Free PL-300 Exam Flashcards

Import mode loads a compressed copy of source data into the Power BI semantic model. It usually gives the fastest report performance but requires refresh to keep data current.

DirectQuery leaves data in the source system and sends queries as users interact with visuals. It supports near-real-time reporting but depends on source performance and has modeling limits.

Applied steps record each transformation in order. On the exam, changing an earlier step can affect later steps, so understand dependency and step order.

Column quality shows valid, error, and empty value percentages in Power Query. It helps identify cleaning work before data reaches the model.

Column distribution shows distinct and unique value counts. It helps spot skewed data, unexpected duplicates, and candidate key columns.

Parameters store reusable values such as server names, file paths, or date filters. They make queries easier to maintain across environments.

Append stacks rows from tables with compatible columns. Use it when datasets have the same grain and structure, such as monthly sales files.

Merge joins tables by matching key columns. It is used to add related columns from another table before loading data into the model.

The Folder connector combines files from a folder when the files share the same structure. It is useful for recurring exports because new files can be included on refresh.

Correct data types improve sorting, filtering, relationships, and DAX behavior. Date, decimal, whole number, and text columns should be typed before loading.

A star schema uses fact tables for measurable events and dimension tables for descriptive attributes. It improves usability, relationship clarity, and DAX performance.

A fact table stores numeric measures and foreign keys at a defined grain, such as one row per order line. The grain controls what analysis is possible.

A dimension table stores descriptive fields such as product, customer, date, or region. Dimensions filter facts and make reports understandable.

A one-to-many relationship usually connects a dimension key to repeated fact rows. It is the standard relationship pattern in Power BI models.

Filter direction controls how filters flow through relationships. Single direction from dimensions to facts is usually preferred for predictable model behavior.

An inactive relationship exists but does not filter by default. DAX can activate it with USERELATIONSHIP for calculations such as ship date analysis.

A calculated column is evaluated row by row during data refresh and stored in the model. Use it for attributes needed in slicers, relationships, or row-level logic.

A measure calculates at query time based on filter context. Measures are best for aggregations such as sales, margin, and year-to-date totals.

Row context means DAX is evaluating one row at a time, as in calculated columns and iterators. It matters because row context does not automatically filter related tables like filter context.

Filter context is the set of filters from visuals, slicers, relationships, and DAX expressions. Measures depend on filter context for their final result.

CALCULATE evaluates an expression under modified filter context. It is central to DAX because it lets measures change or add filters explicitly.

SUMX is an iterator that evaluates an expression for each row of a table, then sums the results. Use it when simple SUM cannot represent row-level logic.

ALL removes filters from a table or column. It is commonly used for percent-of-total calculations and comparisons against an unfiltered baseline.

Time intelligence functions compare periods such as year to date, prior year, or moving totals. They require a proper date table for reliable results.

A date table is a continuous calendar table marked as the model's date table. It enables correct time intelligence and consistent date filtering.

Cardinality describes uniqueness in a column and relationship type. High-cardinality columns can increase model size and reduce compression efficiency.

Hierarchies group fields into drill paths such as Year > Quarter > Month. They improve report navigation and support drill-down analysis.

Implicit measures are automatic aggregations created by visuals. Explicit DAX measures are preferred for reusable, documented, and controlled calculations.

A slicer is an on-canvas filter control. It helps users narrow report context without opening the filters pane.

Visual interactions define whether one visual filters, highlights, or ignores another. They are tested because report behavior depends on these settings.

A drillthrough page shows detail for a selected entity or category. It lets users move from summary visuals to focused analysis.

Bookmarks capture report state, including filters, visibility, and page view. They support guided navigation, toggles, and presentation-style reports.

A report tooltip is a custom page shown on hover. It provides extra context without cluttering the main report canvas.

Conditional formatting changes visual styling based on values or rules. It helps users quickly spot thresholds, trends, and exceptions.

The Key influencers visual identifies factors associated with a selected outcome. It matters for exploratory analysis and AI-assisted insight discovery.

The Q&A visual lets users ask natural-language questions against a model. Clear field names and synonyms improve the quality of answers.

A decomposition tree breaks a measure down by multiple dimensions. It helps analyze root causes and compare contributors to a result.

Anomaly detection highlights values that differ from expected patterns in a time series visual. It helps users investigate unusual business events.

Workspace roles control what users can do in a workspace. Admin, Member, Contributor, and Viewer have different permissions for publishing, sharing, and managing content.

An app workspace is the collaborative container for reports, semantic models, dashboards, and dataflows. It is usually the source for publishing a Power BI app.

A Power BI app packages selected workspace content for consumers. Apps make distribution cleaner than granting broad workspace access.

Scheduled refresh updates imported data on a defined cadence. It requires valid credentials and, for on-premises data, a working gateway.

A gateway securely connects Power BI service to on-premises data sources. It is essential for scheduled refresh or DirectQuery against local systems.

A dataflow stores reusable Power Query transformations in the Power BI service. It helps standardize data preparation across multiple semantic models.

Deployment pipelines move content through development, test, and production stages. They reduce manual publishing mistakes in managed environments.

RLS restricts rows a user can see based on roles and filters. It matters when different audiences share the same report but need different data access.

Dynamic RLS uses DAX functions such as USERPRINCIPALNAME to filter data for the signed-in user. It avoids creating separate static roles for every user.

Sensitivity labels classify and protect Power BI content based on information sensitivity. They support governance and data loss prevention policies.

Endorsement marks content as promoted or certified. It helps users identify trusted datasets and reports in the Power BI service.

Incremental refresh updates only recent partitions instead of reloading all historical data. It improves refresh speed and reduces load on large models.