Cloud-based solutions have been high in demand over the last several years, and this is not likely to change in the future. Today, organizations of all shapes and sizes increasingly use cloud-based software and services.
In this guide you will learn about the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals certification and the exam you can take to achieve it.
The Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals 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. Please note that this exam is currently in beta.
As a candidate for this exam, you are aspiring to improve productivity by understanding the capabilities of the Power Platform, automating basic business processes with Power Automate, performing basic data analysis with Power BI, acting more effectively by creating simple Power Apps experiences, and creating powerful chatbots by using Power Virtual Agents.
A single exam, the PL-900, is required to gain the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals 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. As of today, the content of this exam was last updated on July 13, 2020.
The price for the exam is US$99/€99. 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-900 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 six categories:
These categories are broken down into details as follows, according to the exam skills outline:
Describe the Business Value of Power Platform Services
Describe the business value of extending business solutions by using Power Platform
Describe Power Platform administration and security
Describe Common Data Service
Describe Connectors
Describe AI Builder
Identify common Power BI components
Connect to and consume data
Build a basic dashboard using Power BI
Identify common Power Apps components
Build a basic canvas app
Describe Power Apps portals
Build a basic model-driven app
Identify common Power Automate components
Build a basic flow
Describe Power Virtual Agents capabilities
Build and publish a basic chatbot
Make sure you check out Pluralsight's Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900) learning path, which currently contains five courses with another one soon to be released.
Microsoft Learn provides training resources free of charge. Take a look at the following learning path:
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 Fundamentals 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 fundamentals-level certification, gaining the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals 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 BI or one of the other services 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.