POWER BI

Interview Questions
Part-1

Rama Gopala Krishna Masani

Data analyst
Power BI Interview
Questions & Insights

Master the
Questions, Crack
the Interview!
 Power BI Basics

1. What is Power BI?

Power BI is a data visualization and business
intelligence tool from Microsoft. It helps users
connect to different data sources, clean and
transform the data, and create interactive
reports and dashboards. With Power BI, it's
easy to analyze data and share insights with
others in a simple and visual way.
 2. What are the main
components of Power BI?
Power BI has several key components that work
together to help us create, share, and view data
reports:
Power BI Desktop – This is where we create
reports and dashboards on our computer.
Power BI Service – This is the online (cloud)
platform where we publish and share reports
with others.
Power BI Mobile – This is the mobile app to
view reports on phones and tablets.
Power BI Gateway – This connects Power BI to
our company’s local data, so we can keep
reports updated.
Power BI Report Server – This is used when a
company wants to store reports on its own
servers, not in the cloud.
Power BI Embedded – This lets developers add
Power BI reports inside websites or apps.
 3. What are the different data
sources supported by Power BI?
Power BI supports a wide variety of data
sources. These include:
Databases: Like SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and
PostgreSQL.
Cloud Platforms: Such as Azure SQL Database,
Google Big Query, and Amazon Redshift.
Files: Like Excel, CSV, JSON, XML, and even PDF.
Online Services: Power BI can connect to
services like SharePoint, Salesforce, and Google
Analytics.
Other Sources: It also supports web data, REST
APIs, OData feeds, and Power BI datasets.
 4. What is the difference
between Power BI Desktop and
Power BI Service?
Feature Power BI Desktop Power BI Service

A free Windows application used A cloud-based platform to view,

What is it? to create reports locally. share, and collaborate on
reports.

Used mainly to consume, share,

Used for data modeling, cleaning, schedule, and collaborate on
Usage and designing visuals. reports.

Performs transformations using Mostly handles report refreshes

Data Processing Power Query and DAX. and scheduling.

Saves files as .pbix on your local Saves reports in the cloud

Storage computer. (Power BI workspace).

