PowerBI Practice questions and answers.

Power BI is a powerful business intelligence and data visualization tool developed by Microsoft that enables users to connect, transform, and visualize data from a wide variety of sources. As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, mastering Power BI’s advanced features has become crucial for analysts, data scientists, and business users alike. This set of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) is designed to test and deepen your understanding of advanced Power BI concepts, such as data modeling, DAX (Data Analysis Expressions), report optimization, and integration with other services. Each question is paired with an explanation to provide insights into best practices, advanced techniques, and practical applications within the Power BI ecosystem. Whether you’re preparing for certification exams or looking to enhance your expertise, these questions will help you explore the full potential of Power BI.

PowerBI Practice questions and answers.

1. Which of the following is NOT a valid data source for Power BI?
   • A) SQL Server
   • B) Excel
   • C) Microsoft Word
   • D) Oracle
2. In Power BI, what is the purpose of the ‘Get Data’ function?
   • A) To export data
   • B) To connect to different data sources
   • C) To clean data
   • D) To share reports
3. What is the difference between a DirectQuery and an Import connection in Power BI?
   • A) Import stores data, DirectQuery does not
   • B) DirectQuery stores data, Import does not
   • C) Both store data
   • D) Neither stores data
4. Which DAX function is used to calculate the cumulative total?
   • A) SUM()
   • B) CALCULATE()
   • C) CUMULATE()
   • D) TOTALYTD()
5. In Power BI, what is the maximum file size limit for a .pbix file published to Power BI Service?
   • A) 1 GB
   • B) 500 MB
   • C) 2 GB
   • D) 10 GB
6. Which of the following is TRUE about Power BI’s row-level security (RLS)?
   • A) RLS is only available in Power BI Premium
   • B) RLS is applied at the dataset level
   • C) RLS cannot be applied to import models
   • D) RLS applies only to tables, not measures
7. Which of the following DAX functions returns a table instead of a scalar value?
   • A) SUMX()
   • B) COUNT()
   • C) CALCULATETABLE()
   • D) AVERAGE()
8. Which visual in Power BI is best suited for showing hierarchical data?
   • A) Bar chart
   • B) Treemap
   • C) Line chart
   • D) Scatter plot
9. Which tool allows you to visualize the underlying data for a visual in Power BI?
   • A) Power Query Editor
   • B) Export Data
   • C) Data View
   • D) Drill-through
10. What happens if you use a DirectQuery connection and add a calculated column in Power BI?

• A) It generates a query on the data source
• B) It stores the data in-memory
• C) It creates a relationship between tables
• D) It causes a refresh on the dataset

11. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Power BI Power Query Editor?

• A) Data transformation
• B) Data cleaning
• C) DAX expression writing
• D) Appending queries

12. How do you share a Power BI dashboard with users outside your organization?

• A) Use the “Publish to web” feature
• B) Send them the .pbix file
• C) Share through Power BI Service with external user access
• D) Export to Excel and share

13. In a Power BI model, what is the purpose of setting a table to “Fact” in the data schema?

• A) It improves performance
• B) It designates the table as a fact table for use in relationships
• C) It applies column-level security
• D) It creates a composite model

14. What does the RELATED() function do in Power BI?

• A) Joins two tables
• B) Filters data based on a relationship
• C) Returns a value from a related table
• D) Aggregates data from a related table

15. Which of the following actions CANNOT trigger a dataset refresh in Power BI?

• A) Scheduled refresh
• B) Manual refresh from Power BI Service
• C) Trigger from Power Automate
• D) Editing a DAX formula

16. What is the primary difference between a measure and a calculated column in Power BI?

• A) Measures are recalculated at runtime, calculated columns are stored in the model
• B) Calculated columns are recalculated at runtime, measures are stored in the model
• C) Both are calculated at runtime
• D) Both are stored in the model

17. In Power BI, which DAX function would you use to get the value of the current year’s sales?

• A) YEAR()
• B) SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR()
• C) CALCULATE()
• D) TOTALYTD()

18. How can you optimize a Power BI report with a large dataset for better performance?

• A) Use Import mode instead of DirectQuery
• B) Use many calculated columns
• C) Remove relationships between tables
• D) Avoid creating indexes

19. Which of the following is a valid use case for a composite model in Power BI?

• A) Combining Import and DirectQuery data sources in a single report
• B) Merging two identical tables
• C) Applying row-level security on a table
• D) Using only DirectQuery

20. Which feature in Power BI allows you to break down complex visuals and understand them in depth?

• A) Tooltips
• B) Drill-down
• C) Filters
• D) Bookmarks

21. Which of the following file formats can be imported directly into Power BI Desktop?

• A) .txt
• B) .docx
• C) .pptx
• D) .json

22. What is the primary purpose of the Power BI Gateway?

• A) To enable scheduled refresh of on-premises data
• B) To visualize data from multiple sources
• C) To publish Power BI reports
• D) To improve performance of large datasets

