PL-300 study guide · 2026

The 4 PL-300 domains, explained

4 domains and 11 official functional groups. Prepare the data carries the most weight at 25–30%. Each guide explains what the domain covers, how its questions are framed and where candidates lose marks.

Start with Domain 1 See all domains
Questions
40–60 (varies)
Time
100 minutes
Passing score
700 / 1000
Outline
Skills measured as of 20 April 2026 (current)

Exam blueprint

Bar widths follow the official weights. Weight ranges are drawn at their midpoint.

  1. 1 25–30%
  2. 2 25–30%
  3. 3 25–30%
  4. 4 15–20%
  1. 1 Prepare the data
  2. 2 Model the data
  3. 3 Visualize and analyze the data
  4. 4 Manage and secure Power BI

All 4 domains

11 official functional groups 55–75 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01 25–30%

    Prepare the data

    This domain covers getting data into Power BI and shaping it. It covers connecting to data sources, choosing between Import, DirectQuery and DirectLake, profiling and cleaning data, and transforming and loading it with Power Query, including building fact and dimension tables.

    Inside this domain

    • Get or connect to data sources and choose a storage mode
    • Profile and clean the data
    • Transform and load the data with Power Query

    Watch for Import for live data

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    11–16
    Study time est.
    15–20 hrs
  2. Domain 02 25–30%

    Model the data

    This domain covers building the semantic model. It covers designing and implementing a star-schema data model, creating calculations with DAX, and optimizing model performance.

    Inside this domain

    • Design and implement a data model
    • Create model calculations by using DAX
    • Optimize model performance

    Watch for Bidirectional everywhere

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    11–16
    Study time est.
    15–20 hrs
  3. Domain 03 25–30%

    Visualize and analyze the data

    This domain covers turning the model into insight. It covers creating reports and choosing visuals, enhancing reports for usability and storytelling, and identifying patterns and trends, including Copilot and AI features.

    Inside this domain

    • Create reports
    • Enhance reports for usability and storytelling
    • Identify patterns and trends

    Watch for Filter instead of drillthrough

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    11–16
    Study time est.
    15–20 hrs
  4. Domain 04 15–20%

    Manage and secure Power BI

    This domain covers deploying and governing Power BI. It covers creating and managing workspaces and assets, distribution, refresh and gateways, and securing items with workspace roles, item access, row-level security and sensitivity labels.

    Inside this domain

    • Create and manage workspaces and assets
    • Secure and govern Power BI items

    Watch for Separate reports per group

    Functional groups
    2
    Questions est.
    7–10
    Study time est.
    10–15 hrs

Study the heaviest domains first

Marks follow weight. This order puts the most marks behind you first, across about 55–75 hrs of study.

  1. 1 Prepare the data 25–30% · 15–20 hrs
  2. 2 Model the data 25–30% · 15–20 hrs
  3. 3 Visualize and analyze the data 25–30% · 15–20 hrs
  4. 4 Manage and secure Power BI 15–20% · 10–15 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 1: Prepare the data

A report must display near real-time data from a very large transactional database, and users need to see the latest values each time they interact with the report. The dataset is too large to fit comfortably in memory. Which storage mode should the data analyst choose?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Import for live data

    Clue The report must reflect the latest data on each interaction.

  • Domain 2

    Bidirectional everywhere

    Clue Filter results are ambiguous or wrong with both-direction relationships.

  • Domain 3

    Filter instead of drillthrough

    Clue Users should click an item and navigate to a filtered detail page.

  • Domain 4

    Separate reports per group

    Clue Different users must see only their own subset of the same report's data.

Practise what you read

PL-300 domains: common questions

How many domains are in the PL-300 exam?

PL-300 has 4 domains with 11 official functional groups between them: Prepare the data, Model the data, Visualize and analyze the data and Manage and secure Power BI.

Which PL-300 domain carries the most weight?

Prepare the data is the heaviest at 25–30%, followed by Model the data (25–30%). The lightest is Manage and secure Power BI (15–20%). Weights come from Microsoft's official outline.

What is the PL-300 exam format?

Questions: 40–60 (varies). Time allowed: 100 minutes. Passing score: 700 / 1000.

How long should I study for PL-300?

Our planning estimate is 55–75 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Start with Prepare the data, because it carries the most marks, then work down by weight. Use the checklist on each domain page to confirm you can do what the domain asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows Skills measured as of 20 April 2026 (current), published by Microsoft. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and functional groups come from Microsoft's official outline (Skills measured as of 20 April 2026 (current)). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.