Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)

By using accessible data and applying domain experience, the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) data analyst provides actionable insights. The Power BI data analyst works with key stakeholders from various industries to identify business requirements, cleans and transforms data, and then uses Power BI to create and build data models. The Power BI data analyst adds value to the organisation by creating easy-to-understand data visualisations, enabling others to execute self-service analytics, and deploying and configuring solutions for use. Candidates for this test should know how to use Power Query and write DAX expressions.

Exam Overview

The Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) exam covers examination consists primarily of multiple-choice questions, but you might also encounter build a tree, reorder, or simulation questions. Furthermore, the cost of the examination is $165 USD and you need to get at least a score of  700/1000 to clear the examination. You are approximately given 90 minutes to complete the examination but Microsoft does not disclose the exam’s time limit. Furthermore, it is available in English languages only.

Exam Registration

For Registering yourself for the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) examination, follow the following steps:

• Go to the official website and click on the schedule now option.
• You will be redirected to the Certiport registration page.
• Follow the steps and complete your registration.
• Furthermore, you will be receiving a confirmation mail once you have made your payment.

Exam Policies

It is advised that the candidate study these policies in order to avoid any future confusion. These policies detail enrollment possibilities, learning credits, and other topics.

Exam Retake Policy

If the candidate does not meet the passing score, he or she must wait 24 hours before reapplying for the exam. The candidate can reschedule the exam using their certificate dashboard. Only five times can a candidate reappear for the examination. If you fail your second attempt, you will have to wait 14 days before rescheduling your third attempt. The fourth and fifth tries will also have a 14-day waiting period.

Exam Cancellation Policy

Microsoft allows applicants to cancel or reschedule their exams up to 24 hours before the scheduled exam time. However, you must cancel or reschedule your exam at least 6 working days prior to the planned exam date to avoid incurring cancellation fees. Furthermore, if you fail to attend for the exam, you will not be reimbursed for the exam fee.

Recertification Policy

Although the person’s certification will be acknowledged, Microsoft certification is likely to expire when the products are no longer supported by Microsoft. The certification will never expire, according to the rules.

You can read the full policies on the official website of Microsoft.

For more information, click on Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) FAQ.

Course Outline for Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)

Prepare the Data (25-30%)

• Get data from different data sources
  • identify and connect to a data source
  (Microsoft Documentation: Connect to data sources in Power BI Desktop)
• • Change data source settings, including credentials, privacy levels, and data source locations
  (Microsoft Documentation: Power BI Desktop privacy levels, Manage data source settings and permissions (Power Query))
  • select a shared dataset or create a local dataset (Microsoft Documentation: Share access to a semantic model)
  • Choose between DirectQuery, Import, and Dual mode
  • change the value in a parameter (Microsoft Documentation: Using parameters)

• Transform and load the data
  • Select appropriate column data types (Microsoft Documentation: Data types in Power Query)
  • Create and transform columns (Microsoft Documentation: Add a custom column in Power BI Desktop)
  • Transform a query
  • Design a star schema that contains facts and dimensions (Microsoft Documentation: Understand star schema and the importance for Power BI)
  • Identify when to use reference or duplicate queries and the resulting impact
  • Merge and append queries
  • Identify and create appropriate keys for relationships (Microsoft Documentation: Create and manage relationships in Power BI Desktop)
  • Configure data loading for queries (Microsoft Documentation: Best practices for loading data into a dedicated SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics)

• Clean the data
  • Evaluate data, including data statistics and column properties (Microsoft Documentation: Using the data profiling tools)
  • Resolve inconsistencies, unexpected or null values, and data quality issues
  • Resolve data import errors (Microsoft Documentation: Resolve data import error messages)

Model the Data (25—30%)

• Design and implement a data model
  • Configure table and column properties
  • Implement role-playing dimensions (Microsoft Documentation: Understand star schema and the importance for Power BI)
  • Define a relationship’s cardinality and cross-filter direction (Microsoft Documentation: Model relationships in Power BI Desktop)
  • Create a common date table (Microsoft Documentation: Create date tables in Power BI Desktop)
  • Implement row-level security roles (Microsoft Documentation: Row-level security (RLS) with Power BI)

• Create model calculations by using DAX
  • Create single aggregation measures (Microsoft Documentation: Work with aggregates (sum, average, and so on) in Power BI)
  • Use CALCULATE to manipulate filters (Microsoft Documentation: CALCULATE)
  • Implement time intelligence measures
  • Identify implicit measures and replace with explicit measures (Microsoft Documentation: Measures in Power Pivot)
  • Use basic statistical functions (Microsoft Documentation: Statistical functions)
  • Create semi-additive measures
  • Create a measure by using quick measures (Microsoft Documentation: Create your own measures in Power BI Desktop)
  • Create calculated tables (Microsoft Documentation: Create calculated tables in Power BI Desktop)

• Optimize model performance
  • Improve performance by identifying and removing unnecessary rows and columns
  • Identify poorly performing measures, relationships, and visuals by using Performance Analyzer (Microsoft Documentation: Use Performance Analyzer to examine report element performance in Power BI Desktop)
  • Improve performance by choosing optimal data types
  • Improve performance by summarizing data (Microsoft Documentation: Data reduction techniques for Import modeling)

Visualize and Analyze the Data (25—30%)

