Salesforce Associate Certification Guide & Tips

The Salesforce Certified Associate is a brand new entry-level certification, aimed at Trailblazers with 0-6 months of Salesforce experience. This new type of certification removes the emphasis on hands-on practical expertise, and instead validates and empowers those with foundational Salesforce knowledge. This knowledge includes understanding what a Customer Relationship Management platform is for, what business needs it solves, and how the Salesforce product suite can be used to transform and automate business teams and processes.

I would recommend this certification to anyone assessing if a career in the Salesforce ecosystem is for them, or anyone already committed to pursuing a Salesforce career, but perhaps at the very beginning of this journey.

I expect there to be some feedback from the community that suggests that this certification may not be worth it as it does not test “technical expertise”. As someone who has taken the exam, I would counter that the exam requires a much greater level of technical understanding than you would expect. I would also argue that there are three other main benefits of this certification:

1. In the vast landscape of Salesforce, with a plethora of information available, it is actually overwhelming and difficult for many people to know if this is the right career/technology/community for them. This certification will provide them with an opportunity to follow a clear path that helps them decide if they wish to continue.
2. The Salesforce Certified Administrator is known for being a tough exam to pass due to the depth and breadth of knowledge needed. The Salesforce Certified Associate can help us bridge the gap between complete beginner and certified professional – it also demonstrate a commitment to personal development – something I would look for in any potential candidate.
3. The skills gap and increasing number of vacant Salesforce roles demands that we find more resources. Perhaps the Salesforce Associate won’t prepare someone to go “under the hood” of Salesforce, but what it will do is educate and empower someone who can then advise and enlighten a business. Once a business and its end users better understand the art of the possible, they may be inspired to invest in this individual to become a certified Salesforce Professional.

Let’s dive in to our guide and tips to pass the Salesforce Certified Associate exam!

About the Salesforce Certified Associate Exam

• The exam consists of 40 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions.
• You will have 70 minutes to complete the exam.
• The passing score is 62%.
• The exam costs $75 to take and retakes are free.
• The exam can be taken online or at a testing center.
• There are no prerequisites to take this exam.

Who’s the Ideal Candidate?

The Salesforce Certified Associate is for anyone with 0-6 months of Salesforce experience, looking to transform their career with Salesforce. According to Salesforce, you do not need any practical technical expertise – that’s right, this certification is for you, even if you have no existing experience! It’s the ideal precursor to the Salesforce Administrator Certification, but it is not a prerequisite.

The Salesforce Associate Certification is designed to prepare Trailblazers for a career in Salesforce by validating foundational Salesforce knowledge, including what Salesforce is, what Salesforce does, and how the platform solves business needs.

The exam is split into four topics:

1. Salesforce Ecosystem: 32%
2. Navigation: 28%
3. Data Model: 25%
4. Reports & Dashboards: 15%

Key Topics​

1. Salesforce Ecosystem: 32%

This is the largest section with the highest weighting on the exam. You will be tested on your knowledge of the Salesforce ecosystem including:

• Resources to learn and apply Salesforce learnings:
  • Trailhead
  • Trailhead Playgrounds
  • Developer Orgs
  • Trailblazer Community
  • Community Groups
  • Salesforce Help
• The Salesforce product suite and when a particular product or cloud is required:
  • Use cases for Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Health Cloud, Experience Cloud, NonProfit Cloud and CRM Analytics
• How companies use Salesforce, including what Customer 360 is
• What CRM (customer relationship management) platforms do and the business needs they solve
• Salesforce architecture and multi-tenancy platforms
• Career paths and what specific roles do, including Administrators, Developers, and Business Analysts

2. Navigation: 28%​

This scenario based section will test your understanding of how and where to find information such as licenses, company information and org settings, list views (including Kanban use-cases), Search, and personalization (tabs, language, timezone).

In addition to being familiar with where to make changes at a more global level, you should also be able to identify where end-users can make changes such as adding a phone number, changing their default locale, resetting their password or amending their App navigation tabs.

You’ll be expected to know about the AppExchange, user management, and where basic customization takes place in Setup e.g. the Lighting App Builder.

3. Data Model: 25%

In this section you’ll demonstrate your understanding of Salesforce architecture, standard objects, and their relationships. You should be comfortable with Accounts, Contacts, Leads, Opportunities, and Cases.

Based on a scenario, you’ll identify how visibility is being controlled, so you’ll need to understand features including roles, role hierarchy, profiles, permission sets, record types, page layouts, and field visibility.

You should also be familiar with how to ensure data integrity, for example, default values, required fields, and validation rules.

4. Reports & Dashboards: 15%

To ace this section, get hands-on and get familiar with reports, dashboards and their features.

Reports:

• Report formats e.g. Tabular, Summary, Matrix, Joined
• When to create and use custom report types
• Bucket fields
• Conditional formatting
• Report formulas
• Report limitations, e.g. how many records are displayed in a report
• Subscriptions

Dashboards:

• Components
• Filters
• Subscriptions

Study Strategy

Here’s a comprehensive study strategy to help you prepare effectively:

1. Start with the Official Exam Guide

Begin by checking out the official Salesforce Trailhead exam guide. This resource provides a detailed outline of all the concepts you need to be familiar with before taking the exam. Use this guide as your revision plan:

• Segment Your Study: Break down the guide into manageable sections.
• Track Your Progress: Tick off each section once you fully understand the concepts.

