Are you an administrator, solution architect, developer, or functional consultant wishing to level up your professional credentials and skill tracks? Then, the PL 400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification exam might be a significant career milestone for you.
In this context, this blog will help you understand how the PL-400 exam helps enhance your credentials, intended audience, the significance of the PL-400 certification, prerequisites, exam overview, syllabus, material, preparation, and FAQs. In short, know everything about the PL-400 exam here.
So, let’s dive in!
Overview of Microsoft Power Platform Developer (PL-400) Certification Exam
The PL-400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification teaches you how to develop, implement, secure, test, and troubleshoot pitfalls in Microsoft Power Platform solutions. This is an intermediate certification.
As a Microsoft-certified Power Platform Developer, you will be responsible for implementing elements of solutions, including custom user experiences, custom process automation, data conversions, app enhancements, and system integrations. Along with this, you will also gain the ability to perform technical tasks like:
- Configuring automation of business processes
- Enhancing user experiences
- Extending Power Platform capabilities
- Developing integrations
- Building technical designs
What are the skills you will gain from the PL-400 certification?
The PL-400 certification has a plethora of skills to offer. You will not only be able to level up your Microsoft Power Platform skills but also get the skills for designing, developing and securing Microsoft Power Platform solutions. Apart from this, you will learn how to:
- Create technical architecture. Build low-code applications using PowerApps and deliver application development and business processes. You will also know how to enhance organizational competence by leveraging Power Platform solutions.
- Configure Microsoft Dataverse. Find out how to create apps and databases using Microsoft Dataverse as a store. You will dive deep into creating custom and predefined tables by creating environments.
- Handle and troubleshoot power apps. Learn how to apply techniques and strategies and use Portal Checker to remove portal issues and conduct the Portal update process.
- Configure automated business processes. Know how to embed PowerAutomate in your business flows, leverage RPA bots, use process advisors to assess cloud flows, and auto-scale by hosting RPA bots.
- Develop Integrations. Learn to integrate Dataverse platforms, Dynamics 365 apps and add-ons with operations and finance apps.
Who should take the PL-400 exam?
If you are keen to explore the Microsoft Power Platform and learn how to develop, test, secure, implement, extend, and troubleshoot Power Platform solutions, then this PL 400 is the perfect stepping stone for you. Additionally, you can go for the PL 400 exam if you are:
- An app developer or administrator wishing to upskill in the Microsoft Power Platform.
- A business analyst or a functional consultant aspiring to be a Microsoft Power Platform developer.
- An IT professional with fundamental knowledge of the Microsoft Power Platform now wants to broaden his horizons.
- A solution architect with a strong knowledge of DevOps wishes to validate their mastery of the Microsoft Power Platform and its components.
Why should you take the PL-400 exam?
To begin with, the Microsoft Power Platform is one of the most widely used and popular business solutions. In fact, organizations are increasingly switching from legacy infrastructure to the Microsoft Power Platform since the latter offers every vital component of the business operations under one umbrella.
That, in turn, boosts the demand for Microsoft Power Platform professionals by manifolds. And if you want to tap into these opportunities, certifications like PL-400 are a must.
Secondly, PL-400 is strong enough to make you a valuable asset to your organization. Research says by leveraging Power Platform solutions, a business can increase its ROI by over 180% and payback within six months.
Interesting, right? It means if you learn how to gain complete control and master the Power Platform, you will be invincible in your career while ensuring competitiveness for your business.
Next, given the same backdrop, the PL-400 certification will also help you increase your salary by manifolds. Glassdoor says that the average salary of a Microsoft Power Platform developer in India can be as high as Rs 18 lakh. Similarly, for the US, it is almost USD 102,000 p.a.
Finally, the PL-400 certification proves your willingness to upskill and helps you stand out from your peers. As mentioned before, businesses need IT professionals who can improve their business outcomes and revenues by leveraging the Microsoft Power Platform solutions at their best.
Hence, getting Microsoft certified can help you gain added attention from hiring managers while upgrading your professional credentials with this highly rated industry-relevant skill.
