Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300) Cert Prep by Microsoft Press (2025)

Introduction

• Exam PL-300 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst: Introduction

1. Get or Connect to Data

• Module introduction: Prepare the data
• Learning objectives
• Identify and connect to data sources or a shared semantic model
• Change data source settings, including credentials and privacy levels
• Choose between DirectQuery and import
• Create and modify parameters

2. Profile and Clean the Data

• Learning objectives
• Evaluate data, including data statistics and column properties
• Resolve inconsistencies, unexpected or null values, and data quality issues
• Resolve data import errors

3. Transform and Load the Data

• Learning objectives
• Select appropriate column data types
• Create and transform columns
• Group and aggregate rows
• Pivot, unpivot, and transpose data
• Convert semi-structured data to a table
• Create fact tables and dimension tables
• When to use reference or duplicate queries and their impact
• Merge and append queries
• Identify and create appropriate keys for relationships
• Configure data loading for queries

4. Design and Implement a Data Model

• Module introduction: Model the data
• Learning objectives
• Configure table and column properties
• Implement role-playing dimensions
• Define a relationship's cardinality and cross-filter direction
• Create a common date table
• Use cases for calculated columns and calculated tables

5. Create Model Calculations Using DAX

• Learning objectives
• Create single aggregation measures
• Use the CALCULATE function
• Implement time intelligence measures
• Use basic statistical functions
• Create semi-additive measures
• Create a measure using quick measures
• Create calculated tables or columns
• Create calculation groups

6. Optimize Model Performance

• Learning objectives
• Find and remove extra rows and columns to improve performance
• Identify poorly performing measures, relationships, and visuals
• Improve performance by reducing granularity

7. Create Reports

• Module introduction: Visualize and analyze the data
• Learning objectives
• Select an appropriate visual
• Format and configure visuals
• Apply and customize a theme
• Apply conditional formatting
• Apply slicing and filtering
• Configure the report page
• Choose when to use a paginated report
• Create visual calculations by using DAX

8. Enhance Reports for Usability and Storytelling

• Learning objectives
• Configure bookmarks
• Create custom tooltips
• Edit and configure interactions between visuals
• Configure navigation for a report
• Apply sorting to visuals
• Configure sync slicers
• Group and layer visuals using the Selection pane
• Configure drill through navigation
• Configure export settings
• Design reports for mobile devices
• Enable personalized visuals in a report
• Design and configure Power BI reports for accessibility
• Configure automatic page refresh

9. Identify Patterns and Trends

• Learning objectives
• Use the Analyze feature in Power BI
• Use grouping, binning, and clustering
• Use AI visuals
• Use reference lines, error bars, and forecasting
• Detect outliers and anomalies

10. Create and Manage Workspaces and Assets

• Module introduction: Manage and secure Power BI
• Learning objectives
• Create and configure a workspace
• Configure and update a workspace app
• Publish, import, or update items in a workspace
• Create dashboards
• Choose a distribution method
• Configure subscriptions and data alerts
• Promote or certify Power BI content
• Identify when a gateway is required
• Configure a semantic model scheduled refresh

11. Secure and Govern Power BI Items

• Learning objectives
• Assign workspace roles
• Configure item-level access
• Configure access to semantic models
• Implement row-level security roles
• Configure row-level security group membership
• Apply sensitivity labels

Conclusion

• Exam PL-300 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst: Summary