23. What does the “Auto Date/Time” option in Power BI do?

• A) Automatically creates date hierarchies in visuals
• B) Creates a hidden date table for each date field in the model
• C) Allows for faster data refreshes
• D) None of the above

24. Which visual would be best to display changes over time?

• A) Treemap
• B) Stacked bar chart
• C) Line chart
• D) Table

25. What role do “Bookmarks” play in Power BI?

• A) They allow report viewers to create custom views
• B) They capture the state of a report page for navigation or storytelling
• C) They store data connections
• D) They apply security settings to the report

26. Which type of relationship is most common in Power BI between tables?

• A) One-to-one
• B) One-to-many
• C) Many-to-many
• D) Circular

27. Which is NOT a valid option when defining measures in Power BI?

• A) Calculated Column
• B) New Measure
• C) Calculated Table
• D) Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

28. What is the maximum number of columns allowed in a Power BI table?

• A) 16,384
• B) 30,000
• C) 10,000
• D) 20,000

29. Which DAX function would you use to create a running total in Power BI?

• A) SUM()
• B) CALCULATE()
• C) RANKX()
• D) TOTALYTD()

30. Which of the following features in Power BI is best suited for creating a user-defined scenario analysis?

• A) Bookmarks
• B) What-if Parameters
• C) Filters
• D) Tooltips

31. What does the ‘Append Queries’ feature in Power BI allow you to do?

• A) Combine columns from two queries
• B) Add rows from one query to another
• C) Merge rows based on a common key
• D) Join tables without relationships

32. In Power BI, what is the primary use of the CALCULATE() DAX function?

• A) To compute a column’s total
• B) To change the context of an expression
• C) To perform a sum operation
• D) To apply time intelligence

33. Which function would you use in Power BI to remove duplicate values in a column?

• A) REMOVE()
• B) DELETE()
• C) DISTINCT()
• D) UNIQUE()

34. What does the Power BI Service Pro license allow users to do?

• A) Publish reports to the web
• B) Share reports with other users inside and outside the organization
• C) Automatically refresh reports every 5 minutes
• D) Use Power BI Desktop

35. Which of the following tools is used to optimize data models in Power BI?

• A) Power Query
• B) Performance Analyzer
• C) DAX Studio
• D) Power Automate

36. What does the FORMAT() function in DAX do?

• A) Changes the structure of a table
• B) Converts a value to a specified format
• C) Deletes columns based on condition
• D) Filters data based on relationships

37. Which of the following options enables real-time data streaming in Power BI?

• A) DirectQuery mode
• B) Dataflows
• C) Power BI streaming dataset
• D) Composite models

38. Which of the following can be used to improve performance of a DirectQuery model in Power BI?

• A) Using calculated columns
• B) Reducing the number of visuals per page
• C) Switching to Import mode
• D) Avoiding relationships between tables

39. Which of the following visuals allows you to display a summary of data across categories?

• A) Waterfall chart
• B) Line chart
• C) KPI
• D) Funnel chart

40. What is the purpose of using the “What-if” parameter in Power BI?

• A) To perform row-level security
• B) To conduct hypothetical scenario analysis
• C) To create calculated columns
• D) To refresh data automatically

41. What feature allows Power BI to display different values in visuals based on the user who is viewing the report?

• A) Row-Level Security (RLS)
• B) DAX Filters
• C) Drill-through filters
• D) Power Query transformations

42. Which function in Power BI is best suited for creating a calendar table?

• A) DATEDIFF()
• B) CALENDARAUTO()
• C) YEAR()
• D) TODAY()

43. Which of the following types of joins is not available in Power BI’s Power Query Editor?

• A) Inner Join
• B) Left Anti Join
• C) Full Outer Join
• D) Cartesian Join

44. What happens when you pin a live page to a Power BI dashboard?

• A) The visuals will not be interactive
• B) The visuals will not refresh with new data
• C) The entire page, including all visuals, is pinned as a live tile
• D) Only selected visuals are pinned

45. Which of the following data types is NOT supported in Power BI?

• A) Binary
• B) Image
• C) Text
• D) Integer

46. Which of the following is TRUE about the Power BI Service free version?

• A) You can publish to the web
• B) You can share reports with others in your organization
• C) It supports scheduled data refreshes
• D) It includes advanced AI visuals

47. Which of the following time intelligence DAX functions returns the total sales for the same period in the previous year?

