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Optimizing Slow Cost Reporting Queries

MediumSQL & Data Manipulation00:00
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Your question is Optimizing Slow Cost Reporting Queries. Take a moment with it on the right.

Talk me through your thinking if you like. When you're confident, submit your answer and I'll grade it like a real screen (7/10 or better passes).

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Problem

You are asked how to optimize a PostgreSQL query used in an Apptio cost reporting workflow when it becomes too slow as data grows. Explain how you would diagnose the bottleneck, what SQL anti-patterns you would check first, and how you would decide between rewriting the query, adding indexes, or changing the underlying data model.

What This Tests

  • How you use execution plans to diagnose performance issues
  • How you reason about joins, aggregations, CTEs, and date filters
  • How you distinguish SQL rewrites from indexing or modeling fixes
  • How you explain trade-offs clearly in an interview