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What is Business Central?
Business Central is a comprehensive business management solution which forms part of the Dynamics 365 product suite. It is trusted by over 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses in 155+ countries. It helps organizations with critical processes like finance, supply chains, payroll, HR, inventory, and warehouse management. Business Central can automate tasks, surface valuable data insights, and create smart forecasts that help the business adjust to market changes, enabling them to work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better.
Why become certified?
Microsoft certifications have long been held in high esteem in the tech community, distinguishing certified individuals as knowledgeable and reliable specialists in their chosen area of expertise.
What’s more, certifications are a great way to learn new skills, solidify your existing knowledge, and showcase your abilities to potential employers. Given the benefits that certifications offer, it’s no wonder they’re such a popular undertaking in the Microsoft community.
In fact, according to a recent report by Nigel Frank, more than half (54%) of professionals surveyed in the Microsoft Cloud space hold at least one Microsoft certification.
What’s more, well over two-thirds of professionals (78%) believe that certifications make you a more valuable candidate.
And while earning a certification doesn’t necessarily guarantee a salary increase, it’s worth noting that among those who said their salary had gone up since getting certified, the average raise came in at 20%.
With an extensive learning platform and a wide range of certifications available, there are options out there for every budding Microsoft professional, no matter what Business Central role you’re looking to go into.
How much do Business Central certifications cost?
Nothing if you join the ReSKILL program—we’ll cover all your training and associated examination costs (including exam resits)!
Co-designed with Microsoft, ReSKILL aims to bring net-new Business Central talent like yourself into the ecosystem because Microsoft partners need people with prior industry experience in warehousing, supply chain, logistics, and finance, as they have a good understanding of the challenges their customers face.
As part of the program, you’ll have a permanent job with an official Microsoft partner from day one. Once you join, your training will commence, allowing you to become a fully-fledged Business Central specialist, equipping you with expert training to prepare you for your Business Central certification exam.
However, if you decide to sit a Microsoft certification exam by yourself, then here’s a rough breakdown of the costs involved.
1. The exam fee
There are two Microsoft certifications available in the Business Central suite, and both come with a $165 examination fee.
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer (MB-820)
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant (MB-800)
2. Business Central course fee
While taking a Business Central course is not essential to obtain a certification, if you’ve never used the platform before, you’ll need to develop a good understanding of Business Central before you can successfully pass the exam. While there are a number of free and paid courses out there, studies show that self-paced learning without peer support and in-person engagement leads to a whopping 90% of people dropping out of online courses!
In addition, it is also advisable that you have some hands-on experience in a real work setting with Business Central to get a good sense of how the platform works in practice. To find out more about what skills you’ll need to demonstrate to pass each examination, head over to these sections:
3. Time investment
While this isn’t a tangible cost, preparing to sit your Business Central exam will require lots of time and dedication. Since many employers don’t allocate time for self-study or personal development, it’s important to work out whether you have the flexibility to study for the certification exam outside of your normal working hours, especially if you have a demanding job or personal commitments outside of work. If that’s the case, then consider joining ReSKILL, which will enable you to learn while you work for a Microsoft partner, enabling you to earn a full-time salary even while you’re training and leading to a better work-life balance.
What’s more, with ReSKILL you’ll be able to apply your new theoretical knowledge of Business Central straight on the job while you’re still learning, allowing you to become a Business Central specialist much faster than if you were to learn the platform on your own, with demonstrable work and project experience under your belt.
How long do Business Central certifications last?
Business Central certifications are valid for one year from the date you pass your certification exam.
You can renew your certification at any time within your six-month eligibility window. Your certification will then be valid for another year from the expiry date.
Renewals are free and simple to achieve (at least compared to the original exam!). To renew your certification, you’ll need to take a short, unproctored exam on the Microsoft Learn website. These exams are open book, so you can use notes, and you can sit as many retakes as you need before your certification expires.
Which Business Central certification path should I choose?