Reports are published from Hosts published reports and

Publishing Desktop to the Power BI Service. allows sharing with others.
 5. What are the different
versions of Power BI?
Power BI Free – This is good for individuals. You
can create reports and dashboards, but can’t
share them with others.
Power BI Pro – A paid version for teams. It
allows you to share, collaborate, and schedule
data refreshes.
Power BI Premium – Made for large
organizations. It gives better performance, more
storage, and allows sharing with users who
don’t have a Pro license.
Power BI Embedded – Meant for developers.
You can embed Power BI reports into your own
apps or websites.
Power BI Report Server – Used when
companies want to keep everything on-premise
instead of cloud. It works with SQL Server
licenses.
 6.What is Power BI Report
Server?
Power BI Report Server is an on-premises
reporting solution for organizations that prefer
to keep their data behind a firewall instead of
using the cloud.
It allows users to create, store, and manage
Power BI reports, paginated reports, and
mobile reports on their own servers.
Reports can be accessed via a web browser
or Power BI mobile app.
It is included with Power BI Premium
licensing.
 7. What is Power Query?
Power Query is a data transformation and ETL
(Extract, Transform, Load) tool in Power BI.
It helps users connect, clean, reshape, and
transform data before loading it into Power
BI.
It supports multiple data sources like Excel,
SQL, APIs, and cloud databases.
It uses a formula language called M
Language for advanced data
transformations.
 8. What is Power Pivot?
Power Pivot is a data modeling component in
Power BI that allows users to:
Create relationships between tables. Use
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) for
advanced calculations.
Handle large datasets efficiently by using in-
memory compression.
Power Pivot is essential for building complex
analytical models in Power BI.
9. What is Power View in Power
BI?
Power View is an interactive data visualization
feature in Power BI that allows users to create
dynamic reports and dashboards.
It supports charts, graphs, maps, and tables.
Users can filter and highlight data
dynamically.
It was originally available in Excel and
SharePoint but is now integrated into Power
BI Desktop.
10. What is Power Map in Power
BI?
Power Map is a 3D data visualization tool in
Power BI that helps users plot geographic data
on a map.
It enables users to create animated
visualizations of data over time.
It supports Bing Maps for location-based
analysis.
It is now integrated into Power BI as Map
and Filled Map visuals.
 11. What is Power BI Mobile?
Power BI Mobile is the mobile application
version of Power BI that allows users to view
and interact with reports and dashboards on
their smartphones or tablets.
Available for iOS, Android, and Windows
devices.
Supports real-time data monitoring and
notifications.
Allows users to annotate and share reports
directly from the app.
12. What are the types of Power BI visuals?
Bar and Column Charts: Used for comparing
categorical data.
Line Chart: Shows trends over time.
Pie and Donut Charts: Displays proportions.
Table and Matrix: Shows detailed data in
tabular format.
Card: Displays a single value or KPI. Map
Visuals: Displays geographical data (Filled
Map, ArcGIS, etc.).
Treemap: Represents hierarchical data using
nested rectangles.
Gauge Chart: Used for KPIs and progress
tracking.
Scatter and Bubble Charts: Show
relationships between variables.
Waterfall Chart: Used for understanding
financial or sequential data changes.
Custom Visuals: Additional visuals from the
Power BI Marketplace.
 13. What is a Power BI Dataset?
A Power BI Dataset is a structured collection of
data that has been imported, connected, or
transformed within Power BI for analysis and
visualization.
It can be sourced from databases, Excel,
APIs, and cloud services.
Supports Direct Query, Import Mode, and
Live Connection for data refresh.
Datasets can be shared and reused across
multiple reports.
 14. What are the advantages of
using Power BI?
Power BI offers several benefits, including:
1. Ease of Use:- Simple drag-and-drop interface
for building reports and dashboards.
2. Multiple Data Sources:- Connects to
databases, Excel, APIs, cloud platforms like
Azure, and more.
3. Interactive Visualizations:- Offers a variety of
charts, graphs, maps, and custom visuals.
4. Data Refresh & Automation:- Supports
scheduled data refreshes for real-time and up-
to-date insights.
5. Cloud & On-Premises Access:- Accessible via
Power BI Service (cloud) and Power BI Report
Server (on-premises).
6. Security & Compliance:- Enables Row-Level
Security (RLS) and integrates with Azure Active
Directory for secure access.
 15. What is Power BI Gateway?
Power BI Gateway is a bridge that connects on-
premises data sources to the Power BI Service
without moving the data to the cloud.
It enables automatic data refresh from SQL
databases, Excel files, and other on- premise
sources.
There are two types of gateways:
Personal Mode (for individual use)
Standard Mode (for team or enterprise
use)
Personal Mode (for individual use)
Standard Mode (for team or enterprise
use)
It is essential for organizations needing real-
time data updates in Power BI dashboards while
keeping data stored securely on local servers.
Data Sources and Data Connections
16. What is the difference
between Power BI Personal and
Enterprise Gateway?
Feature Personal Gateway Enterprise Gateway

Use Case Enterprise-wide data

Individual users access

Installation Installed per user on a Installed on a central

personal computer server for multiple users
Less secure, as More secure, with
Security credentials are stored centralized authentication
locally

Data Sources Supports only Import Supports both Import and

mode DirectQuery mode

Cannot be used for

Scheduled Refresh scheduled refresh Supports scheduled
refresh
Cannot be used for Supports shared reports
Sharing shared datasets or and datasets
reports
17. How do you connect Power BI
to a cloud-based data source?
Open Power BI Desktop: Start by launching Power
BI on your computer.
Click Home → Get Data → More: Navigate to the
Home tab, click on Get Data, then select More to
see all available data sources.
Choose a Cloud Service: Select the cloud service
you want to connect to, such as Azure, Google
BigQuery, Snowflake, Salesforce, or SharePoint
Online.
Enter Required Credentials: Provide the
necessary authentication details like OAuth, API
Key, or database credentials based on the
selected service.
Select and Load Data: Choose the desired dataset
or table and click Load to import it into Power BI
for analysis.
For Power BI Service: Use Dataflows for managing
cloud-based data connections, and use Gateways
when connecting to on-premises data sources.
 18. What is the difference
between DirectQuery and Import
Mode?
Feature DirectQuery Import Mode