• A) SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR()
• B) PREVIOUSYEAR()
• C) LASTYEAR()
• D) TOTALYTD()

48. In Power BI, which of the following visualizations allows you to display variance across different categories?

• A) Stacked area chart
• B) Waterfall chart
• C) Pie chart
• D) Line chart

49. Which DAX function allows for filtering on a specific condition while performing a calculation?

• A) CALCULATE()
• B) SUM()
• C) FILTER()
• D) IF()

50. Which of the following options allows you to build and share dataflows in Power BI?

• A) Power BI Desktop
• B) Power BI Service
• C) Power Query Editor
• D) Power BI Embedded

Answers

Question	Answer	Explanation
1	C	Microsoft Word is not a valid data source for Power BI. Power BI supports structured data sources like SQL, Excel, Oracle, etc.
2	B	The ‘Get Data’ function is used to connect to different data sources from which you can import data into Power BI.
3	A	Import stores data in-memory in Power BI, while DirectQuery queries the data source directly without storing it.
4	D	TOTALYTD() is used to calculate the cumulative total or year-to-date total in Power BI.
5	C	Power BI has a limit of 2 GB for .pbix files when publishing to the Power BI Service.
6	B	Row-level security (RLS) is applied at the dataset level, restricting data access for different users.
7	C	CALCULATETABLE() returns a table, whereas functions like SUMX() return scalar values.
8	B	A treemap is best suited for visualizing hierarchical data with categories and subcategories.
9	B	The “Export Data” feature allows you to view and export the underlying data for any visual in Power BI.
10	B	Calculated columns in DirectQuery mode are stored in-memory, unlike measures that calculate at query time.
11	C	DAX expression writing is not done in the Power Query Editor; it’s used for transforming and cleaning data.
12	C	You can share a Power BI dashboard with external users through Power BI Service with the appropriate user permissions.
13	B	In Power BI, setting a table as “Fact” helps define it for relationships and distinguishes it from dimension tables.
14	C	The RELATED() function retrieves values from a related table based on an existing relationship.
15	D	Editing a DAX formula does not trigger a dataset refresh, but it does trigger recalculation for measures and visuals.
16	A	Measures are recalculated when a report is viewed, while calculated columns are stored in the model as static data.
17	D	TOTALYTD() is the function used to calculate the total for the current year’s sales up to the current date.
18	A	Import mode improves performance by storing data in-memory rather than querying the data source for each interaction.
19	A	A composite model allows combining DirectQuery and Import data sources in one report, enabling flexibility.
20	B	Drill-down functionality lets users explore data at different levels of granularity within a visual.
21	D	Power BI supports importing data in .json format, among others like .csv, .xlsx, etc.
22	A	Power BI Gateway is primarily used for enabling scheduled refreshes of on-premises data sources.
23	B	The “Auto Date/Time” option automatically creates hidden date tables for any date column in your data model.
24	C	A line chart is best for showing data trends over time, with continuous data points connected by lines.
25	B	Bookmarks capture the state of a report page (filters, visuals, etc.) and allow users to navigate or present stories.
26	B	The one-to-many relationship is the most common in Power BI, where a table of unique values is related to one with duplicates.
27	A	Calculated Columns and Tables are different from Measures, which are calculations at the visual level.
28	B	Power BI tables can have a maximum of 30,000 columns, but such extreme cases are rare and inefficient.
29	D	TOTALYTD() is used for calculating running totals for year-to-date values in Power BI.
30	B	“What-if” Parameters allow users to create scenarios for analysis, such as testing how different variables impact results.
31	B	The “Append Queries” function adds rows from one query to another, similar to a SQL UNION operation.
32	B	CALCULATE() changes the filter context of an expression, allowing dynamic calculations based on specific criteria.
33	C	DISTINCT() removes duplicate values from a column and returns unique values.
34	B	Power BI Pro allows users to share reports within and outside the organization with user permissions.
35	C	DAX Studio is used for optimizing and debugging data models, including improving performance in Power BI.
36	B	The FORMAT() function formats numbers and dates into a specified format for display purposes in Power BI.
37	C	Power BI streaming datasets allow real-time data visualization and updates in dashboards.
38	B	Reducing the number of visuals per page can improve performance in DirectQuery mode by minimizing queries.
39	A	The waterfall chart is used to display sequential positive and negative changes across categories.
40	B	“What-if” Parameters allow users to test different scenarios, making it useful for predictive analysis.
41	A	Row-Level Security (RLS) in Power BI filters data based on the user accessing the report, allowing role-based access.
42	B	CALENDARAUTO() generates a continuous range of dates based on the data in your model, useful for time-based analysis.
43	D	Cartesian Join (cross join) is not available directly in Power BI’s Power Query; only SQL engines support it.
44	C	Pinning a live page pins the entire report page, including all visuals, as an interactive, real-time tile on a dashboard.
45	B	Power BI does not support displaying images as a data type within tables, but it supports binary and other formats.
46	A	Power BI Service Free allows publishing to the web and basic functionality but has limited sharing capabilities.
47	A	SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR() returns the total for the same period (such as a month or quarter) in the previous year.
48	B	A waterfall chart shows variances across categories by illustrating increases and decreases across a range.
49	A	CALCULATE() is used to filter data while performing aggregations or other calculations.
50	B	Power BI Service enables building and sharing dataflows, which are reusable ETL processes across datasets.