The Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate credential is earned by passing Exam PL-300, and candidates are usually people who build reports and data models in Power BI. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, the verified exam facts (fee, time limit, passing score, renewal), worked explanations and a study plan to use alongside Microsoft Learn.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit (Exam PL-300) | 100 minutes[1] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Passing score (Exam PL-300) | 700 out of 1,000 (scaled)[2] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Exam PL-300) | $165 USD (price varies by country/region)[1] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake fee (Exam PL-300) | Each retake must be paid for (full exam fee)[3] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity | 12 months (renewal frequency)[1] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Renewal | Free online assessment on Microsoft Learn, taken during a 6-month window before expiry[4] | Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery (Exam PL-300) | Pearson VUE: online proctored (OnVUE) or at a local test center[5] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 26, 2026 |
According to Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE, “A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.”[2]
The Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate certification is awarded for Exam PL-300, which tests whether you can prepare, model, visualize and secure data in Power BI. Microsoft Learn and Microsoft Credentials run the program, and Pearson VUE delivers the exam.
Delivery: Microsoft states that candidates can usually choose between a local test center and an online proctored exam (OnVUE), depending on availability for that exam and provider. Check the Pearson VUE page for your region before you book.
Fee: $165 USD. The price is based on the country or region where the exam is proctored, so your own price may differ.
Time and score: You have 100 minutes. The score is scaled, and 700 out of 1,000 is required to pass.
Retakes: Each retake must be paid for at the full exam fee. Microsoft's retake policy page is the place to check any waiting rules, because we do not list them here.
Validity and renewal: The certification is valid for 12 months. Renewal is a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn, and you can take it at any point in the 6-month window before expiry. Passing extends the certification from its expiration date.
This page does not state eligibility requirements, because none are in our verified facts. Confirm them on the official certification page.
The content areas below are copied from the official Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate content outline published by Microsoft (Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Credentials); exams delivered by Pearson VUE. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Manage and secure Power BI[2] | Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate... Practise how workspaces, sharing, refresh and access to reports and datasets work in the Power BI service. |
| Model the data[2] | Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate... Practise relationships, storage modes such as Import and DirectQuery, and writing DAX measures that behave correctly in a model. |
| Prepare the data[2] | Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate... Practise connecting to sources and cleaning, shaping and combining data in Power Query before it reaches the model. |
| Visualize and analyze the data[2] | Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate... Practise choosing the right visual for a question and building reports that answer it clearly. |
Prepare for the Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the main advantage of using DirectQuery mode instead of Import mode in Power BI?
Answer: B. Data is always current because queries go directly to the source
Explanation:
The correct answer is that data is always current because queries go directly to the source. In DirectQuery, Power BI does not keep a copy of the data. It sends queries to the source when a report is used, so results reflect the source at that moment.
The in-memory speed option describes Import mode, which is the opposite approach. The option claiming every DAX function is supported is wrong because DirectQuery places limits on some modeling features. Reduced load on the source is also wrong: DirectQuery usually sends more queries to the source, not fewer.
Rule to remember: Import trades freshness for speed by storing data in memory, while DirectQuery trades speed for freshness by querying live.
Question: Why does cloud computing frequently cost less than on-site datacenters?
Answer: B. You only pay for what you really use.
Explanation:
The correct answer is that you only pay for what you really use. Cloud services are billed on a consumption basis, so you avoid buying hardware up front that may sit idle, which is why cloud can cost less than an on-site datacenter.
Free network bandwidth is wrong because data transfer is generally not free of charge. Constrained functionality is wrong, since cloud providers usually offer a wide range of services, and limited capability is not a cost advantage anyway. Services only in one specific area is wrong because cloud services are typically offered across many regions.
Rule to remember: when a question asks why cloud is cheaper, look for consumption-based, pay-as-you-go pricing rather than a restriction or a free resource.
Question: Dynamics 365 Field Service is used by a corporation. The inspections function needs to be used by service technicians. You draft inspection logs that include the right queries and checklists. What should you do next?
Answer: A. Connect the service task types to the inspection records.
Explanation:
The correct answer is to connect the service task types to the inspection records. In Field Service, an inspection is attached to a service task type. When that task type is used on a work order, the technician gets the matching inspection with its queries and checklists.
Connecting inspections to work orders directly is wrong because work orders are the jobs, and the inspection reaches them through their tasks. Adding them to service accounts is wrong because accounts describe the customer, not the work performed. Adding them to each resource booking is wrong because bookings handle scheduling and would need repeating for every booking.
Rule to remember: link reusable templates at the task-type level so they apply everywhere that task is used.
Start with the official skills outline for Exam PL-300 on Microsoft Learn and read it next to the four content areas in the table above. Mark each area as comfortable, shaky or unfamiliar, and be honest about it.
Work through the topic sets in order of weakness, not in the order listed. Take a set, then read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, because a correct guess teaches you nothing. Write down the rule behind each miss, such as when to use DirectQuery rather than Import, and revisit that list before each new session.
Practise in Power BI Desktop alongside the questions. Load a small dataset, shape it in Power Query, build relationships, write a few DAX measures and publish a report to a workspace. Hands-on work makes scenario questions much easier to read.
Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps rather than to predict your result. Near test day, run a mixed set under the 100-minute limit, then spend your remaining time on the areas that still cost you points. Check the Pearson VUE rules for your delivery option before you book.
You need a scaled score of 700 out of 1,000 on Exam PL-300. Microsoft's study guide states that a score of 700 or greater is required to pass. Because the score is scaled, it is not a simple percentage of correct answers.
The listed fee is $165 USD, but Microsoft notes the price is based on the country or region where the exam is proctored. Your local price may differ, so check the official certification page and the Pearson VUE booking screen before you pay.
Microsoft's certification page says you will have 100 minutes to complete the assessment. Practise under that limit before test day so you know how long you can spend on case-style and scenario questions without falling behind.
In most cases, yes. Microsoft states that candidates can usually choose between a local test center and an online proctored exam through OnVUE, depending on availability for that exam and provider. Confirm the options for your region on the Pearson VUE Microsoft page.
Each retake must be paid for, at the full exam fee. Microsoft's retake policy page covers any waiting rules, and we do not list them here. Use your score report to find weak areas, then focus your practice on those before booking again.
The certification is valid for 12 months. Renewal is a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn, and you can take it at any time in the 6-month window before expiry. Passing extends the certification from its expiration date.
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