PL-400 exam format overview
Here’s a quick view of the PL-400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification exam format:
In addition to this, the certification has one-year validity. No prior certification is required, but you need to have a strong hold on the Microsoft Power Platform services and DevOps for Power Platform solutions and tools.
PL-400 Microsoft Power Platform Developer exam domains
There are few topics based upon which the questions are decided for the Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification exam. The topics and their weightage include:
The PL-400 Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification exam covers seven domains and carries specific weightage in the exam. Here’s what the breakup looks like:
| Domain | Weightage |
| Creating technical designs | 10-15% |
| Configuring Microsoft Data verse | 10-15% |
| Creating and configuring PowerApps | 5-10% |
| Configuring automation of business processes | 5-10% |
| Extending UX | 15-20% |
| Extending Power Platform | 20-25% |
| Developing integrations | 5-10% |
Each of these domain has several subtopics that includes:
- Creating technical designs
– Designing technical architecture and validating requirements
– Building solution components
– Defining extensibility points of Microsoft Power Platform
- Configuring Microsoft Dataverse
– Configuring security to aid development
– Implementing columns and tables
– Implementing ALM
- Creating and configuring PowerApps
– Building model-driven apps
– Creating canvas apps
– Troubleshooting and managing apps
- Configuring automation of business processes
– Configuring Power Automate
– Deploying processes
- Extending UX
– Use client script to apply business logic
– Creating PCF component
– Building command button function
- Extending Power Platform
– Creating plug-ins
– Building custom connectors
– Leveraging platform APIs
– Processing workloads
- Developing integrations
– Consuming and publishing Dataverse events
– Implementing data sync
These are the topics or areas that the candidates need to master for clearing this certification with distinction. People with this certification can work with the ability to implement application enhancements, system integrations, custom user experience, custom process automation, data conversions, and custom visualizations.
Prerequisites for taking up Microsoft Power Platform Developer (PL-400) Certification
Even though there is no mandatory certification or prerequisite stated by Microsoft officially for this certification, you still need to have some conceptual knowledge about it. It is because, without some of the concepts, it will be difficult for you to clear the certification.
Therefore, the prerequisites for the Microsoft Power Platform Developer Certification are:
- The candidates should have some experience in the field of development. It should include the application of Power Platform services, TypeScript, C#, JSON, .NET, Azure, and others.
- Candidates should have in-depth knowledge of the potential of Power Platform services and the areas where it lacks or limits its abilities.
- DevOps Practices with Power Platform is an important concept that the candidates need to have some idea about.
There is no mandate from Microsoft’s end for candidates to master these fundamentals. However, if you are not prepared with such concepts, then you might find it very difficult to understand the exam topics of this certification.
Hence, it is advised for candidates to gain proper information about the certification and then spend their money on the registration for this certification.
To register for this certification, follow these steps:
- Log onto the official page of the PL-400 certification exam.
- Scroll down to see an option “Schedule Exam.”
- You will be prompted to log onto your Microsoft account. Log in or create one to continue.
- You can then select the exam date and make the payment to complete your registration.
Ways to Prepare for PL-400 Certification Exam
Microsoft suggests two ways of preparation for the PL-400 certification exam. One is by learning through the free preparation guide offered by Microsoft, and the other is by taking the help of instructors or professionals for utmost guidance.
The candidates who are somehow knowledgeable about the concepts associated with Microsoft Power Platform Development will find the online-free preparation guide helpful. But, there are some candidates who will need a proper mentor to understand the topics and learn about the right ways of answering them.
Study materials to refer for the PL-400 exam
You will find countless resources and materials from Microsoft to prepare for the PL-400 exam. For starters, Microsoft’s PL-400 Learning Path offers the following paths covering all major topics:
- Creating canvas and model-driven apps in Power Apps
- Microsoft Power Platform environments, tenants, subscriptions, and Dynamics 365 applications.
- Use Power Automate to automate business processes.
- Use Power BI for analytic reports.
- Integrating solutions with Dataverse and Power Platform
- Administering and extending PowerApps portals
Next on the list comes Microsoft’s instructor-led video course. The PL-400T00: Microsoft Power Platform Developer is a five-day course focusing on optimizing operations by automating, transforming, and simplifying processes and business tasks using the Power Platform.