2. Utilize Trailhead for Learning and Practice

Salesforce’s online learning platform, Trailhead, is an invaluable tool for your study plan:

• Explore Relevant Modules: Engage with Trailhead modules related to the exam. These modules cover the features in-depth and provide real-time feedback through challenges.
• Hands-On Practice: Beyond theoretical learning, test the features in a Developer org or Trailhead playground. Experiment with these features to understand their limitations and practical applications.

3. Follow Structured Learning Paths

For comprehensive hands-on experience, follow these recommended trails on Trailhead:

• Prepare for Your Salesforce Certified Associate Credential
• Cert Prep: Salesforce Certified Associate 

Specifically designed by Salesforce, these trails guide you through the most important topics covered in the exam.

4. Understand the Exam Structure

Familiarizing yourself with the exam structure is crucial for effective preparation:

• Multiple-Choice Format: Salesforce exams typically feature multiple-choice questions.
• Pattern Recognition: The exam usually includes one correct answer, an incorrect one, and one that seems correct but isn’t best practice. Recognizing this pattern will help you avoid common pitfalls.
• Practice Exams: Take practice exams to simulate the real test environment. These exams are designed to reflect the actual exam’s format and difficulty, helping you get accustomed to the question types and timing.

The Salesforce AI Associate Certification consists of 40 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions, each with three possible answers. In this sense, it is easier than other exams that typically have a minimum of four potential answers.

5. Continuous Review and Practice

• Revisit Difficult Topics: Regularly review sections you find challenging to reinforce your understanding.
• Join Study Groups: Collaborate with others preparing for the exam. Study groups can provide support, additional resources, and different perspectives on difficult concepts.
• Stay Updated: Salesforce updates its platform regularly. Ensure you stay current with any changes that might affect the exam content.

By following this structured strategy, you can approach your Salesforce Associate certification exam with confidence. Remember to leverage the vast resources available through Trailhead, engage in hands-on practice, and familiarize yourself with the exam format to maximize your chances of success.

Exam Strategy

When exam day finally arrives, implementing effective strategies can significantly enhance your chances of passing with flying colors. Here are some proven tips to help you succeed:

Before the Exam

1. Review and Memorize Key Concepts:
   • Create a cheat sheet for any challenging concepts. Review and try to memorize these right before the exam to keep them fresh in your memory.
   • Engage in last-minute cramming using topic-level practice exams, focusing on areas where you feel less confident. This targeted review can reinforce your knowledge.

During the Exam

1. Carefully Read Each Question:
   • Pay particular attention to each question and read it multiple times. Scenario-based questions often contain key clues within the text that can guide you to the correct answer.
2. Utilize Provided Tools:
   • If you are taking the exam at a test center, make good use of the pen and paper provided. Drawing out data schemas, role hierarchies, or other diagrams can help you visualize and solve complex problems more effectively.
3. Process of Elimination:
   • Use the process of elimination to discard answers that are definitely incorrect. Salesforce exams often include distractors that are either fictional features or incorrect interpretations of real features.
   • Be cautious of curveballs—answers that seem correct but are not aligned with best practices. Focus on standard Salesforce features to determine the best solution. For example, while you can create a custom approval process with Process Builder, using the standard approval process feature is often the best practice.
4. Mark for Review:
   • Take advantage of the “Mark for review” feature. If you are unsure about a question or need more time to think, mark it for review and return to it later. This helps manage your time effectively and ensures you don’t get stuck on difficult questions.

After Completing the Exam

1. Review Your Answers:
   • If time permits, review all your answers, not just the ones marked for review. This comprehensive review can help you catch mistakes and make necessary corrections.
   • Pay special attention to the questions you marked for review. Re-evaluating these questions with a fresh perspective can lead to more accurate answers.
   • If in doubt, stick with your initial answer (you probably know more than you think!).

Resources

• Trailhead Exam Guide
• Prepare for Your Salesforce Certified Associate Credential
• Cert Prep: Salesforce Certified Associate
• Salesforce Ben Free Practice Exam Questions

Tips

• Check out the official Trailhead Exam Guide and use this as your master revision list.
• Complete the Trailmix and Cert Prep Modules on Trailhead.
• Test out features and concepts in a Dev Org or Trailhead Playground.
• Once you start to feel confident, book your exam so that you have a date to aim for and keep you motivated!

Final Thoughts​

This certification is a great introduction to Salesforce and a way to demonstrate a clear understanding of CRM platforms, the business needs they support, and the professional roles available. It’s a great stepping stone on your way to becoming a Salesforce Certified Professional.

Although Salesforce suggest this exam requires no “technical expertise”, do not mistakenly believe that this is an easy exam. In typical Salesforce style, the questions and possible answers are tricky and worded in a way to deliberately confuse you. You’ll need a solid understanding of the product suite and more technical savvy than you may expect.