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Salesforce Administrator Certification – Overview
The Salesforce Admin study guide gives you an overview of the Salesforce Administrator Certification, which is the baseline credential for any Salesforce professional. Salesforce Admin Certification exam will prove your knowledge of Salesforce features, configurations, and different clouds, which you have attained with training and hands-on experience.
This exam covers the breadth of the Salesforce features available for the end-users and configurations for the administrator to assist organizations in getting the best from the platform across the Sales, Service, and Collaboration Clouds. Salesforce tests your knowledge of the core CRM platform features, including the basics of Sales and Service Cloud and how you extend the standard Salesforce functionality.
For anyone looking to start their career in Salesforce, this admin exam is the way to learn and prove your knowledge. It provides employers confidence that they know Salesforce configurations, how to respond to common business requirements, and perform administrative functions using current Salesforce features. Explore everything about Salesforce Admin certification here.
Salesforce recommends that a candidate must have at least 6 or more months of experience as a Salesforce administrator to fulfill a Salesforce Admin’s roles and responsibilities and perform all the tasks outlined in the exam objectives. Hence, it is essential to follow a proper learning path which is a mix of training, certification, and hands-on experience. This exam is also a prerequisite for other Salesforce certifications, so one must understand how the basics work before progressing with more advanced certifications.
Salesforce Admin Exam Pattern
The exam pattern and techniques are equally important as the exam’s content, as understanding the format will help you prepare for the exam in a structured way. And do you know the passing score for the Salesforce Administrator Exam? The Salesforce Admin passing score is 65 % which means you need 39 correct answers. Let’s check some crucial details about the exam.
- There will be 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions.
- The exam is time-bound, and you will be given 105 minutes to submit the exam.
- You will have an option to take the exam in the test center or remotely on your computer.
- There is no negative marking in the exam, so it is recommended to attempt all the questions.
- Each question is scored equally, irrespective of whether it is a single or multi-select question.
- You can mark the questions for review during the test and go through them again before finally submitting the exam.
- It is not an open book exam; hence, No hard-copy or online materials may be referenced during the exam.
Salesforce Admin Certification Cost
The exam registration fee is USD 200, and for every retake, it is USD 100. Taxes may be applicable as per the required local law.
If you hold the Salesforce Administrator credential, you are expected to maintain it each year by completing the maintenance trailhead module by the set due date. There is no cost associated with maintaining this certification.
According to Salesforce’s retake policy, you are allowed to take the same certification exam, such as the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam, up to three times within a release cycle. If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, you must wait at least 24 hours before registering to take the exam again. If you do not pass on your second attempt, you must wait at least 14 days before registering for the exam again.
Salesforce Admin Certification Exam Registration
There are two options to take the exam – either at an onsite proctored center or online with a virtual proctor. There are no specific exam dates. It can be registered on any day. The Salesforce Admin Exam can be given any number of times but there is a limit of 3 times in a particular release timeframe.
1. Onsite Proctored Center
Salesforce partners with Kryterion, a global network of testing centers, to deliver our certification exams. To locate the center nearest you, visit http://www.kryteriononline.com/Locate-Test-Center. Each testing center sets its own exam schedules, so availability can vary. Typically, exam registration is required at least 24-72 hours in advance; however, Salesforce recommends that you register for at least one week to ensure your preferred date and time is available.
2. Online Proctored
Online proctoring allows you to take Salesforce certification exams remotely from your own computer. A proctor monitors these exams through a webcam. Online proctored exams are offered daily, excluding major U.S. holidays and during system maintenance. Advance registration is not required for online proctoring; you can register and launch an exam on the same day. However, if you complete an exam through online proctoring for the first time, allow extra time to prepare your computer.
To start the exam registration, you need to first create a test taker profile in webassessor at www.webassessor.com/salesforce and then follow the steps.
Read Kryterion’s article: Scheduling and Account for frequently asked questions about scheduling exams.
Salesforce Admin Topics to Learn
This exam measures individual knowledge and experience in the following areas and topics. It is vital to understand the weight distribution for each topic as it will help you prioritize your study plan and help identify the focus areas.
It is also recommended to have hands-on experience, training course completion, Trailhead trails, and self-study in these areas, as Salesforce will test your thorough knowledge.
| Topic | Weighting |
| 📗 Configuration & Setup | 20% |
| 📒 Object Manager & Lightning App Builder | 20% |
| 📘 Sales & Marketing Applications | 12% |
| 📙 Service & Support Applications | 11% |
| 📕 Productivity & Collaboration | 7% |
| 📗 Data & Analytics Management | 14% |
| 📒 Workflow/Process Automation | 16% |
Explore the detailed Admin exam syllabus and objectives to make you better prepared for the Salesforce Admin Exam.
The exam is designed to validate your knowledge and experience in the respective areas. Hence, it is highly recommended to have hands-on experience in a Salesforce administrative capacity and study all the recommended resources.