Along with this, Microsoft shows like #LessCodeMorePower can be beneficial in understanding the ins and outs of Power Platform components.
Try these updated Free Questions on Microsoft Power Platform Developer (PL-400)
Fourth, if you want to have an additional but detailed view of the Microsoft Power Platform, you can refer to Microsoft Documents like:
- Developer learning catalog for PowerApp
- Designing PowerApp projects
- Microsoft Dataverse and dataverse developer
- Tables and metadata
- Implementing healthy ALM
Fifth, for a final touch to your preparation, you can always refer to the exam sandbox and Microsoft sample papers. These will give you a demo experience of the actual exams and cover all the main topics of the PL-400.
Sixth, if you are searching for hands-on developing experience with the Power Platform, you can try GitHub PL-400 hands-on labs. Lastly, to discover more and clarify doubts regarding PL-400, you can reach out to professionals and subject matter experts through Microsoft communities: Power Platform Community and Microsoft Tech Community.
Advices to Follow:
- There are some other ways using which you can improve your practice and preparation for the PL-400 certification exam. Follow these tips and advice to ensure that your preparation aspects are enhanced for clearing this certification in one attempt:
- Download the PDF of Microsoft PL-400 Exam questions. It intends to help you with quick preparation for your examination. Such PDFs consist of practice questions and answers for candidates to solve and validate their responses.
- Take up the PL-400 practice test for self-assessment of your skills and expertise in diverse topics. This practice test will prepare you to deal with exam circumstances. It will allow you to complete the examination within the specified time, as suggested by Microsoft. If you find yourself to be slower, then work on improving your speed without rushing on the questions.
- You can take up the web-based practice exam for PL-400 without the installation of any dedicated app. The web practice test facility allows the candidates to take up examinations to prepare for their test from any location. You just need the internet, and you will have your practice test ready to appear.
- Take note of the materials that you will need in the pursuit of preparing for the examination. Talk to your mentors, of course, faculties about the same. Takedown the notes of what they guide you with, and read the reference materials offered by them to gain more knowledge of the topics. The instructors will also stress you to thoroughly prepare the most important topics and help you with a study order. So, follow them on a strict note!
Follow the above steps, and you will be all ready for appearing and clearing this certification exam in one go. There are immense career opportunities that await you on clearing this and more of these certifications.
Salary of a Power Platform Developer
The average salary of a power platform developer is $126,750 per year. It is the average salary for a fresher recruit, which will eventually increase with experience over time. As per the records are stated, the experience joining gets a salary of up to $138,450 per annum.
In this field, if you are joining the ground-level position without any experience, you will be getting a pay of $102,375, which is not bad for a start. Therefore, you can conclude that Power Platform Development is a good career track for you to pick.
So, you need to make sure that your certification counts as your proof of expertise. There are many jobs associated with the Power Platform, but it demands expertise and some qualifications.
You have time to take up these opportunities and gather Microsoft certifications, as they have a great weightage amongst top companies. Gather your study materials and start your preparation right away!
Sample Free Questions
Domain : Extend the platform
Q1: You create a Custom API message. You need to develop a plug-in for your Custom API.
A. You need to know the message name
B. You need to register the plug-in for a step
C. After registration, you need to add the assembly to the solution
D. You need to know the names and types of the API parameters
Correct Answers: A, C and D
Explanation
You can extend the Dataverse by creating the custom API that would be exposed as the messages. There are two types of custom messages: Custom Process Action and Custom API.
The Custom Process Actions messages are the no-code option that you can create using the Workflow Designer.
The Custom API provides the capabilities of code extending beyond the Workflow. You can use the maker portal, Web APIs, or the Organization service to create the Custom API. The Custom API data is saved in the Dataverse tables. You can invoke the custom message by using the Web API, Organization services, and plug-in.
Option A is correct because you need to know the message name, the names and properties of the message parameters, and the response properties for creating a plug-in for the custom message.
Option C is correct because after the assembly registration, by using the Dataverse Plug-in registration tools, you need to add the assembly to the solution.
Option D is correct because you need to know the message name, the names and properties of the message parameters, and the response properties for creating a plug-in for the custom message.
