Salesforce certification is well-known for increasing your profile and providing high-level abilities by delivering hands-on Salesforce certification experience as well as a competitive advantage that opens up new doors. You may, however, begin preparing for a skill-based certification to help you advance in your career. This allows you to apply what you’ve learned in class to complex, real-world business scenarios. What about the other steps, such as updating your credentials, checking for improvements, and retiring exams? Salesforce does, in fact, stay up with the latest technology and advances in order to keep things running smoothly. To reflect modern technology, the certification, and its content, as well as the exam retirement, must be updated.
As a result, candidates will be able to profit from the update by acquiring new abilities. We’ll go through all of the Salesforce Certification exams in this blog, along with the most up-to-date material, to understand more about this. Let’s start with the exam adjustments and other significant changes.
Salesforce Certification: Info & Updates
Salesforce certification, as we all know, is designed to prove technical talents and cloud competency in order to develop your career. This also helps professionals in discovering in-demand talent and organizations in order to establish effective cloud teams. As a result, changes are necessary in order to stay up with modern technologies.
1. Modifications in the Salesforce Certification Expiration
To keep your Salesforce Certification credentials, you must complete release-specific Trailhead modules, according to Salesforce. All of your certificates kept by that module will expire if you don’t complete your needed maintenance by the due date. Your Advanced Administrator and Sales Cloud Consultant credentials, for example, will expire if your Administrator credential expires. If this happens, you’ll have to re-earn each certification by taking the entire, proctored tests again.
You will receive email reminders whenever your certification is about to expire, reminding you to complete your maintenance. You should not, however, depend solely on these email reminders; it is your obligation to perform your maintenance before the given deadline. Let’s check the expiration details!
– Platform Developer II Certification Expiration
- If you have the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I and also the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II credentials, the Platform Developer II accreditation will expire.
- However, to be certified, you must retake both Platform Developer I and Platform Developer II. The Advanced Apex Specialist Superbadge will not have to be retaken.
– B2C Solution Architect Certification Expiration
- If you have the Salesforce Certified B2C Solution Architect credential and your Salesforce Certified Integration Architect, Marketing Cloud Email Specialist, or Platform App Builder credentials expire, the B2C Solution Architect credential will also expire.
- However, to be qualified, you must first recertify as a Salesforce Certified Integration Architecture Designer, Marketing Cloud Email Specialist, or Platform App Builder, as well as complete the B2C Solution Architect test.
– B2B Solution Architect Certification Expiration
- If you have the Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder, Platform Developer I, Data Architect, or Sharing and Visibility Architect certificate and it expires, the B2B Solution Architect credential will also expire.
- However, to be qualified, you must first recertify as a Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder, Platform Developer I, Data Architect, or Sharing and Visibility Architect, as well as complete the B2B Solution Architect exam.
– Application and System Architect Certification Expiration
- If any of the prerequisites for the Salesforce Certified Application Architect or Salesforce Certified System Architect credentials expire, the credentials for Application and System Architect will as well.
- The Salesforce Certified Application and/or System Architect credential will be immediately re-earned when you re-earn the expired certification(s).
– Technical Architect Certification Expiration
- When both your Salesforce Certified Application Architect and Salesforce Certified System Architect credentials expire, the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect certificate will also expire.
- After that, you’ll need to recertify as a Salesforce Certified Application or System Architect, as well as a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect.
2. Maintaining Certifications Process
You must complete Trailhead maintenance modules relevant to your Salesforce certification(s) in order to keep your certification(s) current. Every year, one maintenance module must be completed for all certifications. You may check your certification status on your “Trailblazer.me” profile once the release modules are available, and you will get an email with all the information you need to perform your maintenance.
Further, while these email reminders are useful, you should not rely only on them; it is your obligation to complete your maintenance modules before the given date. If you don’t finish your maintenance module(s) by the deadline, all certifications associated with that module will expire or, in certain situations, be suspended.
Note:
- You must still perform entry-level maintenance to maintain all of your certifications if you gain a new higher-level or advanced certification (eg. Certified Administrator is entry-level and maintains the Certified Advanced Administrator certification).
The following is a list of Salesforce certifications sorted by role, as well as the Trailhead maintenance courses necessary to keep them up to date, and when those modules will be released.