Salesforce Admin Certification Preparation Tips
It might be overwhelming for any learner at the beginning of your preparation, but it will be much more manageable once you break it down into different tasks and sections. Here are some additional tips to help you prepare for the Salesforce Administrator Certification exam.
- Understand the exam format thoroughly by going through the Salesforce Admin exam guide in detail, like questions, time allocation, recommended resources, weightage, duration, etc. Not all topics are worth the same in the exam. Make sure to focus study and revision on the areas weighted the most.
- The best way to stick to a schedule and keep yourself motivated is to book your exam with a realistic future date in mind. Having a set date will help you prioritize your studying and keep you focused.
- Hands-on experience is the key to success. No matter how much you study, the best way to recall all the important information that will help you answer the questions in the exam will be through the implementations/project work you have completed during your preparation. Check out our Salesforce Admin course – personalized study plan, mock tests, quizzes, flash cards and much more.
- Highly recommend completing the Trailmix trails on Trailhead. These trails are a great way to learn and gain skills and knowledge of Salesforce. These trails are constantly updated with the new Salesforce features.
- After you have completed self-paced training and acquired new Salesforce skills, we recommend using our saasguru platform, which will help to bridge the gap between your trailhead learning and certification day.
- While preparing for a certification, it’s a good idea to make connections inside the world of Salesforce. This can be accomplished by attending networking events, webinars, or even doing quick searches on LinkedIn and Twitter. Also, join communities where you can post your questions and get your doubts clarified quickly. Here is the link to our free saasguru community.
- Practice as many questions as you can before exam day to get accompanied by the type, complexity, and depth of the questions you can expect to see when appearing for the actual exam. This will help you prepare for time and pressure management.
- Read questions very carefully in the exam and always keep an eye on the clock. Try not to spend more than 90 seconds on each question. If you don’t know the answer, take your best-educated guess, and mark the question for review to revisit later.
- Always try to eliminate the impossible answers. This will help narrow down the information you have to recall while marking the correct answers.
- After you successfully complete the exam – Share your success with your team, and your fellow Salesforce Admins in the Trailblazer Community.
Related read – A Step-by-Step Salesforce Admin Tutorial Guide for Beginners
To Sum Up
Obtaining certifications demonstrates your commitment to professional development. However, getting a certification is a challenging task due to the numerous online training resources. But nothing should hinder you from progressing in your profession when the right opportunity knocks at your door.
With the help of saasguru, you can get successfully certified on Salesforce Admin exam on the first attempt. We hope the Salesforce Admin Certification Guide has provided you with enough details as a baseline to start preparing for the exam. Advance your Salesforce career with the saasguru Admin and App Builder Training program – Get 2X Certified!
saasguru and its customers have greatly benefited by adopting the learner-first learning model in our certification preparation programs. Our happy customers have received tailored content, apt delivery, and personalized support. Moreover, we can constantly improve our product without losing sight of the most important aspect of our platform offering – our learners. Explore the 12+ Salesforce certification courses offered by us.
We hope the Salesforce Administration Exam Guide has provided you with enough details as a baseline to start preparing for the exam. Never regret choosing the right Salesforce training platform to ace your Salesforce cert. Sign Up for Salesforce Exam Prep, Now!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How do I pass a Salesforce Admin Certification exam?
It’s recommended to study for at least one month before the exam. But you can schedule your exam a few months out if you want extra time to prepare. You can always move the exam until you are 100% sure.
2. How much does the Salesforce Admin Certification cost?
The registration fee is USD 200 plus applicable taxes as required per local law, and it’s USD 100 plus tax to retake the exam.
3. What’s the Salesforce Administrator Exam Format?
The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions with additional 5 five non-scored questions.
4. What is the average pass rate for the Salesforce Admin exam?
The passing score for the Salesforce Administrator Exam is 65%.
5. What are the most important topics to cover when studying for the Salesforce Admin exam?
The Salesforce Admin exam covers various topics, which are:
- Configuration & Setup: 20%
- Object Manager & Lightning App Builder: 20%
- Sales & Marketing Applications: 12%
- Service & Support Applications: 11%
- Productivity & Collaboration: 7%
- Data & Analytics Management: 14%
- Workflow/Process Automation: 16%
It’s evident that “Configuration & Setup” and “Object Manager & Lightning App Builder” are the most heavily weighted and should be prioritized. However, all topics are crucial and should be studied.
6. What are some of the common mistakes to avoid when taking the Salesforce Admin exam?
- Not reading questions thoroughly: Ensure you understand what is being asked.
- Not utilizing the entire allotted time: If unsure about a question, mark it for review and revisit it later.
- Overthinking: Sometimes, the first instinct is the right answer.
- Not getting hands-on experience: Merely studying theory isn’t enough. Use the Salesforce platform and apply the concepts you’ve learned.
- Not reviewing all options before answering: Some answers can be tricky, so review all options before making a selection.
7. How long is the Salesforce Admin exam?
The Salesforce Admin exam is 105 minutes long.
