The Power Platform Professional certification guide

Your journey to becoming a Power Platform Professional starts now. A Microsoft Power Platform certification may sound like a lot of effort at first, but with the right guidance it can become a motivating learning journey. This guide takes you step-by-step through the most relevant options in the official Microsoft Power Platform certification landscape. From the first basic certificate to the experts, we will show you what knowledge you should have and which skill it courses will support you. Get ready to develop your skillset and open up new career opportunities!

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Overview: Which Power Platform certificates are available?

[DEFINITION][Power Platform Certifications][Microsoft Power Platform includes tools such as Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Virtual Agents, and Power Pages. Accordingly, there are various certifications that cover different roles and skill sets. The PL-900 Fundamentals certification offers a classic entry point, followed by several associate-level certifications for specialized roles, and, as the crowning achievement, the AB-100 Expert certification for experienced solution architects.]

Below you will find an overview of the most important certifications. You will also see the corresponding skill it course that will optimally prepare you for the respective certification exam. Whether you are at the beginning of your journey or want to deepen your expertise as a solution architect: here you will find the course that will bring you a decisive step closer to your goal (you can find more details on the certifications below).

PL-900: Power Platform Fundamentals (Fundamentals) Introduction to the Power Platform

Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900) - 2-day introductory course that covers all core components (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Virtual Agents, Power Pages) and specifically prepares you for the PL-900 exam.

PL-100: Power Platform App Maker (Associate) Low-Code App Development

Since PL-100 certification was discontinued in mid-2024, there is no longer a direct certification course. Instead, the following course is suitable for developing the necessary skills:

Canvas Apps and Power Automate in Practice (PL-7001 and PL-7002) – A 2-day hands-on workshop on creating Canvas apps and automations (flows) with Power Automate.

AB-410: Intelligent Applications Builder (Associate)

Intelligent Applications Builder (AB-410) – A 3-day official training course and successor to the previous Power Platform Functional Consultant (PL-200) course. Covers the development of intelligent business applications and automated processes using Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Copilot Studio, Dataverse, and AI.

PL-300: Power BI Data Analyst (Associate) Data analysis with Power BI

Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) - 3-day official PL-300 preparation course that teaches data preparation, modeling, visualization and deployment with Power BI. attendees learn to transform data with Power Query and write DAX expressions.

PL-400: Power Platform Developer (Associate) developer for Power Platform

Microsoft Power Platform Developer (PL-400) - 4-day course to prepare for PL-400, providing in-depth development knowledge: e.g. writing code (JavaScript, C#) for plugins and extensions, using the Power Platform SDKs, Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and DevOps for Power Platform. A sound knowledge of Power Platform is a prerequisite; attendees should be familiar with the performance limits and possibilities of the services.

AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect (Expert) Solution Architect

Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect (AB-100) – A 3-day expert training course for experienced technology professionals who plan and design AI-powered business solutions on Microsoft platforms. Covers the architecture of agent-based AI solutions, requirements analysis, cost-benefit analysis, testing, as well as security, governance, and compliance. Prerequisites include knowledge of Microsoft business applications, cloud concepts, and the fundamentals of solution architecture.

[DEFINITION][Note:][There are also specialized exams and certifications related to Dynamics 365. In this guide, we'll focus on the most important general Power Platform certifications.]

The Power Platform certifications in detail

As you can see, you can take different paths depending on your interests and career goals. Below we look at each certification in detail.

PL-900: Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals

The PL-900 is the ideal starting point for becoming a Power Platform professional. It conveys the basic business benefits and product diversity of the platform. candidates for this exam are often users from specialist departments or prospective IT professionals who want to increase their productivity by automating business processes, analyzing data and creating simple apps. No prior technical knowledge is required. The Fundamentals are also explicitly aimed at newcomers. Only a general interest in digital solutions and some practice with Office 365 or similar tools are helpful.

Target group:
newcomers with no prior knowledge who want to understand the basics of the Power Platform.

Recommended knowledge & learning objectives

• Overview of the Power Platform:
  • Functions & benefits of Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Virtual Agents
  • Basic terms such as dataverse, connectors, flows
• Practical understanding:
  • Create a small canvas app
  • Build a simple automation flow
  • Understanding the benefits of generative AI features such as Copilot

Goal:
By passing the exam you will receive the certification "Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals", a recognized starting point for all further certifications. Preparatory skill it course: Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900).

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PL-100: Microsoft Power Platform App Maker (Associate)

Next up is the (former) App Maker certification PL-100. Why “former”? Microsoft officially phased out this exam as of June 30, 2024. This means that no new PL-100 certifications can be earned. But don’t worry: The content and skills that a Power Platform App Maker should master can be acquired through the “Canvas Apps and Power Automate in Practice (PL-7001 and PL-7002)” certification.

Target group & role:
App Makers are business users with a deep understanding of the business who use low-code tools such as Power Apps and Power Automate to build individual solutions without professional development skills. The focus is on creativity, process understanding and problem solving.

Requirements & recommended knowledge:

• ‍UI/UX Design: Creating and customizing user interfaces using controls, galleries, forms, and media.
• Data Connection: Connecting the app to external data sources (e.g., SharePoint or Dataverse).
• Flow Architecture: In-depth understanding of the structure of automated cloud flows, particularly the definition of triggers and actions
• Approval Processes: Create, configure, and monitor multi-step approval workflows.