Large datasets Smaller datasets

Use Case that change or when speed
frequently is crucial
Queries data Stores data in
Data Storage live from the Power BI
source
Slower, as it Faster, as data is
Performance queries the preloaded
database live
No need for Requires
Data Refresh scheduled scheduled
refresh; always refreshes
live
19. How do you connect Power BI
to an Excel file?
To connect Power BI to an Excel file, follow
these simple steps:
Open Power BI Desktop.
Go to the Home tab and click on Excel under
the Get Data section.
Browse your computer and select the Excel file
you want to use.
Once it opens, you’ll see a list of sheets and
tables—select the one(s) you need.
Then click Load to import the data directly, or
click Transform Data to open Power Query if
you want to clean or modify the data before
loading.
20. How do you connect Power BI
to SQL Server?
To connect Power BI to a SQL Server database,
follow these steps:
1. Open Power BI Desktop.
2. Go to the Home tab → click Get Data →
choose SQL Server.
3. Enter the Server Name and optionally the
Database Name.
4. Choose your connection mode:
Import to load data into Power BI.
Direct Query to run live queries directly
on SQL Server.
5. Click OK, then select the tables you need
and load the data.
21. How do you refresh data in Power BI?
To refresh data in Power BI, you can do it in two
main ways—in Power BI Desktop and Power BI
Service:
In Power BI Desktop:
Click the Home tab → click Refresh to update
the data.
If you're using DirectQuery, data is updated
automatically every time you interact with
visuals.
In Power BI Service (app.powerbi.com):
Go to the workspace, find your dataset.
Click More Options (⋯) → select Refresh
Now to refresh manually.
To automate updates, go to Dataset
Settings → configure Scheduled Refresh.
For On-Premises Data Sources:
Use a Power BI Gateway (Personal or Standard
mode) to enable scheduled refreshes from your
local or on-premises systems.
 22.What are the different file formats
supported for importing data into Power
BI?
Power BI can connect to a wide variety of file
types, including
Excel Files – .xls, .xlsx
CSV Files – .csv
JSON Files – .json
XML Files – .xml
Text Files – .txt
Parquet Files – .parquet (commonly used in
big data)
PBIX Files – Power BI Desktop files
ODS Files – Open Document Spreadsheet
 23. Can Power BI connect to live
streaming data?
Yes, Power BI supports live streaming data
through several methods:
Azure Stream Analytics – Processes real-
time data from IoT devices, apps, and
sensors, and sends it directly to Power BI.
Power BI REST API – Allows developers to
push real-time data into Power BI datasets
using custom applications.
Streaming Datasets – Enables live data
feeds directly into dashboards without
storing the data in Power BI.
PubNub Integration – Connects Power BI to
PubNub real-time streams for instant
updates.
24. How do you handle large datasets in
Power BI?
Use DirectQuery Mode – Keeps large data at
the source and queries it on demand.
Apply Aggregations – Pre-aggregate data to
reduce the amount processed at runtime.
Optimize DAX Queries – Write efficient DAX
measures to minimize calculation time.
Reduce Cardinality – Lower the granularity
of data where possible to improve
compression and performance.
Partition Data with Incremental Refresh –
Load only new or changed data instead of
reloading everything.
Optimize the Data Model – Remove unused
columns and use a star schema for better
performance.
Use Composite Models – Combine Import
mode for frequently used data and
DirectQuery for real-time or large datasets.
 25.What is the Common Data Service
(CDS) in Power BI?
The Common Data Service (CDS) is a cloud-
based data storage platform used by Power BI,
Power Apps, and other Power Platform tools. It
