Almanac
Almanac/training/pl-300beta

Power BI Data Analyst Associate

PL-300intermediate31 uncoveredPower BI
125–30%Prepare the data — 25–30% · 2 covered, 4 doc only, 11 uncovered225–30%Model the data — 25–30% · 3 covered, 4 doc only, 9 uncovered325–30%Visualize and analyze the data — 25–30% · 5 covered, 16 doc only, 9 uncovered415–20%Manage and secure Power BI — 15–20% · 5 covered, 5 doc only, 5 uncovered
module + docdoc onlynothingcircle size = share of the exam
About the non-Microsoft material below. Listed because it is useful, not because anyone paid for the placement — there are no affiliate links on this site and no one has been charged to appear. Anything marked Used it is a first-hand opinion; everything else is a listing, not a recommendation. Exam dumps and “real exam questions” sites are deliberately absent: using them breaches Microsoft's exam policy and can cost you the certification you already hold.

Where the marks are

Skills measured as of 20 April 2026 · re-read nightly
Prepare the data17 objectives · 5h 53m
Model the data16 objectives · 3h 50m
Visualize and analyze the data30 objectives · 4h 43m
Manage and secure Power BI15 objectives · 3h 13m

Beyond Microsoft Learn — the whole certification

Free practice assessment for PL-300Free from MicrosoftPractice

Microsoft's own practice questions, written to the same objective list as the stages above. Unlimited attempts, and it tells you which domain you dropped marks in — the fastest way to find out which stage on this page you should actually be reading.

Microsoft · Free, needs a Microsoft Learn account
PL-300T00 — Design and manage analytics solutions using Power BIPaidInstructor-led

Microsoft's official classroom course for this exam, delivered by training partners. Worth it if your employer is paying and you want the labs and someone to ask; the content is the same material the modules above cover.

Microsoft (delivered by partners) · Priced by the delivery partner, not Microsoft
Stage 1

Prepare the data

25–30% · 5h 53m

Get or connect to data

Identify and connect to data sources or a shared semantic model
Weak matchCovered
Configure a semantic model1h 20m·KB: Semantic model fundamentals
Change data source settings, including credentials and privacy levels
No module
No module maps to this objective
Choose between DirectLake, DirectQuery, and Import
Weak matchCovered
Choose a Power BI model framework46m·KB: Import vs DirectQuery vs Direct Lake
Create and modify parameters
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Parameters and query reuse

Profile and clean the data

Evaluate data, including data statistics and column properties
No module
No module maps to this objective
Resolve inconsistencies, unexpected or null values, and data quality issues
No module
No module maps to this objective
Resolve data import errors
No module
Get data in Power BI1h 46m

Transform and load the data

Select appropriate column data types
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create and transform columns
Weak matchNo module
Clean, transform, and load data in Power BI2h 1m
Group and aggregate rows
No module
No module maps to this objective
Pivot, unpivot, and transpose data
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Data gateways
Convert semi-structured data to a table
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create fact tables and dimension tables
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Aggregation tables
Identify when to use reference or duplicate queries and the resulting impact
No module
No module maps to this objective
Merge and append queries
No module
No module maps to this objective
Identify and create appropriate keys for relationships
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Relationships and cardinality
Configure data loading for queries
No module
No module maps to this objective
Stage 2

Model the data

25–30% · 3h 50m

Design and implement a data model

Configure table and column properties
No module
No module maps to this objective
Implement role-playing dimensions
No module
No module maps to this objective
Define a relationship's cardinality and cross-filter direction
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Relationships and cardinality
Create a common date table
Weak matchCovered
Build your first data model and explore the data by using Power BI - Online workshop1h 32m·KB: Time intelligence and date tables
Identify use cases for calculated columns and calculated tables
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Time intelligence and date tables

Create model calculations by using DAX

Create single aggregation measures
No module
No module maps to this objective
Use the CALCULATE function
No module
No module maps to this objective
Implement time intelligence measures
Weak matchCovered
Use hierarchies and DAX in your first data model - Online workshop1h·KB: Time intelligence and date tables
Use basic statistical functions
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create semi-additive measures
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create a measure by using quick measures
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create calculated tables or columns
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create calculation groups
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Calculation groups

