Cloud Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Power Platform App Maker Associate

Microsoft is paying a lot of attention to its Power Platform, and the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform App Maker Associate certification sits right at the center of it.

In this guide, you will learn about the Microsoft Power Platform App Maker Associate certification and the exam you can take to achieve it.

The Microsoft Power Platform App Maker Associate certification follows Microsoft's departure from broader certifications like the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) or its older sibling, the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE). Nowadays the focus is on specific roles.

The ideal candidate for this exam aspires to build solutions to simplify, automate, and transform tasks and processes for themselves and their teams where they have deep expertise in the solution domain. They are skilled in key technical business analyst tasks, such as data modeling, basic UX design, requirements analysis, process analysis, etc.

They create and enforce business processes, structure digital collection of information, improve the efficiency of repeatable tasks, and automate business processes.

They use the maker tools of Power Platform to solve business problems. They may have experience with Visual Basic for Applications, Excel pivot tables, Teams, and other tools. Those taking the exam should have a basic understanding of data models, user interface, and processes, and should be aware of the capabilities and limitations of available tools and understand how to apply them.

Candidates for this certification are self-directed and solution-focused. They may not have formal IT training, but they are comfortable using technology to solve business problems with a personal growth mindset. They understand the operational need and have a vision of the desired outcome. They approach problems with phased and iterative strategies.

A single exam, the PL-100, is required to gain the Microsoft Power Platform App Maker Associate certification. It is important to understand that Microsoft has taken up the practice of retiring and replacing exams at a much faster pace than in the past. Since the cloud is ever-changing, Microsoft updates live exams frequently. Please note that this exam is currently in beta.

The price for the exam is US$165/€165. Microsoft offers a student discount if you verify your academic status when booking the exam by using one of the following: a school email account, a school account, an International Student Identity Card, a verification code, or other documentation proving your eligibility for the student discount.

While there are no specific prerequisites to taking the PL-100 exam, it is worth noting that experience with the required skills is key to a successful experience.

Ensure that you possess sufficient experience and invest the time to go through the relevant Pluralsight courses and other resources.

Your skills will be measured in the following four categories:

These categories are broken down into details as follows, according to the exam skills outline:

Create a high-level design

Identify required Power Platform components

Design data models

Design User Interface

Design output

Design security, privacy, and compliance

Understand Power Platform environments

Manage Power Platform development environments

Create model-driven apps

Create canvas apps

Create and Use Controls

Create and configure data stores

Create business logic

Create Power Automate flows

Create Power BI reports

Implement other reports

Describe AI Builder models

Configure Common Data Service security

Test apps and flows

Secure a solution

Deploy the solution

Manage versions of canvas apps

The following Pluralsight courses will help you prepare for the exam:

Make sure you also check out Pluralsight's Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900) learning path, which currently contains five courses with another one soon to be released.

Make sure you regularly check the Pluralsight website for updates.

Microsoft Learn provides training resources free of charge. Take a look at the following learning paths:

Utilizing the Microsoft Power Platform Docs and navigating to the relevant topics will also enable you to prepare for this exam.

The cloud business has been booming in the last several years. Microsoft is a leader in this area and keeps growing. While COVID-19 has affected everyone in some way, it certainly doesn't seem to have had a negative impact on Microsoft's cloud growth.

Gaining an up-to-date certification like the Microsoft Power Platform App Maker Associate certification from a household name like Microsoft should make you much more attractive to both current and future employers, especially since the cloud is booming. Your current employer might not raise your salary, but the next time you go looking for a job make sure you check trusted Internet sources for up-to-date information on salaries in your region.

It's difficult to provide absolute figures because they will depend on numerous factors like your experience, company type and size, industry, and region. Expect salaries for Microsoft Power Platform business analysts and developers to range from US$72,500 to US$127,900 in the United States.

As a associate-level certification, the Microsoft Power Platform App Maker Associate credential, while challenging, will earn you recognition as a subject matter expert in this field. All it takes is a single exam.

Sign up at Power Apps for a free trial and book the exam, which you can take right in your home or in one of many testing centers.

I hope that this guide is useful and wish you good luck in gaining your certification.