stores data in a standardized and secure way,
making it easier to build and integrate business
applications.
Key Benefits of CDS:
Centralized data storage for consistency
across apps.
Secure and role-based access control to
protect sensitive data.
Seamless integration with Power BI, Power
Apps, and Power Automate.
Reduces the need for complex ETL
processes by using a standardized schema.
 26. What is the use of the "Merge
Queries" function?
The Merge Queries function in Power BI is used
to combine data from two tables based on a
common key, similar to SQL joins. It’s commonly
used in Power Query Editor for integrating data
from different sources.
Types of Joins Available:
Inner Join – Only matching records from
both tables.
Left Outer Join – All records from the first
table, and matching records from the
second.
Right Outer Join – All records from the
second table, and matching ones from the
first.
Full Outer Join – All records from both
tables.
Anti Joins – Returns only the non-matching
records (left or right).
Steps to Use Merge Queries:
Open Power Query Editor → click Merge
Queries.
Select the two tables and choose the
common column (key).
Pick the appropriate join type and click OK.
Expand the merged column to include the
fields you want from the second table.
27. How do you clean data using Power
Query in Power BI?
Power Query in Power BI offers a wide range of tools
to clean and transform data before loading it into
your report. Here are some common data cleaning
steps:
Key Data Cleaning Techniques in Power Query:
Remove Null Values – Filter out rows with
missing or empty values.
Remove Duplicates – Eliminate duplicate
records to ensure data integrity.
Change Data Types – Convert columns to the
correct format like Date, Number, or Text.
Trim and Clean Text – Remove extra spaces,
invisible characters, or formatting issues.
Replace Values – Find and replace specific
values within a column.
Merge and Append Queries – Combine data
from multiple tables or sources.
Add Custom Columns – Use formulas to create
calculated or conditional columns.
 28. How do you split a column in Power
BI?
To split a column in Power BI, you use the Power
Query Editor. This is useful when dealing with
unstructured or semi-structured data like full
names, addresses, or codes.
Steps to Split a Column:
Open Power Query Editor.
Select the column you want to split.
Click on Split Column in the Transform tab.
Choose your splitting method:
By Delimiter (e.g., comma, space, dash).
By Number of Characters (for fixed-width
data).
Click OK to apply the changes.
Rename the new columns if needed for
clarity.
29. How do you remove duplicate values
in Power BI?
To remove duplicate values in Power BI, use the
Power Query Editor.
Steps
Open Power Query Editor by clicking
Transform Data.
Select the column(s) where you want to
remove duplicates.
Go to the Home tab → click Remove
Duplicates.
Click Close & Apply to save and load the
cleaned data.
 30. What is a relationship in Power BI?
A relationship in Power BI defines how two or
more tables are connected through a common
column, usually a key like Customer ID or
Product ID. Relationships allow Power BI to
combine data from different tables for accurate
analysis and reporting.
Example:
If you have a Sales table and a Customers table,
you can create a relationship between them
using the Customer ID. This enables you to
analyze sales data by customer details like
name, region, or category.
Why Relationships Matter:
Enable cross-table analysis
Support filter propagation in visuals
Help maintain a clean, normalized data
model
 31. What is the difference between
M Language and DAX in Power BI?
M Language and DAX (Data Analysis
Expressions) are both used in Power BI, but they
serve different purposes:
Feature M Language DAX

