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Almost every modern enterprise is turning to Salesforce to achieve better prospects in operations and growth. Therefore, professionals with Salesforce administration experience enjoy profoundly increased demand for their skills. Salesforce administrators are capable of addressing a wide range of important tasks related to the customization of the Salesforce instance of an organization. The journey of Salesforce, admin certification preparation is proof of the commitment candidates put in learning about Salesforce.
However, you need to approach your preparations for the Salesforce admin certification to ensure successful outcomes rather than diving head-on into your preparations. Candidates are more likely to contribute profoundly to the overall success of an organization in the role of Salesforce administrator. So, you should follow the ideal guidance and recommendations to get the best results from your preparations for Salesforce admin certification.
Enroll Now: Salesforce Admin Certification Practice Tests
The following discussion provides a detailed Salesforce admin certification study guide for all aspirants. Readers can find helpful basic information about the Salesforce Administrator certification and the exam. The discussion provides an in-depth outline of the target audience for the exam, along with the structure of the exam.
Furthermore, you can also explore details about the domains covered in the Salesforce Administrator certification exam in the following discussion. Most important of all, you can also find out credible information regarding the pointers to qualify for the Salesforce admin certification.
Why Should I Pursue Salesforce Admin Certification Exam?
Before diving into the details of Salesforce admin certification preparation, it is important to know the reasons for pursuing the certification. The Salesforce admin certification is one of the elite recognitions for a Salesforce administrator. Certifications are highly popular among Salesforce professionals as proof of the knowledge of professionals about the concerned platform.
At the same time, the Salesforce admin certification could enhance the possibilities of employability alongside better salary estimates. A recent Salesforce Salary Survey has outlined that almost 77% of Salesforce professionals have at least one Salesforce certification.
Furthermore, around 39% of respondents in the survey reported an increase in their salary after obtaining Salesforce certification. The Salesforce Administrator certification is specifically tailored for people with experience in Salesforce and looking for ways to support companies in drawing benefits from the additional capabilities and features of Salesforce.
Certifications in the Salesforce Administrator Certification Program
Now, it is important to note that the Salesforce Certified Administrator program features two certifications. The first certification is the Salesforce Certified Administrator credential, while the second certification refers to the Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator certification. The success of your Salesforce administrator certification preparation depends considerably on how you understand the differences between the two programs.
The Salesforce Certified Administrator certification deals primarily with the functionality and features required for the maintenance of a Salesforce implementation. On the other hand, the Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator certification focuses on Salesforce Certified Administrators with advanced skills.
The Salesforce advanced admin credential evaluates skills in Salesforce configuration maintenance and understanding of best practices in administration. In addition, the Salesforce advanced admin certification also tests the capabilities of candidates for using advanced features and functionality of Salesforce for resolving a wide range of business problems.
Prerequisites for Salesforce Admin Certification
The next significant concern in a preparation guide for the Salesforce admin certification exam is the verification of the target audience. Salesforce has outlined specific criteria to determine the eligibility of candidates for the Salesforce admin certification exam. Here is an outline of the eligibility criteria for the Salesforce admin certification exam.
● Candidates must have professional experience as a Salesforce Administrator for at least 6 months or more.
● Candidates should have the capabilities to successfully address the tasks presented in the exam objectives.
● Candidates must have general knowledge regarding configuration options available for a Salesforce admin and features available to end-users.
● Candidates should have the skills for effectively maintaining a Salesforce organization, addressing administrative functions by leveraging existing Salesforce features, and responding to general business requirements.
Basic Information about the Salesforce Admin Certification Exam
The structure of an exam is also one of the foremost requirements in Salesforce admin certification preparation. Candidates must have a clear impression of the basic details such as the format of the exam, time, and registration fees. The basic details about the exam help candidates in developing an overall impression of the challenges they are about to face. Let us take a look at what the Salesforce administrator certification exam would look like.
Salesforce Certified Administrator Exam Guide – June 2021 Update:
Trailhead updated the content for the Salesforce admin exam guide – changes were done after June 23, 2021.
What are the changes?
Essentially the grouping and order of the exam outline are updated, meaning that trailhead is grouping the current exam objectives into more logical buckets.
There are very few newer topics added – The knowledge topics and concepts you need to be proficient in are still the same.
One still needs to be familiar with the updates as some new topics are now considered baseline knowledge.
