To allow users to ask natural language questions
C) To filter data by date
D) To create drill-through reports
Answer: B) To allow users to ask natural language questions
Explanation: The Q&A visual enables users to type questions in natural language and get immediate visual responses.
7. Which of the following data connectivity modes in Power BI allows for real-time querying of the data source?
A) Import
B) DirectQuery
C) Aggregations
D) Composite Model
Answer: B) DirectQuery
Explanation: DirectQuery queries data directly from the source on-demand, allowing near real-time data access without data import.
8. How do you create a calculated column in Power BI?
A) Use Power Query editor
B) Use DAX formula in the data view
C) Use a slicer in the report view
D) Configure a data source setting
Answer: B) Use DAX formula in the data view
Explanation: Calculated columns are created by writing DAX formulas in the data model.
9. Which of these DAX functions is used to filter a table expression?
A) FILTER()
B) SELECTCOLUMNS()
C) SUM()
D) VALUES()
Answer: A) FILTER()
Explanation: FILTER() returns a table that meets a specified condition.
10. What is the recommended way to implement row-level security (RLS) in Power BI?
A) Create report-level filters
B) Define RLS roles in Power BI Desktop
C) Use slicers in the report
D) Apply permissions in Power BI Service
Answer: B) Define RLS roles in Power BI Desktop
Explanation: RLS roles are defined in Power BI Desktop and published to control data visibility by user.
11. Which feature allows you to combine data from different sources in Power BI?
A) Dataflows
B) Queries
C) Relationships
D) Merges and Appends in Power Query
Answer: D) Merges and Appends in Power Query
Explanation: Merge combines columns from different tables, and Append stacks rows, both used for combining data.
12. What does the card visual typically display?
A) Multiple data series
B) A single aggregated value
C) A distribution of values
D) A data table
Answer: B) A single aggregated value
Explanation: Card visuals show a single number, such as total sales or count.
13. In Power BI, which view lets you manage the relationships between tables?
A) Report view
B) Data view
C) Model view
D) Query view
Answer: C) Model view
Explanation: Model view visually shows tables and their relationships for easy management.
14. What is the difference between a calculated column and a measure?
A) Calculated columns are static; measures are dynamic calculations based on filters
B) Calculated columns can only be used in Power Query
C) Measures store data; calculated columns do not
D) Measures are calculated before data load
Answer: A) Calculated columns are static; measures are dynamic calculations based on filters
Explanation: Calculated columns are computed row by row, measures are aggregations calculated on the fly based on context.
15. Which visualization in Power BI is most appropriate for showing parts of a whole?
A) Bar chart
B) Pie chart
C) Line chart
D) Matrix
Answer: B) Pie chart
Explanation: Pie charts show proportions of categories as slices of a whole.
16. When publishing a report to the Power BI service, what is the default dataset refresh frequency for Pro users?
A) Once per day
B) Up to 8 times per day
C) Unlimited refreshes
D) Once per hour
Answer: B) Up to 8 times per day
Explanation: Power BI Pro users can schedule up to 8 daily refreshes for imported data.
17. Which data storage mode supports combining Import and DirectQuery in a single model?
A) Live Connection
B) Composite Model
C) Aggregations
D) Import Mode
Answer: B) Composite Model
Explanation: Composite models allow mixing Import and DirectQuery tables in one model.
18. Which of these steps should you take to improve performance of a complex DAX measure?
A) Use variables to store intermediate calculations
B) Remove all filters from the measure
C) Replace calculated columns with measures
D) Avoid relationships in the data model
Answer: A) Use variables to store intermediate calculations
Explanation: Variables help reduce repeated calculations and improve readability and performance.
19. What type of Power BI license is required to share reports with users outside your organization?
A) Power BI Free
B) Power BI Pro
C) Power BI Premium Per User
D) Power BI Desktop
Answer: C) Power BI Premium Per User
Explanation: Sharing with external users requires Power BI Premium capacity or Premium Per User licenses.
