Reducing model size in Power BI - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the main benefit of reducing the size of a Power BI data model?

Reducing model size improves report performance and decreases load times, making dashboards faster and smoother to use.

beginner

Name one common technique to reduce the size of a Power BI model.

Removing unused columns and tables helps reduce the model size by keeping only necessary data.

intermediate

How does using numeric keys instead of text keys help reduce model size?

Numeric keys use less memory than text keys because numbers are stored more efficiently than strings.

intermediate

What is the effect of disabling 'Auto Date/Time' in Power BI on model size?

Disabling 'Auto Date/Time' prevents Power BI from creating hidden date tables, which reduces model size.

beginner

Why is it better to filter data at the source rather than loading all data into Power BI?

Filtering data at the source reduces the amount of data loaded, which lowers model size and improves performance.

Which of the following reduces Power BI model size the most?

A Removing unused columns

B Adding more visuals

C Increasing report page count

D Using complex DAX measures

Removing unused columns reduces the data stored, directly lowering model size.

What happens if you keep 'Auto Date/Time' enabled in Power BI?

A Model size decreases

B Model size increases due to hidden date tables

C No effect on model size

D Data refresh slows down

Auto Date/Time creates hidden date tables for each date column, increasing model size.

Why should you replace text keys with numeric keys in your data model?

A Text keys reduce model size

B Text keys are faster

C Numeric keys slow down reports

D Numeric keys use less memory

Numeric keys are stored more efficiently, reducing memory usage and model size.

Filtering data at the source before loading into Power BI helps by:

A Reducing model size

B Increasing model size

C Adding more columns

D Slowing down refresh

Filtering data reduces the amount of data loaded, lowering model size.

Which is NOT a good practice to reduce model size?

A Removing unused columns

B Disabling Auto Date/Time

C Loading all historical data without filtering

D Replacing text keys with numeric keys

Loading all data without filtering increases model size unnecessarily.

Explain three ways to reduce the size of a Power BI data model.

Think about what data you really need and how Power BI stores date columns.

Why is reducing model size important for Power BI reports?

Consider how a smaller suitcase is easier to carry.