15 Advanced Power BI Interview Questions That Prove You’re Job-Ready in 2025

Mastering Power BI means more than button-clicking — it’s about how you leverage data modeling, optimize performance, apply DAX logic, and implement real-world solutions that drive business decisions. If you can confidently answer these 15 advanced interview questions, you’re not just a learner — you’re a Power BI professional ready to make an impact.

15 Advanced Power BI Interview Questions

What is DirectQuery, and when should you use it over Import mode?
DirectQuery keeps data live, querying the source at runtime; use it for real-time data or massive datasets.
Explain Row-Level Security (RLS) and how you’d implement it in Power BI.
RLS restricts data access for different users; define roles and DAX filters in Power BI Desktop and assign users in Service.
Describe Bi-Directional Filtering and when it can cause issues.
Bi-directional filters allow relationships to filter both ways, which can lead to ambiguous paths and incorrect results if not managed.
What are the main differences between calculated columns and measures in DAX?
Calculated columns are evaluated row by row at data refresh; measures are calculated on the fly when visuals are rendered.
How do you optimize a Power BI data model for large datasets?
Reduce columns, use star schema, avoid bi-directional filters, and use aggregations for performance.
How would you handle Slowly Changing Dimensions (SCD) in Power BI?
Model the dimension table with effective/expiry dates and use calculated columns or DAX to filter rows as needed.
Explain the use and syntax of the FILTER() function in DAX.
FILTER() returns a table modified by a filter expression, often nested in CALCULATE().
How do you implement dynamic titles or tooltips in Power BI?
Use DAX to create measures that output text dynamically based on selection, and bind them to visual titles/tooltips.
What is the difference between visual-level, page-level, and report-level filters?
Visual-level applies to a specific visual; page-level to a page; report-level to all visuals/pages in a report.
Give an example of DAX for Year-over-Year (YoY) growth.
YoY Growth = DIVIDE([Total Sales] – [Sales Last Year], [Sales Last Year]), using SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR for prior year data.
When would you use Power BI Dataflows, and how are they different from Power Query in Desktop?
Dataflows run on the Power BI service, enabling data prep reuse and centralization; Power Query Desktop is local per file.
How can you design for optimal navigation in a Power BI report?
Leverage bookmarks, buttons, icons for navigation, and keep UI consistent and clean.
What strategies can you use for Power BI performance optimization?
Aggregate tables, reduce DAX complexity, limit visuals per page, use variables, avoid unnecessary calculated columns.
How would you embed Power BI reports into a custom application?
Use Power BI Embedded APIs or SDKs to embed analytics within apps, ensuring proper authentication and permissions.
How do you publish and secure a Power BI dataset for enterprise use?
Publish to Power BI Service, configure RLS, use Premium workspaces for capacity and security, and audit access regularly.

Why These Questions Matter

Cover Core & Advanced Topics: Go beyond surface knowledge to model complexity, security, and optimization.
Reflect Real Interviews: These are drawn from what top companies are asking today.
Job-Ready, Not Just Book-Ready: Mastery of these means you’re ready for hands-on work in enterprise environments.

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