PL-300 study plan

Week 1chapters 1–4 · about 9 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 1. Power BI for data analysts: the platform, licences and the end-to-end workflow
  • 2. Connecting to data: sources, storage modes, settings and parameters
  • 3. Profiling and cleaning data in Power Query
  • 4. Transforming and loading data with Power Query
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Power BI data source settings, credentials and privacy levels, Reference vs duplicate queries in Power Query.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Prepare the data · 25–30%Manage and secure Power BI · 15–20%

Week 2chapters 5–9 · about 11 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 5. Designing the data model
  • 6. DAX measures and CALCULATE
  • 7. Time intelligence, semi-additive measures, calculation groups and visual calculations
  • 8. Optimising model performance
  • 9. Creating reports: visuals, formatting, themes and filters
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Role-playing dimensions in Power BI: USERELATIONSHIP or duplicate tables, DAX CALCULATE and filter modifiers: ALL, REMOVEFILTERS, KEEPFILTERS and more, Semi-additive measures in DAX: balances and closing values.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Prepare the data · 25–30%Model the data · 25–30%Visualize and analyze the data · 25–30%

Week 3chapters 10–14 · about 10 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 10. Copilot, AI visuals and analysis features
  • 11. Interactive, accessible and mobile-friendly reports
  • 12. Workspaces, publishing, apps and distribution
  • 13. Gateways and semantic model refresh
  • 14. Securing and governing Power BI content
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Choosing a Power BI distribution method: apps, sharing, workspaces or embedding, When is a Power BI on-premises data gateway required?, Power BI row-level security roles: static and dynamic RLS.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Visualize and analyze the data · 25–30%Manage and secure Power BI · 15–20%

Week 4review Done

• Go back through every chapter’s key takeaways. Anything you can’t explain without looking, re-read that section.
• Re-read the common-trap callouts: they mark the answers that look right but aren’t.
• Check the exam coverage map against Microsoft’s own outline, in case it has changed since the book was checked.
• Take Microsoft’s free practice assessment, if your exam has one, from the official PL-300 study guide page. Revisit the chapters behind any weak area.
• Try the exam sandbox to get used to the exam’s screens and question formats.
• Get the free exam-day checklist and work through it a few days before your exam.

Week 1chapters 1–2 · about 5 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 1. Power BI for data analysts: the platform, licences and the end-to-end workflow
  • 2. Connecting to data: sources, storage modes, settings and parameters
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Power BI data source settings, credentials and privacy levels.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Prepare the data · 25–30%Manage and secure Power BI · 15–20%

Week 2chapters 3–4 · about 5 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 3. Profiling and cleaning data in Power Query
  • 4. Transforming and loading data with Power Query
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Reference vs duplicate queries in Power Query.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Prepare the data · 25–30%

Week 3chapters 5–6 · about 5 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 5. Designing the data model
  • 6. DAX measures and CALCULATE
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Role-playing dimensions in Power BI: USERELATIONSHIP or duplicate tables, DAX CALCULATE and filter modifiers: ALL, REMOVEFILTERS, KEEPFILTERS and more.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Prepare the data · 25–30%Model the data · 25–30%

Week 4chapters 7–8 · about 4 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 7. Time intelligence, semi-additive measures, calculation groups and visual calculations
  • 8. Optimising model performance
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Semi-additive measures in DAX: balances and closing values.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Model the data · 25–30%Visualize and analyze the data · 25–30%

Week 5chapters 9–10 · about 4 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 9. Creating reports: visuals, formatting, themes and filters
  • 10. Copilot, AI visuals and analysis features
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Visualize and analyze the data · 25–30%

Week 6chapters 11–12 · about 4 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 11. Interactive, accessible and mobile-friendly reports
  • 12. Workspaces, publishing, apps and distribution
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: Choosing a Power BI distribution method: apps, sharing, workspaces or embedding.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Visualize and analyze the data · 25–30%Manage and secure Power BI · 15–20%

Week 7chapters 13–14 · about 4 hours Done

• Read these chapters:
  • 13. Gateways and semantic model refresh
  • 14. Securing and governing Power BI content
• After each chapter, cover its key takeaways and explain each one out loud. Re-read any you can’t.
• Free study notes for this week: When is a Power BI on-premises data gateway required?, Power BI row-level security roles: static and dynamic RLS.
• Look up any unfamiliar term in the PL-300 glossary.

Exam skill areas this week: Manage and secure Power BI · 15–20%

Week 8review Done

• Go back through every chapter’s key takeaways. Anything you can’t explain without looking, re-read that section.
• Re-read the common-trap callouts: they mark the answers that look right but aren’t.
• Check the exam coverage map against Microsoft’s own outline, in case it has changed since the book was checked.
• Take Microsoft’s free practice assessment, if your exam has one, from the official PL-300 study guide page. Revisit the chapters behind any weak area.
• Try the exam sandbox to get used to the exam’s screens and question formats.
• Get the free exam-day checklist and work through it a few days before your exam.