Maintenance for Administrator Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified Administrator | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder | Platform App Builder maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist | CPQ Specialist maintenance module | Spring |
Maintenance for Architect Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Architect | B2C Commerce Developer maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified B2B Solution Architect | B2C Solution Architect maintenance module** + Platform Developer I maintenance module + Platform App Builder maintenance module + Architect maintenance module | Summer and Winter |
| Salesforce Certified B2C Solution Architect | B2C Solution Architect maintenance module** + Architect maintenance module + Marketing Cloud Email Specialist maintenance module + Platform App Builder maintenance module | Spring and Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Data Architect | Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect | Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Heroku Architect | Heroku Architect maintenance module | Summer |
| Salesforce Certified Identity and Access Management Architect | Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Integration Architect | Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect | Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Application Architect | Platform Developer I maintenance module + Platform App Builder maintenance module + Architect maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified System Architect | Platform Developer I maintenance module + Architect maintenance module | Winter |
Maintenance for Consultant Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified Sales Cloud Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Experience Cloud Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Field Service Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Nonprofit Cloud Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Education Cloud Consultant | Administrator maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Tableau CRM and Einstein Discovery Consultant | Tableau CRM and Einstein Discovery Consultant maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified OmniStudio Consultant | OmniStudio Consultant maintenance module | Summer |
Maintenance for Designer Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer | User Experience Designer Certification maintenance module | Spring |
Maintenance for Developer Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified JavaScript Developer I | JavaScript Developer Certification maintenance module | Summer |
| Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I | Platform Developer I Certification maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II | Platform Developer I Certification maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Developer | B2C Commerce Developer maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified OmniStudio Developer | OmniStudio Developer maintenance module | Summer |
| Salesforce Certified Industries CPQ Developer | Industries CPQ Developer maintenance module | Summer |
Maintenance for Marketing Certifications:
| Certification Name | Maintenance Requirement | Release Cycle |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Administrator | Marketing Cloud Administrator Certification maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Email Specialist | Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant | Marketing Cloud Administrator Certification maintenance module | Winter |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Developer | Marketing Cloud Email Specialist Certification maintenance module | Spring |
| Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist | Pardot Specialist maintenance module | Summer |
| Salesforce Certified Pardot Consultant | Pardot Specialist maintenance module | Summer |
3. Salesforce Retired Certifications
The Salesforce Certification potentially retires certifications to fit with current product offerings as the Salesforce Platform and products evolve. When a certification is retired, it is no longer recognized by the system, is no longer shown on the verification page, and is no longer used in Partner Value Scores. Salesforce will give prior warning and a recommended pathway for anyone who possesses a certification that is about to retire. However, the following Salesforce Credentials have been withdrawn from the program and are no longer recognized:
- Salesforce Certified Consultant
- Salesforce Certified Force.com Developer
- Next, Salesforce Certified Force.com Advanced Developer
- Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Social Specialist
- Then, Salesforce Certified Mobile Solution Architecture Designer
- Salesforce Accredited Sales Professional
- Next, Salesforce Accredited B2B Commerce Administrator
- Salesforce Accredited B2B Commerce Developer
Above, we have understood the modifications in the certification maintenance process and the exams that are retired. Now, let’s check the list of Salesforce Active Certifications.
