Effective exam preparation is a fundamental requirement for success, and this holds true for the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900) certification exam. The prospect of facing unfamiliar questions and being ill-prepared can create considerable anxiety, ultimately leading to a detrimental impact on one’s performance.
At Vantage 365, we collaborate with businesses to help them optimise their use of Microsoft 365. A critical aspect of this collaboration is supporting you and your team in preparing for the Power Platform and associated PL-900 certification exam.
The Power Platform represents a set of low-code tools that empower users to construct adaptive and intuitive solutions. Enhancing your team’s proficiency and familiarity with this platform will promote greater efficiency and agility for your organisation.
In this context, we undertake a comprehensive review of the PL-900 exam and offer valuable insights to help you and your users excel in this endeavour. Join us as we explore the path to success.
how will the PL-900 exam help you in your career
Should you be actively engaged with the Power Platform on a daily basis, you will have acquired a comprehensive understanding of its operational intricacies, functional capabilities, and potentialities. Nevertheless, acquiring an official certification can be a highly advantageous proposition. This validation bolsters your confidence in your grasp of the system and serves as tangible evidence of your competency in employing the platform’s functionalities. In turn, this can lead to your managers entrusting you with greater responsibilities, potentially propelling your professional growth towards a well-earned promotion. Additionally, if you harbor aspirations of transitioning to new professional domains, the certification serves as a remarkable asset to bolster your candidacy for new roles.
In an ever-evolving technological landscape, investing in continuous professional development is pivotal. It indicates to our employers and ourselves that we are proactively learning and adapting to changing paradigms. Therefore, it is wise to allocate time to prepare for the PL-900 exam, a process that can augment both your knowledge base and your career trajectory.
What you need to know for your PL-900 exam
To provide you with a complete understanding of the competencies that will be evaluated during your PL-900 examination, we have compiled a comprehensive list of skills measured prior to March 24, 2023. This list has been directly cited from the official Microsoft website, ensuring that you have access to the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding the examination’s requirements.
Skills measured as of March 24, 2023
Audience profile
Candidates for this exam aspire to understand how Microsoft Power Platform technologies can be used to improve processes and help drive business outcomes. The exam is intended for candidates seeking to start their journey building solutions with Microsoft Power Platform.
This exam can be used to prepare for role-based or specialty certifications, but it is not a prerequisite for any of them.
- Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform (20–25%)
- Identify foundational components of Microsoft Power Platform (10–15%)
- Demonstrate the capabilities of Power BI (10–15%)
- Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Apps (20–25%)
- Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Automate (15–20%)
- Describe complementary Microsoft Power Platform solutions (15–20%)
Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform (20–25%)
Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform services
- Describe the value of Power Apps to build applications
- Describe the value of Power Automate to automate processes
- Describe the value of Power BI to gain insights into data
- Describe the value of Power Pages to build websites
- Describe the value of Power Virtual Agents to create chatbots
- Describe the value of connectors to integrate services and data
- Describe the value of Microsoft Dataverse to organize business data
- Describe the value of AI Builder to enhance apps and flows
Describe the business value of extending business solutions by using Microsoft Power Platform
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform apps work together with Microsoft Dynamics 365 apps
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform business solutions work together with Microsoft 365 apps and services
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform apps work together
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform works with Microsoft Teams
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform business solutions can consume Microsoft Azure services
Describe Microsoft Power Platform administration and governance
- Describe the Microsoft Power Platform security model
- Describe environments
- Describe where to perform specific administrative tasks including Microsoft Power Platform admin center and Microsoft 365 admin center
- Describe how Microsoft Power Platform supports privacy and accessibility guidelines
Identify foundational components of Microsoft Power Platform (10–15%)
Describe Microsoft Dataverse
- Describe differences between traditional databases and Microsoft Dataverse
- Describe tables, columns, and relationships in Microsoft Dataverse
- Describe business logic in Microsoft Dataverse
- Describe dataflows for Microsoft Dataverse
Describe connectors
- Describe the components of a connector
- Describe standard and premium connectors
- Identify use cases for custom connectors
Demonstrate the capabilities of Power BI (10–15%)
Identify basic Power BI components
- Describe Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service
- Compare and contrast dashboards, workspaces, reports, and paginated reports
- Describe how to clean and transform data by using Power Query
- Describe how AI Insights helps identify anomalies and trends in data
Build a basic dashboard by using Power BI
- Create a Power BI report by adding visualizations
- Create a Power BI dashboard
- Add visualizations to dashboards by using Q&A
- Consume Power BI reports and dashboards
Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Apps (20–25%)
Identify basic Power Apps capabilities
- Describe the differences between canvas apps and model-driven apps
- Describe use cases for and capabilities of canvas apps
