Power BI interviews in 2026 are no longer about “what is Power BI?”
Interviewers now test:
- Real business understanding
- DAX logic
- Performance optimization
- Dashboard design thinking
BEGINNER LEVEL POWER BI INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (2026)
Q1. What is Power BI?
Answer:
Power BI is a Microsoft Business Intelligence tool used to collect, transform, analyze, and visualize data to help businesses make better decisions.
Q2. What are the main components of Power BI?
Answer:
-
Power BI Desktop
-
Power BI Service
-
Power BI Mobile App
-
Power BI Gateway
Q3. What is Power Query?
Answer:
Power Query is a data transformation tool used to clean, shape, and prepare data before loading it into Power BI.
Q4. What is a dataset in Power BI?
Answer:
A dataset is a collection of data tables and relationships used to build reports and dashboards.
Q5. Difference between Report and Dashboard?
Answer:
| Report | Dashboard |
|---|---|
| Multiple pages | Single page |
| Built in Desktop | Built in Service |
| Interactive | High-level summary |
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL POWER BI INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Q6. What is DAX?
Answer:
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is a formula language used to create calculated columns, measures, and tables in Power BI.
Q7. Difference between Calculated Column and Measure?
Answer:
Calculated Column: Calculated row by row, stored in memory
Measure: Calculated at query time, dynamic and efficient
👉 In 2026, measures are always preferred for performance.
Q8. What is a Date Table and why is it important?
Answer:
A Date Table enables time intelligence functions like YTD, MTD, YoY comparison.
Without a date table, many DAX time functions won’t work correctly.
Q9. What is Data Modeling in Power BI?
Answer:
Data modeling is the process of defining relationships between tables to create an efficient and accurate data model.
Best practice: Star Schema
Q10. What are Filters and Slicers?
Answer:
Filters: Applied at visual, page, or report level
Slicers: Visual filters for user interaction
ADVANCED POWER BI INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (2026)
Q11. What is Row Level Security (RLS)?
Answer:
RLS restricts data access based on user roles.
Used when different users should see different data.
Q12. What is the difference between Import and DirectQuery?
Answer:
| Import | DirectQuery |
|---|---|
| Data stored in memory | Data stays in source |
| Faster performance | Real-time data |
| Limited refresh | Slower visuals |
👉 In 2026, Hybrid models are widely used.
Q13. What is Performance Optimization in Power BI?
Answer:
It means improving report speed by:
- Reducing columns
- Using measures instead of columns
- Optimizing DAX
- Using star schema
Q14. What is CALCULATE() in DAX?
Answer:
CALCULATE modifies the filter context of a measure.
Example:
Q15. What is Filter Context vs Row Context?
Answer:
Row Context: Works row by row
Filter Context: Applies filters on calculations
Understanding this is mandatory for advanced DAX.
SCENARIO-BASED POWER BI QUESTIONS (2026 TREND)
Q16. How would you reduce report loading time?
Answer:
- Remove unused columns
- Optimize DAX
- Reduce visuals per page
- Use Aggregations
Q17. How do you handle large datasets?
Answer:
- Use Incremental Refresh
- Use DirectQuery where required
- Use Aggregated tables
Q18. How do you design dashboards for executives?
Answer:
- Use KPI cards
- Minimal visuals
- Clear trends
- One-page summary
Q19. What is Incremental Refresh?
Answer:
It refreshes only new or changed data instead of the full dataset, improving refresh performance.
Q20. What Power BI skills are most in demand in 2026?
Answer:
- DAX optimization
- Data modeling
- Performance tuning
- Business storytelling
- Power BI Service & security
COMMON POWER BI INTERVIEW MISTAKES
❌ Memorizing answers only
❌ No real project explanation
❌ Poor dashboard design
❌ Not understanding business context
HOW TO PREPARE FOR POWER BI INTERVIEWS (2026)
✔ Build 3–4 real dashboards
✔ Practice DAX daily
✔ Explain business use cases
✔ Focus on performance
Conclusion
Power BI interviews in 2026 test how you think, not just what you know.
If you understand:
- Business problem
- Data model
- DAX logic
👉 You will crack any Power BI interview.