20. What is the primary purpose of a slicer visual in Power BI?
A) To summarize data
B) To filter data interactively
C) To display detailed tables
D) To create new calculated columns
Answer: B) To filter data interactively
Explanation: Slicers provide user-friendly filters on report pages.
21. What is the function of the “Get Data” feature in Power BI?
A) To transform data
B) To import or connect to data sources
C) To create visuals
D) To publish reports
Answer: B) To import or connect to data sources
Explanation: “Get Data” starts the process of loading or connecting data into Power BI.
22. Which language is used to create queries in Power Query Editor?
A) DAX
B) SQL
C) M (Power Query Formula Language)
D) R
Answer: C) M (Power Query Formula Language)
Explanation: M is the scripting language for data transformation in Power Query.
23. Which feature allows you to reuse data transformation logic across multiple Power BI reports?
A) Power BI Dataflows
B) Power BI Templates
C) Power BI Service
D) Power BI Dashboards
Answer: A) Power BI Dataflows
Explanation: Dataflows enable centralized ETL logic for reuse in different reports.
24. What is a bookmark in Power BI?
A) A saved filter state and report view for navigation or storytelling
B) A data import setting
C) A way to export data
D) A DAX function
Answer: A) A saved filter state and report view for navigation or storytelling
Explanation: Bookmarks capture the current state of filters and visuals for presentation or navigation.
25. Which visual is best suited for displaying hierarchical data?
A) Pie chart
B) Treemap
C) Line chart
D) Scatter chart
Answer: B) Treemap
Explanation: Treemaps visually represent hierarchical data through nested rectangles.
26. You want to allow report users to drill down into more detailed data. Which feature do you enable?
A) Drillthrough
B) Tooltip
C) Bookmark
D) Filter pane
Answer: A) Drillthrough
Explanation: Drillthrough enables navigation from summary visuals to detailed report pages.
27. What does “Power BI Service” primarily refer to?
A) Power BI Desktop application
B) Cloud-based Power BI platform for publishing and sharing reports
C) Power Query Editor
D) Power BI mobile app
Answer: B) Cloud-based Power BI platform for publishing and sharing reports
Explanation: Power BI Service is the cloud SaaS where reports and dashboards are shared.
28. How do you schedule data refresh for your dataset in Power BI?
A) Through Power BI Desktop
B) Using Power BI Service settings for the dataset
C) Editing the DAX formulas
D) Power Query Editor
Answer: B) Using Power BI Service settings for the dataset
Explanation: Data refresh schedules are configured in the Power BI Service portal.
29. What is the purpose of the “Analyze in Excel” feature?
A) To export data model to Excel for further analysis with pivot tables
B) To edit DAX measures
C) To create Power Query scripts
D) To visualize data in Power BI Desktop
Answer: A) To export data model to Excel for further analysis with pivot tables
Explanation: “Analyze in Excel” connects Excel pivot tables directly to Power BI datasets.
30. Which of the following is NOT a default visual interaction option in Power BI?
A) Filter
B) Highlight
C) Cross-filter
D) Drilldown
Answer: D) Drilldown
Explanation: Drilldown is a navigation feature, not an interaction between visuals; default interactions include filter and highlight.
31. Which of the following Power BI data connectivity modes does NOT store data in the Power BI dataset?
A) Import
B) DirectQuery
C) Composite Model
D) Aggregations
Answer: B) DirectQuery
Explanation: DirectQuery leaves data in the source system and queries it in real time, without importing data into Power BI.
32. What is the primary benefit of using aggregations in Power BI?
A) Faster report sharing
B) Reducing model size and improving query performance
C) Increasing data refresh frequency
D) Easier report design
Answer: B) Reducing model size and improving query performance
Explanation: Aggregations pre-aggregate data to speed up queries and reduce model complexity.
33. What Power BI feature allows you to create a custom theme for consistent report branding?
A) Page Background
B) Report Settings
C) JSON Theme file
D) Visual Interactions
Answer: C) JSON Theme file
Explanation: JSON theme files define colors, fonts, and styles applied to visuals consistently across reports.