With two career-aligned certification paths now available to those looking to build a career in Business Central, the big question is: which is the right pathway for you?
Business Central Functional Consultant and Developer are two of the most in-demand roles in this field. While both roles will see you working hands-on with Business Central, they come with fundamentally different roles and responsibilities.
Business Central Functional Consultant role overview
As a Functional Consultant, you’ll be working with businesses to determine what they want to get out of using Business Central, and then setting the solution up for them in a way that helps them achieve their goals.
Business Central Developer role overview
As a Developer, you’ll use both traditional programming and low-code solutions like Power Platform to customize Business Central, extending its functionality and ensuring it meets the individual needs of its users.
Check out this article to discover what Business Central Developers and Functional Consultants do day-to-day, and what kind of salaries they typically earn.
Use the links below to jump straight to the Business Central certification pathway you're most interested in:
Business Central: Developer pathway
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Associate certification
The Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Associate credential tests and validates the skills a Developer needs when working with the Business Central platform.
This certification was launched in January 2024, giving budding Business Central professionals more certification options on their chosen career pathway, all while signifying the rising demand for Business Central Developers in the ERP market as more businesses turn to Business Central to transform their operations.
Certification overview: Focused on Business Central, this certification verifies the ability of Business Central Developers to create apps that extend the solution, either by developing new modules or customizing existing ones, as well as troubleshooting and debugging any issues.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the areas covered by the exam:
- Describe Business Central (10–15%)
- Install, develop, and deploy for Business Central (10–15%)
- Develop by using AL objects (35–40%)
- Develop by using AL (15–20%)
- Work with development tools (10–15%)
- Integrate Business Central with other applications (10–15%)
You can find a more in-depth overview of the skills measured by this certification’s exam in the study guide.
Requirements to sit: There are no pre-requisites required to earn this certification. However, in order to pass this exam successfully, you will need a good knowledge level of developing solutions for Business Central, acquired either through training or practical application.
If you want to get ahead of the curve and become one of the world’s few certified Business Central Developers, check out the ReSKILL program, designed in close collaboration with Microsoft to help you launch an amazing career in the Microsoft ecosystem!
Required exam: Exam MB-820: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer
Business Central: Functional Consultant pathway
Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant Associate
This certification is designed for those who are involved in the planning, design, and oversight of Business Central implementation, looking to land a role as a Business Central Functional Consultant.
Certification overview: To validate your understanding of financial management, sales, purchasing, and inventory, you’ll be tested on your knowledge of functionality such as adapting insights, cues, action tiles, reports, and charts.
As well as Business Central, this certification also verifies your skills with Power Platform. Here’s how the exam breaks down in terms of areas covered:
- Setting up Business Central (20–25%)
- Configuring financials (30–35%)
- Configuring sales and purchasing (15–20%)
- Performing Business Central operations (25–30%)
You can find a more in-depth overview of the skills measured by this certification’s exam in the study guide.
Requirements to sit: There are no specific pre-requisites for this exam. However, in order to successfully pass the exam, you will need a good working knowledge of meeting business needs using Business Central’s functionality. More in-depth expertise in at least one feature set of Business Central would be an advantage, too.
Don’t worry if that sounds above your current skill level, as our ReSKILL program will help you get there!
Required exam: Exam MB-800: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant
How to get a job in Business Central with no prior experience
Earning certifications is a great place to start, but if you want to fast-track your way into a lucrative role as a Business Central professional, you’ll need a little more on your résumé, i.e. work experience. This is where we can help!
As part of the ReSKILL program, co-designed with Microsoft, you’ll join a recognized Microsoft partner, receiving a full-time salary from day one. This way, you’ll be able to put your new skills into practice while you continue to learn Business Central.
With full support and guidance from our expert trainers, you’ll be invited to take the MB-800 or MB-820 exam as soon as you feel ready! Check out this learner story from Olivia to get a better idea of how the program works in practice.