The 12 Exam topics are re-grouped into 7 exam topics:
| New Exam Guide | Old Exam Guide |
| Configuration & Setup (20% ) | Organizational Setup (3%) User Setup (7%) Security & Access (13%) |
| Object Manager & Lightning App Builder (20%) | Standard & Custom Objects (14%) |
| Sales & Marketing Applications (12%) | Sales & Marketing Applications (14%) |
| Service & Support Applications (11%) | Service & Support Applications (13%) |
| Productivity & Collaboration (7%) | Activity Management & Collaboration (3%) Desktop & Mobile Administration (3%) AppExchange (2%) |
| Data & Analytics Management (14%) | Data Management (10%) Analytics, Reports & Dashboards (10%) |
| Workflow / Process Automation (16%) | Workflow / Process Automation (8%) |
The weighting has increased significantly on the following topics mentioned below: which means you will get more Certification Exam Questions on these:
- Object Manager & Lightning App Builder (20%) -> increased by 6%
- Workflow/Process Automation (16%) -> increased by 8%
Update on Salesforce Administrator Certification Exam Objectives:
Most exam objectives from the original 12 exam topics are the same; There will be a few new topics to be added, which you should already be familiar with from the Release Notes.
| Release Notes | Removed Exam Objectives |
| Einstein Lead Scoring | Products & Price Books |
| Einstein Opportunity Scoring | Salesforce Content |
| Forecast Impact | Salesforce Knowledge |
| – | Salesforce Experience Cloud Site |
| – | Salesforce Lightning for Outlook |
Exam details:
The Salesforce admin certification exam includes 60 questions in multiple-choice or multiple-select format along with 5 non-scored questions. The overall duration of the exam is 105 minutes, and candidates could qualify for the exam with a passing score of 65%.
Candidates are not allowed to refer to any online or hard-copy materials during the exam. Also, you are not penalized for wrong answers.
The exam is delivered in a proctored format either at a testing center or in an online proctored environment. Candidates could register for the Salesforce admin certification at the cost of $200 alongside applicable taxes. The cost of an exam retake is $100, along with applicable taxes.
Learn from the experience of professionals who have managed to pass the Salesforce Administrator certification exam on the first attempt.
Domains Covered in the Salesforce Admin Certification Exam
The chances of success of candidates in the Salesforce admin certification exam also depend on their knowledge of exam objectives. A Salesforce admin certification study guide is incomplete without the mention of important domains and topics covered in the exam. Candidates should have capabilities for demonstrating applications of each feature or function in Salesforce outlined in the exam domains.
Furthermore, the weightage allocated to individual features or functions in the domains is also important for Salesforce admin certification preparation. Here is an outline of the domains covered in the Salesforce admin certification exam, along with the weightage with them.
Configuration & Setup (20%)
● Understanding information in company settings
● Differentiating between different UI features under the control of administrators
● Identifying steps for setup and maintenance of a user
● Understanding the implications of activation, deactivation, or freezing a user
● Understanding different organization security controls
● Implementation of appropriate security controls
● Identifying suitable use of custom profile or permission set by using different profile settings and permissions
● Understanding the use of folders for organizing and securing communication templates, reports, and dashboards
Object Manager & Lightning App Builder (20%)
● Understanding of standard object architecture and relationship model
● Explanation of creating, deleting, and customization of fields and page layouts on custom and standard objects
● Determining the methods for creating and assigning page layouts, business processes, and record types for custom and standard objects
Sales and marketing applications- 12%
● Identification of capabilities and implications regarding the sales process
● Identification of suitable sales productivity features by leveraging opportunity tools
● Understanding of capabilities regarding lead automation tools and campaign management
● Describing the capability of Salesforce Content
Service and support applications- 11%
● Describing the capabilities for case management
● Identification of approaches for automating case management
● Description of features in Salesforce Knowledge
● Understanding the functionalities in Salesforce Communities
Productivity & Collaboration (7%)
● Understanding capabilities of activity management
● Understanding the functionalities of Chatter
● Understanding of features in the Salesforce Mobile App
● Knowledge of the options for installation and synchronization of Salesforce Lightning on Outlook
● Identification of use cases for AppExchange applications
Data & Analytics Management (14%)
● Identifying considerations in importing, updating, transferring, and mass deletion of data
● Identification of tools and use cases for data management
● Understanding of capabilities and implications of data validation instruments
● Identification of different methods for backing up data
● Describing available alternatives for creation or customization of a report
● Understanding of the impact of sharing model on reports
● Insights into available options for creation and modification of dashboards
● Description of capabilities in custom report types
Workflow / Process Automation (16%)
● Identification of appropriate automation solutions on the basis of capabilities in process or workflows
● Knowledge of use cases and capabilities for the approval process
How to Prepare for Salesforce Admin Certification?
