How I Study for Certifications

I get a lot of emails and questions on the Microsoft Dynamics Community forum on how to prepare for certifications, which study methods I use, and what is a reasonable timeline to study for an examination. Here is a guide that should answer most of your questions.

Set a Time-bound Goal

On average, it takes anywhere between 4 and 8 weeks to prepare for one Microsoft Dynamics 365 examination. I recommend you to choose a meaningful date to pass one or more certifications and to reward yourself if you achieve your goal.

In my case, my objective when I started my certification journey in June 2017 was to pass all Microsoft Dynamics 365 examinations (this was before MB2-877, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field service, was announced) by December 22, 2017 (the day before leaving for my Christmas vacations). The reward was a meal at the Gordon Ramsey Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Get an Accountability Partner

If you can, get an accountability partner whom you will share your goal, successes (and failures). This partner can be a family member, a friend, a colleague, a classmate or even an online study group. This person will help you to stay motivated and keep your eyes on the prize. The desire not to let down that person will be a huge drive in making sure you pass your examination by your set deadline.

Break it Down

The way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. I would recommend you to study at least one hour each day. Read the exam objectives carefully and create a study calendar based on the time you have on hand to study. I recommend you to study one topic per session.

Get the Right Resources

You can access my list of recommended resources that I update regularly here.

How to Make It Stick

The best way to make it stick, by far, is to put the theory in practice by configuring Microsoft Dynamics 365 in a sandbox instance. Unfortunately, it is not always possible for people who want to get started to have access to one. If you have a business email address (with a domain other than gmail, outlook, hotmail, yahoo, etc.), you can get a one-month free trial here.

Another great way is to create flashcards with your own questions and answers to practice. I did mine with 3″ by 9 ” paper flashcards and wrote everything by hand with a pen. I used that strategy because the action of writing everything somehow helps me remember these concepts. If you prefer an electronic version, you can create your own set of flashcards on Quizlet. If you prefer a page format, Cornell Notes are a great alternative to flashcards. You can learn more about it here.

Understand your Strengths and Weaknesses

If you have access to a set of practice questions, I recommend you to practice them in a random order by shuffling your flashcards. Note the questions that you missed. When I studied for the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales examination (MB2-717), I noticed that virtually every question I got wrong was about the product catalog section! Since I don’t use that feature on a regular basis, I made sure to study that topic in-depth and to create a few catalogs to understand that feature.

Towards the end, I suggest you to select 50 questions based on the weight of each topic and answer them in 60 minutes or less. The actual examination is 90 minutes, but you need to give yourself some time to revise your answers and take into consideration that your high level of stress will slow you down during the actual exam.

The Night Before and The Day of The Examination

I recommend you to only stick to Neil Parkhurst’s revision guides when you study the night before your examination. He will give you the right amount of content without overwhelming you.

On the day of, do something that relaxes you right before going to the examination center. It can be walking, listening to music, yoga, meditation or whatever you prefer. Once you click on “Start Exam”, take at least 10 deep breaths to bring calm and focus in your brain. Read every question very slowly and at least twice, since Microsoft loves to put one special keyword that changes the meaning of the entire question.

What to Do After The Examination

Once you are done, regardless if you pass or not, do something else to stop stressing about how you could have done better in the exam. However, a few hours after, look at the graph to see what were your strong and weak sections. This is particularly useful if you failed on your first attempt.

Good luck and happy studying!