Option B is incorrect because you don’t need to register the step for the plug-in. You just need to register the plug-in’s assembly and add it to the solution.
Domain : Configure Microsoft Dataverse
Q2 : You need to create a new column in the custom Order table. The Dataverse table contains information about every order. The new column should store the number of days since the order record was created for the open (new) orders. The column should update the value whenever you save the record.
What should be the type of the new column?
A. Whole number
B. Rollup
C. Decimal number
D. Calculation
E. Duration
Correct Answer: D
Explanation
Microsoft Dataverse provides special column types for calculations and data aggregation. These types are Calculated and Rollup.
The Calculation column allows users to define a formula based on the column value. This type includes columns from the same table and related parent table in a many-to-one relationship. Calculated columns are read-only. Users benefit from a list of built-in functions for the calculated values. This column type operates on the different data types like text, numeric, and date-time. The calculations run synchronously when a record is saved.
The Rollup column is like the Calculated type. The Rollup type operates only on the numeric (Whole Number, Decimal Number, and Currency) and date-time datatypes. This type includes columns from the same table and related child tables in a one-to-many relationship. The list of built-in functions for the Rollup column is smaller compared to the Calculated columns. It includes sum, min, max, and count. Rollup columns are read-only. By default, the calculations for the Rollup column run once per hour. Users can change the frequency in Customization settings for the table. It is an asynchronous operation.
Suppose you create the calculated column “DaysOpen.” Here is the condition and action for the column:
The condition includes the check for the “New” order status. And the action has the Difference in days between the order date and a current date/time. If you use the NOW() function, you need to be sure that the date-time column’s behavior is set to the “User local” (in this case, the nwind_orderdate or “Order date” column (Number 1)). The “User local” behavior (Number 2) stores the time zone-aware data. This type of date-time behavior is the requirement for the NOW() operations.
Options A, B, and D are incorrect because the Duration, Whole number, and Decimal number are the data types but not the column types.
FAQs for PL-400 exam
In case you still have some queries in some corner of your mind, here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand the PL-400 certification exam.
What are the resources for exam dumps for the PL-400?
You can find sample papers and exam sandboxes on the official PL-400 webpage on the Microsoft site. You can also refer to Whizlabs’ full-length practice papers with 130 unique questions.
What are the elements of the PL-400 Course?
You have free tests, section tests, practice tests, and two different sets of mock tests for this exam. Additionally, you can refer to our video courses, which are nuanced and tailor-made for the exam.
Does Whizlabs guarantee success in the PL-400 exams? How?
The Whizlabs PL-400 exam practice tests aim to uphold Whizlabs’ established reputation for high quality. The Whizlabs PL-400 mock exams have added features to help candidates prepare and comprehensively cover exam topics in the certificate program. We also offer an effective modular strategy for all exam objectives while assuring a more straightforward learning process. Moreover, the exhaustive and thorough explanations for the practice tests help understand the exam objectives.
How can I pass the PL-400 exam?
It depends on how you strategize your preparation. Start by understanding the Power Platform boundaries, constraints, and capabilities. Understand concepts like building PowerApps, automating flows, and extending the Power Platform to solve complex business processes and meet business requirements. Then attempt sample papers and practice tests to assess your knowledge.
What could be the next step after PL-400?
Once you qualify for PL-400, you can try the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate. Here, you can level up your Power Platform solution development skills.
Summary
So, it is a complete elaboration of how you can prepare for the PL-400 examination and approach for Microsoft Power Platform Developer certification.
Finding authentic and updated content for so many line items in the PL-400 exam syllabus is often not so easy. With this in mind, Whizlabs offers an exhausting training course to make your PL-400 prep a breeze and provide your learning path with a direction.
You will find three full-length practice tests with unique questions, six video lectures with over 86 videos, support from subject matter experts, and unlimited access for a year to Whizlabs resources.
Whizlabs have Hands-on labs and cloud sandbox that will guide you through actual real-time experiences in live cloud environments to prepare for your certification.
Please feel free to share your valuable feedback and we would very much welcome it 🙂
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informative post thanks for sharing.
https://www.whizlabs.com/blog/microsoft-power-platform-developer-pl-400-certification-preparation-guide/
Thank you 🙂