34. When importing data into Power BI, which data source type supports incremental refresh?
A) Excel files
B) SQL Server databases
C) CSV files
D) Web pages
Answer: B) SQL Server databases
Explanation: Incremental refresh is supported for data sources that support query folding, such as SQL Server.
35. You want to enable users to filter data across multiple report pages. Which Power BI feature allows this?
A) Bookmarks
B) Sync slicers
C) Drillthrough
D) Tooltips
Answer: B) Sync slicers
Explanation: Sync slicers keep slicer selections synchronized across multiple report pages.
36. Which DAX function can return the distinct count of values in a column?
A) COUNT()
B) DISTINCTCOUNT()
C) COUNTROWS()
D) COUNTA()
Answer: B) DISTINCTCOUNT()
Explanation: DISTINCTCOUNT() counts unique values, ignoring duplicates.
37. What is the advantage of using calculated tables in Power BI?
A) They store data in the source system
B) They allow you to create new tables based on DAX expressions
C) They improve data refresh speed
D) They replace relationships
Answer: B) They allow you to create new tables based on DAX expressions
Explanation: Calculated tables use DAX to generate new tables dynamically within the data model.
38. How does Power BI handle data privacy when combining data from multiple sources?
A) Ignores privacy levels
B) Applies privacy levels to isolate queries to each source
C) Only uses import mode
D) Requires manual merging of data
Answer: B) Applies privacy levels to isolate queries to each source
Explanation: Privacy levels prevent unintended data leakage between sources during queries.
39. Which Power BI feature can help you identify performance bottlenecks in your report?
A) Performance Analyzer
B) Data Profiling
C) Query Folding
D) Power Query Editor
Answer: A) Performance Analyzer
Explanation: Performance Analyzer captures time taken by each visual and DAX query to optimize report performance.
40. You want to create a dynamic title that changes based on user slicer selection. Which DAX function helps with this?
A) SWITCH()
B) SELECTEDVALUE()
C) IF()
D) CONCATENATE()
Answer: B) SELECTEDVALUE()
Explanation: SELECTEDVALUE() returns the current value selected in a slicer or filter context, useful for dynamic titles.
41. What type of relationship cardinality is supported in Power BI?
A) One-to-One
B) One-to-Many
C) Many-to-One
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Power BI supports One-to-One, One-to-Many, and Many-to-One relationships.
42. Which visual is recommended to show the correlation between two numeric variables?
A) Scatter chart
B) Stacked bar chart
C) Pie chart
D) Card
Answer: A) Scatter chart
Explanation: Scatter charts plot points on X and Y axes to visualize correlations.
43. Which Power BI feature allows you to embed reports in other applications?
A) Power BI Desktop
B) Power BI Service Embedded
C) Power Query
D) Power BI Dataflows
Answer: B) Power BI Service Embedded
Explanation: Power BI Embedded lets developers embed interactive reports in custom apps.
44. How do you refresh data automatically in Power BI Service?
A) By refreshing manually only
B) By scheduling refresh in the dataset settings
C) By enabling automatic refresh in Power BI Desktop
D) It refreshes automatically without settings
Answer: B) By scheduling refresh in the dataset settings
Explanation: Data refresh schedules are configured in Power BI Service for automated updates.
45. What is the purpose of Power BI Dataflows?
A) To create reports
B) To perform ETL processes and reuse data across reports
C) To build dashboards
D) To create visual interactions
Answer: B) To perform ETL processes and reuse data across reports
Explanation: Dataflows centralize data transformation logic for reuse in multiple reports.
46. What does the “Publish to web” feature allow?
A) Publishing reports privately within an organization
B) Sharing reports publicly on the internet
C) Exporting data to Excel
D) Scheduling data refresh
Answer: B) Sharing reports publicly on the internet
Explanation: “Publish to web” creates a public URL accessible without authentication.