- Describe use cases for and capabilities of model-driven apps
Build a basic canvas app
- Connect to data sources by using connectors
- Create an app from data
- Add controls to canvas app screens
Build a basic model-driven app
- Create a model-driven app from tables
- Modify forms
- Create and modify views
Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Automate (15–20%)
Identify basic Power Automate components
- Describe use cases for cloud and desktop flows
- Describe use cases for cloud flow templates
- Describe how Power Automate cloud flows use connector triggers and actions
- Describe Power Automate use cases for approvals, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and Forms
- Describe the Power Automate apps including Power Automate for Desktop, Power Automate mobile, and the Power Automate portal
- Describe actions for Power Automate desktop flows
- Describe document processing in Power Automate
Build a basic Power Automate flow
- Create a cloud flow by using an instant, automated, or scheduled flow template
- Modify a cloud flow
- Add flow steps to perform data operations
- Run a cloud flow
- Build a basic desktop flow by recording tasks
Describe complementary Microsoft Power Platform solutions (15–20%)
Describe the capabilities of Power Virtual Agents
- Describe use cases for Power Virtual Agents
- Describe the purpose of topics, entities, and actions
- Create topics from existing FAQs by using Suggest Topics
Describe the capabilities of Power Pages
- Describe use cases for Power Pages
- Describe use cases for templates
- Describe how to share data externally
Describe the capabilities of AI Builder
- Describe use cases for AI Builder
- Describe the lifecycle to create an AI Builder model
Top study tips and hints
The pursuit of knowledge can be a challenging endeavor, especially when one must balance the demands of work and daily life. Yet, with the right mindset and resources, anyone can rise to the challenge and achieve their goals.
Before diving into the intricate details of the PL-900 exam, take a moment to remind yourself of why you embarked on this journey in the first place. Focusing on the benefits that await you upon completion can help fuel your motivation and inspire you to invest in your own success.
Creating a study schedule is crucial to succeeding in the PL-900 exam. Allocate specific time slots for studying, prioritise these slots, and stick to the schedule. Additionally, consider joining a study group or finding a study partner who shares your passion for learning. This collaborative approach can provide valuable insight, feedback, and motivation to push through the more challenging aspects of the exam.
The Microsoft Study Guide is an excellent resource that can give you a comprehensive understanding of the exam’s content. This guide can help you identify areas where you may need additional focus and provide a structured framework for studying. Furthermore, Microsoft offers a range of online learning modules covering various exam topics, all of which are available for free on their website. Begin with the Power Platform Fundamentals training pathway and consult with the team at Vantage 365 if you encounter any difficulties or require further guidance.
Practice exams are indispensable study tools that can provide valuable insights into your progress and areas for improvement. Start with a practice exam at the beginning of your study journey, which can help identify which areas you need to concentrate on. Then, focus on those weaker areas and take another practice exam to gauge how much you have improved. Not only do these practice exams allow you to familiarize yourself with the exam’s format and types of questions, but they also instill the confidence needed to excel on the day of the PL-900 exam.
If you need a more comprehensive refresher course, consider enrolling in one of our Power Platform Introduction Days. This immersive training focuses on experiential learning, enabling you and your team to gain a better understanding of the concepts of the technology and how to apply them within your business. Topics covered include creating apps from templates, introducing controls, creating apps from SharePoint, creating flows from templates, building basic processes, using flows with SharePoint, working with Power BI Desktop, importing data, and introducing visualisations.
Asynchronous Collaboration to Suit All
Buffer’s State of Remote Work report says that 10% of people find working in different time zones from their colleagues the biggest challenge they face. This is something an increase in asynchronous tools could help to combat. Such tools enable teams to collaborate at separate times and from different places. While we are already familiar with this in terms of email, workplace chat, and project management, there will be an increase in the use of digital whiteboards, async video messaging, and team productivity tools in future.
Asynchronous working isn’t only useful for those working from different locations, but for modern workforces that offer flexibility to employees who want to work at different times in the day. With Gartner reporting that 43% of workers find flexibility helps them to achieve greater productivity; this is something that is worth the investment for employers.
SUMMARY
As businesses strive to ensure that new ways of working can offer consistency and clarity for employees, collaborative tools will certainly have an increased presence within most companies over the next few years and beyond. With this, the services on offer will only improve as tech companies compete to ensure they can provide their customers with state-of-the-art tools.
How can Vantage 365 help you?
Vantage 365 is committed to delivering high-quality training that empowers professionals to excel in their careers. With our PL-900 training program, individuals can acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become proficient in the Power Platform and harness its capabilities to drive innovation and business growth.
Enroll in Vantage 365’s PL-900 training program today and take the first step towards becoming a certified Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals professional.
For training and support for your team, come to the team at Vantage 365. Simply call us on 01384 593720 or email us at hello@vantage365.co.uk and get the most out of Microsoft 365 today.