After understanding the fundamental details of the Salesforce admin certification exam, candidates would search for the next step. Almost every aspirant looks for how to pass Salesforce admin certification. However, the chances of success of a candidate in Salesforce admin certification preparation depend on proper guidance.
Without the proper direction in their preparations, candidates are more likely to give in to distractions and ineffective measures. However, the recommendations of experts and best practices followed by qualified professionals could help with Salesforce administrator certification preparation on all levels. Here are some of the recommended pointers that can help you secure a competitive edge in the Salesforce admin certification.
- Review the Exam Itself
The first step in any helpful preparation guide for the Salesforce admin certification exam would refer to an overview of exam details. If candidates know what they will encounter in the exam, they are more likely to be confident in their preparations. Rather than worrying about any unprecedented outcomes, candidates should learn about the format of the exam and the type of questions. In addition, a detailed overview of the exam syllabus is also important for all candidates. An in-depth understanding of exam details helps candidates prepare the fundamental prototype for their preparation journey.
- Choose the Recommended Training and Resources
Salesforce recommends various training resources for helping candidates with Salesforce admin certification preparation. Candidates could opt for the self-study materials recommended for Salesforce admin certification in the official exam guide. Furthermore, Salesforce also recommends expert-led training courses for the Salesforce admin certification exam. For example, candidates could choose courses such as ‘Administration Essentials for New Admins (ADM-201)’, ‘Administrative Essentials for New Admins in Lightning Experience (ADX-201)’, and Preparing for Your Salesforce Administrator Certification (CRT-101)’.
- Do Not Forget Official Documentation
Many candidates are confused about solutions for how to pass Salesforce admin certification without knowing about the simplest learning resource. Candidates can easily rely on Salesforce Help for accessing documentation, user guides, and tip sheets. It is possible to expand your scope of the study by reflecting on official documentation regarding topics in the exam outline. The official documentation could also help candidates in developing a better understanding of topics covered in the exam.
- Always Focus on Hands-on Practice
Hands-on practice with Salesforce is highly important to answer complicated, scenario-based questions. Candidates can work on building apps for something that they are interested in. Hands-on practice is highly essential for refreshing your skills and knowledge regarding Salesforce. It can help in building up your practical expertise for using the features and functionality on Salesforce for resolving business issues.
- Go For The Admin Certification Trail
The Admin Certification Prep Trail offered by Salesforce is also a formidable instrument to help with Salesforce admin certification preparation. The Admin Certification Trailmix is also another helpful instrument for Salesforce Admin certification aspirants. The Trailmix features a detailed outline of the weightage of each subject area covered in the certification. As a result, candidates could focus their attention on subject areas with higher weightage.
- Make the Most of Online Training and Practice Tests
Online certification training providers could also work as an ideal component in your preparation journey. The online certification training providers can offer the insightful guidance of expert instructors with an organized approach to exam objectives. Furthermore, the facility of interactive exercises and demonstration videos in an online training course can also deliver profound advantages for learning.
However, it is quite important to select online certification training courses and practice tests for the Salesforce admin certification preparation with caution. For example, candidates should check for coverage of all exam objectives in the content of the training course. In addition, candidates should check the testimonials and reviews about the online certification course they are considering for preparations.
Are You Ready to Prepare for Salesforce Admin Certification?
On a concluding note, it is clear that Salesforce admin certification preparation is easy with the right guidance. Candidates don’t have to think about the Salesforce admin certification exam from a complicated perspective. It is definitely a challenging exam and requires comprehensive preparation efforts. However, candidates could easily overcome the challenges in preparing for Salesforce admin certification with a focus on best practices.
With a detailed impression of the exam details, candidates can start their preparations according to definite plans. Most important of all, students should follow all the recommended best practices for preparation and stay accountable to their schedule. If you are pursuing the Salesforce Administrator certification, then you should start preparing immediately. Once prepared, check your preparation level with the Salesforce Certified Administrator practice tests and get ready to ace the exam!