Power Query Power BI Data

Used In Editor Model
(Reports/Visuals)
Cleans, Performs
Purpose transforms, and calculations and
shapes data analysis after
before loading data is loaded

Syntax Functional and Formula-based,

step-by-step similar to Excel
Runs before Runs after data
Execution Time data is loaded is loaded
into the model
Table.TransformColumn
Example (Source, {{"Column1", SUM(Sales[Amount])
Text.Upper}})
 32.What are the different types of
relationships in Power BI?
Power BI supports three types of relationships between
tables to connect and analyze data effectively:
1. One-to-Many (1:M)
Most common type.
One record in Table A matches multiple
records in Table B.
Example: One Customer → Many Orders.
2. Many-to-Many (M:M)
Used when multiple records in one table
relate to multiple records in another.
Example: A Product can belong to many
Categories, and a Category can have many
Products.
3. One-to-One (1:1)
One record in Table A has exactly one
matching record in Table B.
Example: A Product table linked to a Product
Details table.
inactive (can be activated in DAX using
USERELATIONSHIP()).
 33. What is a Star Schema in Power BI?
A Star Schema is a simple and recommended
data modeling structure in Power BI where:
A central Fact Table (e.g., Sales) holds numeric
data like revenue, quantity, etc.
Multiple Dimension Tables (e.g., Date, Product,
Customer, Region) store descriptive data
related to the fact.
Example:
If analyzing sales:
Fact Table: Sales Data
Dimensions: Customers, Products, Dates,
Regions
Benefits of Star Schema:
Faster performance due to fewer joins
Simpler model – easier to understand and
maintain
Ideal for Power BI’s in-memory engine
 34. What is a Snowflake Schema in
Power BI?
A Snowflake Schema is a normalized version of
the Star Schema where dimension tables are
further split into sub-dimensions.
Example:
Instead of one Product table, you might
have:
Products
Categories
Suppliers
These are linked through multiple joins,
forming a "snowflake" structure.
Pros:
Saves storage by reducing redundancy
Improves data integrity through
normalization
Cons:
Slower performance due to more joins
Complex structure, harder to manage in
Power BI
 35. How do you create a Calculated
Column in Power BI?
A calculated column is created using DAX and
adds a new field to a table that performs row-
by-row calculations.
Steps to Create a Calculated Column:
Open Power BI Desktop.
Select the table where you want to add the
column.
Go to the Modeling tab → click New Column.
Write your DAX formula.
Press Enter – the column appears in your
table.

Use When:
You need static, row-level calculations.
You want to use the result in slicers, filters,
or visuals.
 36. How do you create a Measure in
Power BI?
A measure is a DAX formula used for aggregated
calculations that dynamically respond to filters
and context.
Steps to Create a Measure:
Open Power BI Desktop.
Go to the Modeling tab → click New Measure.
Write your DAX formula.
Press Enter – the measure is added to your
table.

Use When:
You need aggregations like SUM, AVERAGE,
COUNT.
You want dynamic results that change with
slicers/filters.
 37.Difference Between Calculated
Column and Measure:

Feature Calculated Column Measure

Aggregate
Calculation Level Row-by-row (context-based)

Stored in model Calculated on the

Storage (increases size) fly (efficient)

Filters, slicers, KPIs, summaries,

Use Case visual-level fields totals
 39. How do you handle missing values
in Power BI?
Handling missing or null values is essential for
clean, accurate data analysis in Power BI.
Using Power Query Editor:
1. Remove Null Values:
Open Transform Data.
Select the column → Home Tab → Remove
Rows → Remove Blank Rows.
2. Replace Null Values:
Go to Transform Tab → Replace Values.
Replace nulls with default values (e.g., 0 for
numbers, "Unknown" for text).
Using DAX:
You can use IF() or COALESCE() in calculated
columns or measures:

Ensures data integrity.

 40. How do you filter data using slicers
in Power BI?
A slicer is a visual filter in Power BI that lets
users interactively filter data in a report.
Steps to Add a Slicer:
Open Power BI Desktop.
Go to the Visualizations pane → click on the
Slicer icon.
Drag a column (e.g., Region, Category, or
Date) into the Field area.
Resize and format the slicer as needed.
Types of Slicers:
List Slicer – Displays all values in a
scrollable list.
Dropdown Slicer – More compact view.
Date Range Slicer – Filter data by specific
dates or ranges.
Hierarchical Slicer – Filter using multiple
levels (e.g., Category → Subcategory).
 41. What is DAX?
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is a formula
language used in Power BI, Excel, and SSAS for
creating calculated columns, measures, and
custom tables.
Key Features:
Performs aggregations (e.g., SUM, AVERAGE,
COUNT)
Enables conditional logic (IF, SWITCH)
Supports time intelligence (e.g., DATEADD,
YEAR)
Allows row and context-based calculations
with CALCULATE, FILTER, etc.
 42. What are some common DAX
functions?
DAX functions are categorized into several
types:
Category Functions

Aggregation SUM(), AVERAGE(), COUNT(), MIN(), MAX()

Logical IF(), SWITCH(), AND(), OR()

Filter FILTER(), ALL(), CALCULATE(), ALLEXCEPT()

TODAY(), NOW(), DATEADD(), YEAR(),
Date & Time MONTH()
Mathematical ABS(), ROUND(), MOD(), SQRT()
CONCATENATE(), LEFT(), RIGHT(), LEN(),
Text SEARCH()
 43. What is the difference between
SUM() and SUMX()?

