Forum Discussion
Achieving D365 Specialization Sales - MS keeps partners in the dark wrt retiring certifications
If you are a partner and hold or want to achieve the D365 BizApps Sales Specialization, you are soon in troubled waters. With required certifications retiring, we partners need to plan to replace our 15 Sales/Customer Insights certifications with new ones. However, Microsoft has not informed us which certifications will replace the current ones for Sales Specialization!
We are just weeks away from the retiring deadline (Nov 2024)! This is what we face as partners:
- Total number of staff with a Sales and Cust Insights certs will decrease from a partner's list of skilled people (for Sales Specialization) from Jan 2025.
- From Nov 2025 you must have replaced these 15 certifications why "some other certifications".
- MS announced in May 2024 the retiring of these certs. Now, 6 months later, still no plan (and MB-280 in beta!)
In other words: Once MS has announced which new certifications will replace Sales/Customer Insights, we partners must get 15 of our team members certified ASAP (with the new eligible certs). This is a BIG ask, surely for small partner teams, and surely an impact on productivity!
And no: For most partners aiming for Sales Specialization, it makes no sense to invest into certifications which retire soon. Just saying, as I saw posts recommending getting certified for MB-210/220 now.
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The current certification requirements for D365 Sales Specialization are:
Fifteen (15) individuals must earn at least one of the following intermediate certifications (And minimum of 3 individuals required in each certification): - and these all retired in Nov 2024!
- Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales Functional Consultant Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (Journeys) Functional Consultant Associate
Do you realize that ALL these certifications will expire soon!?
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- Looks like there is complete silence from Microsoft, anybody some thoughts on this 😉
- JillArmourMicrosoft
Community Manager
RalfW I have moved your inquiry to our business applications discussion board in hopes other partners have anything to share.
Is there a specific question I can help you answer above or is this feedback you wanted to share? I don't know what kind of response you are looking for. 🙂
Thanks for being part of the community!
- Hi Jill,
Thank you for your ongoing support and care of the partner community - your support is outstanding 🙂 !
This post is a request for "somebody at Microsoft", to advise which actions a partner should take NOW, if the partner is aiming to achieve the Business Apps Solution Partner D365 Specialization "Sales".
Reason:
- All (ALL !) intermediate certifications for this Specialization "Sales" are expiring soon
- MS has not communicated which certifications replace the current (retiring) certifications required for this Specialization "Sales"
In other words:
The MS Learning team is retiring certifications which are required to achieve the D365 Specialization Sales. But the team responsible for the MS Partner Program (and hence the Specialization "Sales" status) is not communicating, how their team will adjust the skills requirements for Specialization "Sales".
I would appreciate a response from the MS Partner Program Team to advise what partners shall do. I noticed these two non-practical suggestions so far from MS:
- Just wait until we give you an update some time in 2025, or
- Register and pay for an exam (eg MB-210 Sales) today, knowing your exam will expire soon and will only help you temporarily to achieve your partner specialization status "Sales"
I hope that makes sense?
Ralf
