Evolving Microsoft 365 certifications help keep you in sync with the new era of work

[Guest Michael Kophs]

The past couple of years have demonstrated that the future of work is fluid, dynamic, and cloud-powered—and that future is now here. Whether you’re a tech professional tuning your skills or you’re part of an organization that relies on those skills, you know that staying ahead of the curve in this rapidly changing environment requires proactivity and adaptability.

 

 

 

Microsoft Learn helps you build skills that open doors, so you can get the most value from Microsoft products and services. Because your career or the success of your organization depends on keeping skills current and relevant to the work you do, we regularly review and update our portfolio of training and certification offerings to help ensure that they’re tightly aligned with workplace needs.

 

 

 

Meeting the demands of a transforming work landscape

 

 

In the coming months, watch for the following changes in the Microsoft 365 certification portfolio.

 

 

 

We’re renaming the Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate certification to Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate, and we’re streamlining the exam requirements—consolidating two exams into one.

 

 

 

Plus, we’re renaming the Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert certification to Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert. Here, too, we’re consolidating two exams into one.

 

 

 

We’re replacing the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert certification with the new Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate certification, which comes with a new exam.

 

 

 

Finally, we’re retiring two certifications, Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate and Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate.

 

 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate—renaming certification and replacing exams

 

 

The new Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate certification name better reflects the focus for professionals in this role, as the term endpoint more accurately characterizes the range of applicable devices used in solutions they manage. The associate level remains the same.

 

 

 

Plus, the new Exam MD-102: Endpoint Administrator (beta available in May 2023) will replace Exam MD-100: Windows Client and Exam MD-101: Managing Modern Desktops (both retiring in July 2023). This change can help streamline your journey to certification.

 

 

 

Summary of updates to Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate

 

 

 

Q. I’ve already earned the Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate certification. What happens now?

 

A. On July 1, 2023, the new certification name will appear in your

profile on Microsoft Learn

, replacing the old name. If your certification is active, be sure to renew it before it expires—passing the renewal assessment will prove that you’re current on the skills for the new version.

 

 

Q. What are my options if I’ve already passed just one of the exams—Exam MD-100 or Exam MD-101?

 

A. We encourage you to earn the certification by passing the other exam before it retires in July 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I’m preparing for the current exams. What should I do?

 

A. If you’re preparing for this certification but haven’t yet passed either Exam MD-100 or Exam MD-101, we recommend that you consider preparing for the new Exam MD-102. Review the

required skills

, and start your preparation with this

curated collection of learning paths

.

 

 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert—renaming certification and replacing exams

 

 

The new Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification name more closely aligns with current workplace opportunities. The focus for the role hasn’t changed—you’ll still be proving the same expert-level skills in evaluating, planning, migrating, deploying, and managing Microsoft 365. But because the role and skills apply to organizations of all sizes, the new name better fits the scope of work opportunities. The expert level remains in place, as do the current prerequisite certifications.

 

 

 

In addition, we’re streamlining the certification process with Exam MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator (beta available in May 2023), which will replace Exam MS-100: Microsoft 365 Identity and Services and Exam MS-101: Microsoft 365 Mobility and Security (both retiring in July 2023).

 

 

 

Summary of updates to Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert

 

 

 

Q. I’ve already earned the Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert certification. What happens now?

 

A. On July 1, 2023, the new certification name will appear in your

profile on Microsoft Learn

, replacing the old name. If your certification is active, be sure to renew it before it expires—passing the renewal assessment will prove that you’re current on the skills for the new version.

 

 

 

Q. What are my options if I’ve already passed either Exam MS-100 or Exam MS-101?

 

A. We encourage you to earn the certification by passing the other one before it retires in July 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I was preparing for the current exams. What should I do?

 

A.

If you’re preparing for this certification but haven’t yet passed either exam, we recommend that you consider preparing for the new Exam MS-102. Review the

required skills

, and start your preparation with the

curated collection of learning paths

. If you need to earn the certification before the new exam is available, be sure to pass Exam MS-100 and Exam MS-101 before they retire in July 2023. The prerequisite certifications remain the same.

 

 

 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert—replacing with new certification and exam

 

 

The new Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate certification will be available in July 2023. We’re expanding the definition of the role—the current certification is focused on one technology, but as we carefully examine what organizations are looking for, it’s clear that the role has evolved to include a broader-based set of skills to build and manage solutions across multiple communication technologies, including audiovisual (AV), telephony systems, and team meeting room solutions.