Preparatory SkillIT Course: Practical Use of Canvas Apps and Power Automate (PL-7001 and PL-7002)

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AB-410: Microsoft Power Platform – Build Intelligent Applications

With AB-410, AI-powered applications, copilots, and agents are taking center stage in the Microsoft Power Platform. The AB-410 certification is the successor to the Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant (PL-200) certification, which will be discontinued in July 2026. It’s the right choice for you if you want to analyze business requirements and translate them into intelligent solutions using Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Copilot Studio, and AI-powered features.

Target Audience:
For people with a general understanding of business processes or app development who want to build intelligent applications and automated processes using the Microsoft Power Platform.

Requirements & recommended knowledge:

• AI-Driven Solution Development:
  
  • AI-First Design Patterns, Copilot Features, and Prompt Engineering
  • Translating Business Ideas into Structured Solution Proposals
• Microsoft Dataverse:
  
  • Configure Tables, Columns, Relationships, and Business Rules
  • Developing Data Models and Security Roles for Smart Applications
• Power Apps and Power Pages:
  
  • Create Canvas- and Model-Driven Apps with Power Fx
  • Developing and Securing Websites with Power Pages
• Power Automate and AI:
  
  • Automate Cloud Flows and Approval Processes
  • Integrate AI Builder-based prompts into apps and flows

Goal:
If you pass, you’ll become a Microsoft Certified: Intelligent Applications Builder Associate. This demonstrates that you can design, develop, and implement AI-powered solutions using the Microsoft Power Platform.

Preparatory SkillIT Course: Microsoft Power Platform – Build Intelligent Applications (AB-410)

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PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (Associate)

Do you love making data talk? Then the PL-300: Power BI Data Analyst certification is made for you. It confirms your ability to connect and prepare data sources and transform them into meaningful visualizations that deliver business value. This certification was formerly known as DA-100 and was renamed PL-300, but the goal remained the same: to train professionals who use Power BI to create data analyses and reports.

Target group:
For data analysts and BI developers with experience in Excel, SQL or other BI tools.

Requirements & recommended knowledge:

• Master Power BI Desktop with confidence:
  • Retrieve & transform data (Power Query)
  • Create data model (incl. relationships & measures)
  • Design dashboards and visuals
• Writing DAX formulas:
  • Measures, calculated columns, Time Intelligence
• Data understanding:
  • Relational data, star schema, data quality
• Understanding the business context:
  • Visualize relevant KPIs, promote self-service BI

Goal:
Once you pass the exam, you’ll be a Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate—a sought-after professional in any data-driven organization.

Preparatory skill it course: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)

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PL-400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer (Associate)

While App Makers and Functional Consultants tend to work with configuration and low-code, PL-400: Power Platform Developer gets down to the nitty-gritty of development. This certification is right for you if you are or want to become a software developer who programs and extends solutions on the Power Platform. This is where the boundaries between the Power Platform and classic software development become blurred. Knowledge of JavaScript, .NET, Azure etc. comes into play.

Target group:
For developers with experience in Power Platform and modern web technologies who want to build complex, extensible solutions.

Requirements & recommended knowledge:

• Understanding the Power Platform in depth:
  • Standard vs. user-defined connectors
  • Use of code with complex logic, limits of canvas formulas
• Programming skills:
  • PCF with HTML/TypeScript
  • Plugins & Azure Functions in C#
  • Dealing with REST APIs & JSON
• ALM & DevOps know-how:
  • Git, Azure DevOps Pipelines, Solution Packager, CI/CD for Canvas Apps
• System integration:
  • API connection, Azure services, custom visuals for Power BI

Objective: After passing this course, you will be a Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate, a professional for complex extensions in Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects. It is a possible basis for the step to Solution Architect (PL-600).

Preparatory skill it course: Microsoft Power Platform Developer (PL-400)

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AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect (Expert)

Welcome to the top rung of the Power Platform career ladder. As a certified AI Business Solutions Architect, you demonstrate that you can strategically plan, securely design, and scalably integrate complex, agent-based AI solutions into business processes on Microsoft platforms.

Target Audience:
Experienced solution architects, functional and technical consultants AI and digital transformation leaders who plan, design, and manage AI-powered business solutions.

Requirements & recommended knowledge:

• Microsoft and AI Technologies: Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry, and Generative AI
• AI Architecture: Designing, Implementing, and Monitoring Secure , Scalable Agent and Multi-Agent Solutions
• ‍Governance & Cost-Effectiveness: ConsiderResponsible AI, Data Protection, Access Controls, and ROI Analyses

Objective:
By passing this exam, you will become a Microsoft Certified: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect and demonstrate that you can strategically plan, design, and implement secure, scalable, and integrated AI solutions using Microsoft technologies.

Preparatory SkillIT Course: Architecting Agentic AI Business Solutions (AB-100).

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Your journey to becoming a Power Platform Professional

Whether beginner or professional, the Power Platform certifications offer the right path for every learning level. Your motivation is crucial: it's not just the certificate that counts, but the knowledge and skills you acquire.

With this guide you have your roadmap. Use the Power Platform courses from skill it for practical knowledge transfer and preparation for certification.