• Create reports
  • Identify and implement appropriate visualizations (Microsoft Documentation: Visualization types in Power BI)
  • Format and configure visualizations (Microsoft Documentation: Get started formatting report visualizations)
  • Use a custom visual (Microsoft Documentation: Power BI custom visuals)
  • Apply and customize a theme
  • Configure conditional formatting (Microsoft Documentation: Highlight patterns and trends with conditional formatting)
  • Apply slicing and filtering
  • Configure the report page (Microsoft Documentation: Configure reporting in Configuration Manager)
  • Use the Analyze in Excel feature (Microsoft Documentation: Analyze Data in Excel)
  • Choose when to use a paginated report (Microsoft Documentation: Create and use the paginated report visual)

• Enhance reports for usability and storytelling
  • Configure bookmarks
  • Create custom tooltips (Microsoft Documentation: Customize tooltips in Power BI)
  • Edit and configure interactions between visuals (Microsoft Documentation: Change how visuals interact in a Power BI report)
  • Configure navigation for a report (Microsoft Documentation: Create page and bookmark navigators)
  • Apply sorting
  • Configure sync slicers (Microsoft Documentation: Slicers in Power BI)
  • Group and layer visuals by using the Selection pane
  • Drill down into data using interactive visuals (Microsoft Documentation: Drill mode in the Power BI service)
  • Configure export of report content, and perform an export
  • Design reports for mobile devices (Microsoft Documentation: About mobile-optimized Power BI reports)
  • Enable personalized visuals in a report (Microsoft Documentation: Personalize visuals in a report)
  • Design and configure Power BI reports for accessibility (Microsoft Documentation: Design Power BI reports for accessibility)

• Identify patterns and trends
  • Use the Analyze feature in Power BI (Microsoft Documentation: Use the Analyze feature to explain fluctuations in report visuals)
  • Use grouping, binning, and clustering (Microsoft Documentation:Use grouping and binning in Power BI Desktop)
  • Incorporate the Q&A feature in a report (Microsoft Documentation: Create a Q&A visual in a report in Power BI)
  • Use AI visuals
  • Use reference lines, error bars, and forecasting
  • Detect outliers and anomalies (Microsoft Documentation: Anomaly Detection in Endpoint analytics)
  • Create and share scorecards and metrics (Microsoft Documentation: Create scorecards and manual metrics in Power BI)

Deploy and Maintain Assets (15—20%)

• Create and manage workspaces and assets
  • Create and configure a workspace (Microsoft Documentation: Create a workspace in Power BI)
  • Assign workspace roles (Microsoft Documentation: Roles in workspaces in Power BI)
  • Configure and update a workspace app (Microsoft Documentation: Publish an app in Power BI)
  • Publish, import, or update assets in a workspace
  • Create dashboards (Microsoft Documentation: Create a Power BI dashboard from a report)
  • Choose a distribution method
  • Apply sensitivity labels to workspace content (Microsoft Documentation: Sensitivity labels in Power BI)
  • Configure subscriptions and data alerts (Microsoft Documentation: Data alerts in the Power BI service)
  • Promote or certify Power BI content
  • Manage global options for files (Microsoft Documentation: Change settings for Power BI reports)

• Manage datasets
  • Identify when a gateway is required (Microsoft Documentation: What is an on-premises data gateway?)
  • Configure a dataset scheduled refresh (Microsoft Documentation: Configure scheduled refresh)
  • Configure row-level security group membership (Microsoft Documentation: Row-level security (RLS) in Power BI Report Server)
  • Provide access to datasets (Microsoft Documentation: Datasets – Get Datasets)
  • Configure automatic page refresh (Microsoft Documentation: Automatic page refresh in Power BI)

Preparatory Guide for Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)

When it comes to exams, you need a well-structured study guide and strategy in order to ace them. We have produced a guide that you can use to assist you in your preparation. Furthermore, following this study guide will assist you in learning and comprehending each exam’s objectives. We are here to provide you with the best learning tools so that you can pass the exam. Furthermore, we will provide a full description to assist you in preparing for the exam. Let’s start with a study guide and expert learning tools.

Refer the Exam Guide

It is critical to be aware of the issues ahead of time. This is, by far, the most crucial stage in the preparation guide. Furthermore, when it comes to designing the exam strategy, exam goals are critical. So, here’s a quick rundown:

• Prepare the Data (15-20%)
• Model the Data (30—35%)
• Visualize and Analyze the Data (25—30%)
• Deploy and Maintain Assets (20—25%)

Microsoft Books

While preparation for the exam, Microsoft provides reference books that can be useful. These books also include a variety of valuable resources that can be used while studying. Visit Microsoft Press Books to locate relevant books that will help you have a better understanding of the exam objectives and, as a result, pass the exam and achieve your certification. These books are also available on Amazon. These books will aid you in structuring your preparation for the exam.

Join Microsoft Community

A robust debate is always useful, regardless of where it takes place. When a large number of people get involved in a problem, the chances of finding a solution grow dramatically. The research get more extensive as a result of these conversations. Forums are excellent for forming a community that is necessary for understanding others. Interacting with others who have the same goals as you takes you one step closer to accomplishing them. It is also recommended that you join the Microsoft Community.

Evaluate yourself with Practice Test

It is critical to put what you have learnt into practise so that you can evaluate your performance. Additionally, by practising, you will be able to enhance your replying skills, resulting in significant time savings. Furthermore, the optimal time to begin taking practise tests is after you’ve finished one whole topic. It will serve as a review component for you. Additionally, by practising, you will be able to enhance your response skills, which will save you a significant amount of time. Furthermore, the best time to begin practising tests is after you have completed one full topic, as this will serve as a revision tool for you. Furthermore, the optimal time to begin taking practise exams is after you’ve completed one comprehensive exam.