 

 

 

To earn the new certification, you’ll need to pass the new Exam MS-721: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer (beta available in mid-March 2023). Because the new certification embraces a wider range of skills rather than deep expertise in a single technology, the level will be associate. The associate-level certification will not require any prerequisites—you need only pass the new exam.

 

 

 

The Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert certification and corresponding Exam MS-720: Microsoft Teams Voice Engineer will retire in June 2023.

 

 

 

Summary of updates to Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert

 

 

 

Q. I’ve already earned the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert certification. What happens now?

 

A. On July 1, 2023, you’ll see both the original

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert

and the new

Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate

certifications on the transcript in your

profile on Microsoft Learn

.

 

 

 

In January 2024, you’ll be in the renewal window for the new Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate certification. Be sure to pass the renewal assessment before the certification expires to prove that you’re current on the skills for the new definition of the role.

 

 

The Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert certification will stay on your transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn, and you’ll be able to renew it through December 2023 (extending the expiration for one year). After it expires, it will move to the certification history section of your transcript.

 

 

Q. I’m preparing for Exam MS-720, and I’ve already earned the prerequisite certification, Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate. What should I do?

 

A. You can continue preparation for Exam MS-720 and take it before it retires in June 2023. If you pass the exam, you’ll earn the

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert

certification and will be granted the new

Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate

certification when it becomes available in July 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I’m considering the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer Expert certification but haven’t started yet. What should I do?

 

A. We recommend that you work toward the new certification instead. You can get started with the

Exam MS-721 skills definitions

and this

curated collection of learning paths

.

 

 

 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate—retiring certification and exam

 

 

We’ve heard from learners and organizations that the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate certification should be better aligned to current needs. Right now, the measured skills are too specific and are covered by other roles. To focus on developing the right experience, we’ll retire the certification and the corresponding exam, Exam MS-600: Building Applications and Solutions with Microsoft 365 Core Services, on March 31, 2023. We’ll be sure to let you know when the new experience is available.

 

 

 

Learners who are employees of organizations in the Microsoft Cloud Partner Network will have the opportunity to take the exam through December 31, 2023, using a private access code they can find in the partner portal.

 

 

 

Summary of updates to Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate

 

 

 

Q. I’ve been preparing for Exam MS-600. What are my options now?

 

A. Be sure to pass the exam on or before March 31, 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I work with a company that’s part of the Microsoft Cloud Partner Network, and I’m preparing for Exam MS-600. What are my options?

 

A. Microsoft Cloud Partners can take the exam through December 31, 2023. You’ll need it to register for the exam with the private code you can find in the partner portal.

 

 

 

Q. I already have the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate certification. What happens now?

 

A. The certification will stay on your transcript.

 

 

 

Q. What about renewals for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Application Developer Associate certification?

 

A. Learners with an active certification can renew it up to six months after its final retirement date of December 31, 2023.

 

 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate—retiring certification and exam

 

 

Security-related roles have evolved to deliver solutions in specialized areas of security—like information protection, operations, or identity management—using multiple technologies. Because of this evolution, Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate no longer has a distinct role, and we are retiring the certification and Exam MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administration on June 30, 2023. Skills for security administrators are included on certifications like Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (Exam SC-200), Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (Exam SC-300), and Microsoft Certified: Information Protection Administrator Associate (Exam SC-400), each reflecting the depth of knowledge for its particular specialization.

 

 

 

Summary of updates to Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate

 

 

 

Q. I’ve been preparing and I’m ready to take Exam MS-500

.

What should I do?

 

A. We encourage you to continue your preparation and to pass the exam before it retires on June 30, 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I’ve already earned the Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate certification. What happens now?

 

A. This certification will stay on your transcript.

 

 

 

Q. What about renewals for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate certification?

 

A. Learners with an active certification can renew it for up to six months after its final retirement date of June 30, 2023.

 

 

 

Q. I am considering the Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate certification. What should I do?

 

A. We recommend that you consider any of these certifications instead:

Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate

,

Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate

, or

Microsoft Certified: Information Protection Administrator Associate

.

 

 

Stay tuned for more updates

 

 

In today’s mobile, remote, and hybrid work environments, organizations need professionals who have what it takes to keep operations running smoothly 24/7. Microsoft Learn is committed to helping you stay up to date with the right skills for the changing market landscape. We’ll keep you posted with new information in the coming weeks and months to help you succeed on your learning journey, skill up your teams, and grow your career.

 

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