47. Which of the following is NOT a Power BI Desktop view?
A) Data View
B) Model View
C) Report View
D) Workflow View
Answer: D) Workflow View
Explanation: Workflow View is not a Power BI Desktop feature.
48. You need to apply a filter that limits data to the current year dynamically. Which DAX function is useful?
A) YEAR()
B) TODAY()
C) FILTER()
D) ALL()
Answer: C) FILTER()
Explanation: FILTER() combined with date functions can dynamically filter data based on the current year.
49. What happens when you enable “Auto Date/Time” in Power BI?
A) Automatically creates hidden date tables for date columns
B) Disables date filtering
C) Converts all dates to text
D) Removes date columns from the model
Answer: A) Automatically creates hidden date tables for date columns
Explanation: Auto Date/Time creates date hierarchies automatically to support time intelligence.
50. Which DAX function is used to change the context of a calculation?
A) CALCULATE()
B) FILTER()
C) SUM()
D) VALUES()
Answer: A) CALCULATE()
Explanation: CALCULATE() changes the filter context to modify calculation results.
51. What type of join in Power Query returns only matching rows from both tables?
A) Left Outer Join
B) Right Outer Join
C) Inner Join
D) Full Outer Join
Answer: C) Inner Join
Explanation: Inner Join returns rows that exist in both tables.
52. Which is NOT a valid way to share Power BI content?
A) Power BI Service app workspaces
B) Publish to web
C) Email Power BI Desktop file
D) Export to Excel
Answer: D) Export to Excel
Explanation: Exporting to Excel shares data but not interactive Power BI reports.
53. What is the function of the “What If” parameter in Power BI?
A) To filter data dynamically
B) To create scenario-based analysis with user-adjustable input
C) To create calculated columns
D) To automate data refresh
Answer: B) To create scenario-based analysis with user-adjustable input
Explanation: “What If” parameters let users explore different values impacting calculations.
54. Which visual interaction behavior highlights data in related visuals without filtering it out?
A) Filter
B) Highlight
C) Cross-filter
D) Drilldown
Answer: B) Highlight
Explanation: Highlight dims unrelated data but keeps the full dataset visible.
55. You want to add a tooltip that appears when users hover over a visual. How is this done?
A) Using a custom tooltip page
B) Adding a slicer
C) Creating a bookmark
D) Adding a filter
Answer: A) Using a custom tooltip page
Explanation: Tooltip pages provide detailed info shown on hover.
56. What does Query Folding mean in Power Query?
A) Compressing data files
B) Pushes transformations to the source system for efficiency
C) Deleting unused columns
D) Creating relationships
Answer: B) Pushes transformations to the source system for efficiency
Explanation: Query folding sends transformation logic back to the data source for processing.
57. Which DAX function returns the first value in a column sorted by the current sort order?
A) FIRSTNONBLANK()
B) EARLIER()
C) TOPN()
D) MIN()
Answer: A) FIRSTNONBLANK()
Explanation: FIRSTNONBLANK() returns the first value that is not blank.
58. What is the difference between Power BI Reports and Dashboards?
A) Reports are interactive, dashboards are static
B) Dashboards combine visuals from multiple reports and datasets
C) Dashboards are only available in Power BI Desktop
D) Reports can’t have filters
Answer: B) Dashboards combine visuals from multiple reports and datasets
Explanation: Dashboards are collections of visuals pinned from reports.
59. Which of these is a best practice for naming columns and measures?
A) Use generic names like Column1
B) Use meaningful, descriptive names
C) Use abbreviations only
D) Use random names
Answer: B) Use meaningful, descriptive names
Explanation: Clear names improve readability and maintainability.
60. How can you improve the accessibility of your Power BI reports?
A) Using high contrast colors and adding alt text to visuals
B) Removing slicers
C) Avoiding visuals
D) Using only pie charts
Answer: A) Using high contrast colors and adding alt text to visuals
Explanation: Accessibility best practices include color contrast and screen reader support.