Optimize model performance

Improve performance by identifying and removing unnecessary rows and columns
No module
No module maps to this objective
Identify poorly performing measures, relationships, and visuals by using Performance Analyzer and DAX query view
Weak matchCovered
Optimize semantic model performance1h 18m·KB: Performance Analyzer
Improve performance by reducing granularity
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: DAX performance patterns
Stage 3

Visualize and analyze the data

25–30% · 4h 43m

Create reports

Select an appropriate visual
No module
No module maps to this objective
Format and configure visuals
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Core visuals
Create a narrative visual with Copilot
No module
No module maps to this objective
Apply and customize a theme
No module
No module maps to this objective
Apply conditional formatting
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Conditional Formatting for Chart Lines and Legends
Apply slicing and filtering
No module
No module maps to this objective
Use Copilot to create a new report page
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Report design fundamentals
Use Copilot to suggest content for a new report page
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Report design fundamentals
Configure the report page
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Drillthrough and report page tooltips
Choose when to use a paginated report
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Paginated reports
Create visual calculations by using DAX
Weak matchCovered
Create visual calculations in Power BI Desktop54m·KB: DAX fundamentals

Enhance reports for usability and storytelling

Configure bookmarks
Weak matchCovered
Import custom visuals and add bookmarks to a report in Power BI - Online workshop18m·KB: Bookmarks and interactions
Create custom tooltips
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Custom visuals
Edit and configure interactions between visuals
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Bookmarks and interactions
Configure navigation for a report
Weak matchCovered
Enhance Power BI report designs for the user experience1h 36m·KB: Report accessibility
Apply sorting to visuals
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Core visuals
Configure sync slicers
No module
No module maps to this objective
Group and layer visuals by using the Selection pane
No module
No module maps to this objective
Configure drillthrough navigation, including pages, filters, and buttons
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Drillthrough and report page tooltips
Configure export settings
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Tenant settings
Design reports for mobile devices
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Power BI mobile apps
Enable personalization in a report, including personalized visuals
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Drillthrough and report page tooltips
Design and configure Power BI reports for accessibility
Covered
Design Power BI reports1h 55m·KB: Power BI in Microsoft Teams
Configure automatic page refresh
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Refresh limits and scheduling

Identify patterns and trends

Use the Analyze feature in Power BI
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Power BI licensing overview
Use grouping, binning, and clustering
No module
No module maps to this objective
Use AI visuals
Weak matchCovered
Import custom visuals and add bookmarks to a report in Power BI - Online workshop18m·KB: Custom visuals
Use reference lines, error bars, and forecasting
No module
No module maps to this objective
Detect outliers and anomalies
No module
No module maps to this objective
Use Copilot to summarize the underlying semantic model
Weak matchDoc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Model size and optimisation
Stage 4

Manage and secure Power BI

15–20% · 3h 13m

Create and manage workspaces and assets

Create and configure a workspace
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Workspace and model topology
Configure and update an app
No module
No module maps to this objective
Publish, import, or update items in a workspace
No module
No module maps to this objective
Create dashboards
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Power BI on Dynamics 365 dashboards
Choose a distribution method
Covered
Choose a content distribution method31m·KB: Sharing and distribution
Configure subscriptions and data alerts
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Subscriptions and alerts
Promote or certify Power BI content
Covered
Choose a content distribution method31m·KB: Power BI vs native Dynamics 365 reporting
Identify when a gateway is required
No module
No module maps to this objective
Configure a semantic model scheduled refresh
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Scheduled refresh

Secure and govern Power BI items

Assign workspace roles
Doc only
No module maps to this objective·KB: Workspaces and workspace roles
Configure item-level access
No module
No module maps to this objective
Configure access to semantic models
Weak matchNo module
Manage semantic models in Power BI25m
Implement row-level security roles
Weak matchCovered
Enforce semantic model security1h 7m·KB: Row-level security
Configure row-level security group membership
Weak matchCovered
Enforce semantic model security1h 7m·KB: Row-level security
Apply sensitivity labels
Covered
Apply sensitivity labels for data protection1h 10m·KB: Sensitivity labels