Function Definition Use Case Example

Simple SUM(Sales
Adds up values aggregations [Amount])
SUM()

Iterates row- When

by-row, calculation SUMX(Sales,
SUMX() performs a involves Sales[Quantity
calculation, multiple * Sales[Price])
then sums columns
 44. What is the difference between
CALCULATE() and FILTER() in DAX?

Function Definition Use Case Example

Used in row-
Returns a level filtering FILTER(Sales,
table that or when a Sales[Amount
FILTER() meets a function
condition requires a > 5000)
table

Used
Changes or applying when CALCULATE
modifies the filters (SUM(Sales
[Amount]),
CALCULATE() filter context dynamically Sales
of a within a [Category] =
calculation measure "Electronics")
 45. What is the difference between
ALL() and ALLEXCEPT() in DAX?

Function Definition Use Case Example

ALL(Sales
Removes all Used when [Category]) –
removes
filters from a ignoring filters from filters
ALL()
column or table in a calculation "Category"
column

Removes all Used to ALLEXCEPT

(Sales,
filters except preserve filters Sales[Region]) –
ALLEXCEPT() specified
columns on one or more keeps filter on
"Region"
46. How do you calculate running totals
in Power BI?
A running total shows the cumulative sum over
a period (like days, months, etc.).
DAX Formula Example (Running Total by
Date):
47. How do you calculate the difference
between two columns in Power BI?
You can calculate the difference using either a
calculated column or a measure, depending on
what you need:
For Row-Level Difference (Calculated
Column):
Used when you want the difference row by row.

For Aggregated Difference (Measure):

Used when you want to compare aggregated
values.
 48. What is the difference between
EARLIER() and EARLIEST() in Power BI
(DAX)?

Function Definition Use Case Example

Refers to the Used in

previous row calculated Calculating
context columns ranks or
EARLIER() during nested inside percent of
row iterators (like total
calculations SUMX)

Refers to the Rarely used—

outermost only in
(first) row complex or Advanced
EARLIEST() context in multi-level nested logic
deeply nested nested
operations contexts
 49. How do you perform time
intelligence calculations in Power BI?

Function Purpose Example DAX Formula

Calculates Year-to-Date TOTALYTD(SUM

TOTALYTD() sales (Sales[Amount]),
Sales[Date])

Calculates Month-to-Date TOTALMTD(SUM

(Sales[Amount]),
TOTALMTD() sales Sales[Date])

Calculates Quarter-to- TOTALQTD(SUM

TOTALQTD() Date sales (Sales[Amount]),
Sales[Date])

CALCULATE(SUM
Compares to the same (Sales[Amount]),
SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR() period last year SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR
(Sales[Date]))

Shifts dates CALCULATE

forward/backward by (SUM(Sales[Amount]),
DATEADD() DATEADD(Sales[Date], -1,
days/months/years YEAR))
 50. What is the purpose of the
RELATED() function in Power BI?
The RELATED() function is used in Power BI to
fetch a value from a related table using an
existing one-to-many relationship.
When to Use RELATED():
Use it when:
You are in the "many" side of a relationship
(e.g., Orders),
And want to pull data from the "one" side
(e.g., Customers).
Example:
If you have two tables:
Customers: CustomerID, CustomerName
Orders: OrderID, CustomerID, OrderAmount
 I hope you find this helpful
and valuable.
Feel free to like, comment, or
share if you found this valuable.

Rama Gopala Krishna Masani

Data analyst & Scientist