Salesforce Certification: Roles-Based Exam
When it comes to Salesforce certification, it is divided into six jobs, each of which has its own examination. This includes the following:
1. Salesforce Administrator
| Salesforce Certified Administrator | Updated Course Outline: Configuration and Setup: 20% Object Manager and Lightning App Builder: 20% Sales and Marketing Applications: 12% Service and Support Applications: 11% Productivity and Collaboration: 7% Data and Analytics Management: 14% Workflow/Process Automation: 16% |
| Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator | Updated Course Outline: Security and Access: 20% Objects and Applications: 19% Auditing and Monitoring: 10% Cloud Applications: 11% Data and Analytics Management: 13% Environment Management and Deployment: 7% Process Automation: 20% |
| Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist | Updated Course Outline: CPQ Platform: 23% Bundle Configurations: 17% Pricing: 16% Quote Templates: 7% Product Selection: 7% Orders, Contracts, Amendments, and Renewals: 15% Products: 11% Approvals: 4% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Administrator | Updated Course Outline: Digital Marketing Proficiency: 13% Subscriber Data Management: 18% Setup: 38% Channel Management: 16% Maintenance: 15% |
| Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder | Updated Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 23% Data Modeling and Management: 22% Business Logic and Process Automation: 28% User Interface: 17% App Deployment: 10% |
2. Salesforce Architect
| Application Architect (Covers Four Prerequisites) | 1. Salesforce Certified Data Architect Course Outline: Data modeling/Database Design: 25% Master Data Management: 5% Salesforce Data Management: 25% Data Governance: 10% Large Data Volume considerations: 20% Data Migration: 15% 2. Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect Course Outline: Declarative Sharing: 76% Performance and Scalability: 7% Programmatic Sharing: 17% 3. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 7% Data Modeling and Management: 13% Process Automation and Logic: 40% User Interface: 23% Testing, Debugging, and Deployment: 17% 4. Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 23% Data Modeling and Management: 22% Business Logic and Process Automation: 28% User Interface: 17% App Deployment: 10% |
| Salesforce Certified B2B Solution Architect | Updated Course Outline: Discovery and Customer Success: 25% Data Governance and Integration: 26% Design: 29% Delivery: 12% Operationalize the Solution: 8% |
| Salesforce Certified B2C Solution Architect | Updated Course Outline: Discovery and Customer Success: 18% Functional Capabilities and Business Value: 19% Architecture Design: 23% Data Models and Management: 21% Integration: 19% |
| Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Architect | Updated Course Outline: Design/Discovery: 29% Build: 19% Monitoring/Troubleshooting: 14% Integrations and Customizations: 22% Launch: 16% |
| Salesforce Certified Heroku Architect | Updated Course Outline: Heroku Platform: 10% Data: 17% Security: 15% Heroku Enterprise: 28% Architect Applications: 15% Integrations: 15% |
| System Architect (Covers Four Prerequisites) | 1. Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Course Outline: Application Lifecycle Management: 8% Planning: 13% System Design: 15% Building: 14% Deploying: 14% Testing: 13% Releasing: 13% Operating: 10% 2. Salesforce Certified Identity and Access Management Architect Course Outline: Identity Management Concepts: 17% Accepting Third-Party Identity in Salesforce: 21% Salesforce as an Identity Provider: 17% Access Management Best Practices: 15% Salesforce Identity: 12% Community (Partner and Customer): 18% 3. Salesforce Certified Integration Architect Course Outline: Evaluate the Current System Landscape: 8% Evaluate Business Needs: 11% Translate Needs to Integration Requirements: 22% Design Integration Solutions: 28% Build Solution: 23% Maintain Integration: 8% 4. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 7% Data Modeling and Management: 13% Process Automation and Logic: 40% User Interface: 23% Testing, Debugging, and Deployment: 17% |
| Salesforce Certified Technical Architect | Updated Course Outline: System Architecture Security Data Solution Architecture Integration Development Lifecycle and Deployment Planning Communication |
3. Salesforce Developer
| Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Developer | Updated Course Outline: B2C Commerce Setup: 11% Work With a B2C Site: 12% Data Management Using Business Manager Usage: 24% Application Development: 53% |
| Salesforce Certified Industries CPQ Developer | Updated Course Outline: Products: 20% Promotions and Discounts: 7% Pricing: 17% Rules: 12% APIs: 12% Ordering and Quoting: 12% Troubleshooting: 20% |
| Salesforce Certified JavaScript Developer I | Updated Course Outline: Variables, Types, and Collections: 23% Objects, Functions, and Classes: 25% Browser and Events: 17% Debugging and Error Handling: 7% Asynchronous Programming: 13% Server-Side JavaScript: 8% Testing: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Developer | Updated Course Outline: Data Modeling: 14% Programmatic Languages: 35% API: 22% Data Management: 22% Security: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified OmniStudio Developer | Updated Course Outline: Flex Cards: 15% OmniScripts: 20% Integration Procedures: 17% Data Raptors: 20% Calculation Procedures & Matrices: 8% Integrated Troubleshooting and Deployment: 20% |
| Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder | Updated Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 23% Data Modeling and Management: 22% Business Logic and Process Automation: 28% User Interface: 17% App Deployment: 10% |
| Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I | Updated Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 7% Data Modeling and Management: 13% Process Automation and Logic: 40% User Interface: 23% Testing, Debugging, and Deployment: 17% |
| Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II | Updated Course Outline: Salesforce Fundamentals: 5% Data Modeling and Management: 6% Process Automation and Logic: 20% User Interface: 19% Performance: 16% Integration: 15% Testing: 14% Debug and Deployment Tools: 5% |
4. Salesforce Marketer
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Administrator | Updated Course Outline: Digital Marketing Proficiency: 13% Subscriber Data Management: 18% Setup: 38% Channel Management: 16% Maintenance: 15% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Discovery and Architecture: 16% Integration: 20% Account Configuration: 12% Automation: 20% Data Modeling and Management: 21% Messaging: 11% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Developer | Updated Course Outline: Data Modeling: 14% Programmatic Languages: 35% API: 22% Data Management: 22% Security: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Email Specialist | Updated Course Outline: Email Marketing Best Practices: 15% Email Message Design: 13% Content Creation and Delivery: 18% Marketing Automation: 19% Subscriber and Data Management: 28% Tracking and Reporting: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified Pardot Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Evaluation: 17% Account Configuration: 20% Automating Business Processes: 17% Email Marketing: 10% Lead Management: 14% Personalizing the Prospect Experience: 8% Reporting, Metrics & Analytics: 11% Salesforce Engage: 3% |
| Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist | Updated Course Outline: Visitors and Prospects: 8% Administration: 11% Pardot Forms, Form Handlers, and Landing Pages: 20% Lead Management: 24% Email Marketing: 20% Engagement Studio: 17% |
5. Salesforce Consultant
| Salesforce Certified Experience Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Experience Cloud Basics: 8% Sharing, Visibility, and Licensing: 17% Branding, Personalization, and Content: 15% Templates and Themes: 10% User Creation and Authentication: 13% Adoption and Analytics: 5% Administration, Setup and Configuration: 25% Customization Considerations, and Limitations: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified Education Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Domain Expertise: 18% Education Cloud Configuration: 22% Implementation Strategies and Best Practices: 18% Solution Design: 19% Integration and Data Management: 16% Analytics: 7% |
| Salesforce Certified Tableau CRM and Einstein Discovery Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Data Layer: 24% Security: 11% Administration: 9% Tableau CRM Dashboard Design: 19% Tableau CRM Dashboard Implementation: 18% Einstein Discovery Story Design: 19% |
| Salesforce Certified Field Service Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Managing Resources: 16% Managing Work Orders: 23% Managing Scheduling and Optimization: 28% Configuring Mobility: 10% Managing Inventory: 8% Managing Assets: 5% Configuring Maintenance Plans: 5% Permissions and Sharing: 5% |
| Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Discovery and Architecture: 16% Integration: 20% Account Configuration: 12% Automation: 20% Data Modeling and Management: 21% Messaging: 11% |
| Salesforce Certified Nonprofit Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Domain Expertise: 20% Nonprofit Cloud Product Configuration: 22% Implementation Strategies and Best Practices: 18% Solution Design: 20% Integration and Data Management: 15% Analytics: 5% |
| Salesforce Certified OmniStudio Consultant | Updated Course Outline: FlexCards: 23% OmniScripts: 27% Data Tools: 23% Best Fit Solutioning: 27% |
| Salesforce Certified Pardot Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Evaluation: 17% Account Configuration: 20% Automating Business Processes: 17% Email Marketing: 10% Lead Management: 14% Personalizing the Prospect Experience: 8% Reporting, Metrics & Analytics: 11% Salesforce Engage: 3% |
| Salesforce Certified Sales Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Sales Practices: 11% Implementation Strategies: 13% Application of Product Knowledge: 18% Lead Management: 7% Account and Contact Management: 11% Opportunity Management: 10% Sales Productivity and Integration: 8% Consulting Practices: 7% Sales Metrics, Reports & Dashboards: 7% Data Management: 8% |
| Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant | Updated Course Outline: Industry Knowledge: 10% Implementation Strategies: 15% Service Cloud Solution Design: 16% Knowledge Management: 9% Interaction Channels: 10% Case Management: 15% Contact Center Analytics: 5% Integration and Data Management: 5% Service Console: 15% |
6. Salesforce Designer
| Salesforce Certified User Experience Designer | Updated Course Outline: Discovery: 13% UX Fundamentals: 16% Human-Centered Design: 12% Declarative Design: 27% Testing: 11% Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS): 21% |
Final Words
We’ve gone over the modifications and upgrades to Salesforce certification and training in the previous section. Salesforce makes these updates as part of its tests and training to stay up to date on the latest technology. Individuals who earn this certification will also be able to improve their advanced talents. Take advantage of the information provided to stay up to date with Salesforce’s most recent advancements. Also, decide which test is suitable for you and start studying to become a Salesforce expert.
