In September 2020, Microsoft announced the new Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate certification, giving you the opportunity to prove your expertise with Microsoft Power Platform solutions and apps. To earn this certification, you must pass Exam PL-200: Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant. This new standalone certification is a prerequisite for earning certifications in Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Field Service.
Exam PL-200 is replacing Exam MB-200 on December 31, 2020
Exam PL-200 replaces Exam MB-200: Microsoft Power Platform + Dynamics 365 Core, which was a prerequisite for earning certification as a Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and/or Field Service functional consultant associate. Exam MB-200 expires on December 31, 2020. After that date, MB-200 will no longer be available for you to take—only PL-200 will be—so if you’re currently preparing for MB-200, make sure you take and pass that exam before December 31, 2020. After that date, only PL-200 will qualify as the prerequisite. To compare the two exams, check out the new PL-200 skills outline document on the exam page. When you pass Exam PL-200, you’ll have earned your Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate certification, and it will be valid for two years.
Getting trained and certified in Microsoft Power Platform can help you improve your business and expand your opportunities for hiring and promotion. An increasing number of job listings on LinkedIn and PricewaterhouseCoopers list proficiency in Microsoft Power Platform as part of the job description. And, according to the 2020/2021 Nigel Frank Microsoft Dynamics Salary Survey, 61 percent of respondents believe that certifications give you the edge in the job market, and 73 percent of permanent employees reported that their salary increased after certification.
Is this certification right for you?
To pursue this certification, you must have broad applied knowledge of Microsoft Power Platform, including a practical understanding of its capabilities, boundaries, and constraints. You should also have experience using Microsoft Power Platform maker tools to create solutions that use Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365, in addition to proficiency in data modeling, user experience design, requirements analysis, and process analysis.
If this describes you, and you’re new to this role, why not take training that will build your skills and help you earn certification as a Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate? After you’ve completed the training and you pass the exam, you’ll have the skills to:
- Work with an organization to gather requirements and implement Microsoft Power Platform solutions.
- Build model-driven, canvas, and portal apps.
- Create Power Automate flows.
- Design a simple chatbot using Power Virtual Agents.
- Analyze data using Power BI visualizations and dashboards.
If you’re already performing these tasks, you can jump on the opportunity to take the exam and get certified to validate your skills.
To decide whether you’re ready to take the exam, consult the following list of questions. If you can answer yes to most of them, you should be ready to take the exam—although it’s always a good idea to brush up on these skills before taking the exam to maximize your ability to pass. Seize the day!
Do you:
- Perform discovery, capture requirements, engage subject matter experts and stakeholders, translate requirements, and configure Microsoft Power Platform solutions and apps?
- Create application enhancements, custom user experiences, system integrations, data conversions, custom process automation, and custom visualizations?
- Implement the design provided by and in collaboration with a solution architect and the standards, branding, and artifacts established by user experience designers?
- Design seamless integrations with third-party applications and services?
- Actively collaborate with quality assurance team members to ensure that solutions meet functional and non-functional requirements?
- Identify, generate, and deliver artifacts for packaging and deployment to DevOps engineers, and provide operations and maintenance training to Microsoft Power Platform administrators?
How can you prepare?
To help you plan your journey, check out our infographic, The journey to Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate. You can also find it in the resources section on the certification page, which contains other valuable help. There, you’ll also find links to the free online learning paths and paid instructor-led training offered by Microsoft Learning Partners that help you prepare for this exam, along with a link to schedule the exam.
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