🔧 Salesforce Administrator Credentials (Admin Role)
These are the official Administrator-role certifications from Salesforce Trailhead: Platform Administrator, Platform Administrator II, Platform App Builder, CPQ Administrator, Business Analyst, Agentforce Specialist, Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator, and Slack Administrator.
Why Pursue Administrator Credentials?
Salesforce Administrators keep the platform running smoothly: they manage users, security, automations, apps, and integrations. The Admin role now spans core platform administration, CPQ, Slack, Marketing Cloud Engagement, Business Analysis, and Agentforce (AI). This page gives you a structured overview of all Administrator credentials with exam details and high-level highlights from the latest Salesforce release.
Salesforce Administrator Certification Path
Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator
Foundation | Formerly “Salesforce Certified Administrator”
The Platform Administrator credential proves that you can configure Salesforce, manage users, secure data, automate business processes, and keep the org healthy. It’s still the classic starting point for most Salesforce careers and is required or recommended for many advanced credentials.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + up to 5 unscored |
| Passing Score | 65% |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (6+ months of admin experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Configuration and Setup – 20%
- • Object Manager and Lightning App Builder – 20%
- • Sales and Marketing Applications – 12%
- • Service and Support Applications – 11%
- • Productivity and Collaboration – 7%
- • Data and Analytics Management – 14%
- • Workflow/Process Automation – 16%
- More powerful Flow Builder enhancements and debugging tools make it easier to replace legacy automation.
- Dashboard and analytics updates help admins give business teams clearer, at-a-glance metrics.
- Release-update and monitoring improvements make org maintenance and technical-debt clean-up easier.
Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator II
Advanced | Formerly “Advanced Administrator”
Platform Administrator II proves that you can handle complex orgs: advanced security, large-scale data management, sophisticated automation, and change management. It’s aimed at admins who own enterprise-grade implementations and collaborate with architects and developers.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + up to 5 unscored |
| Passing Score | 65% |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator credential |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Security and Access – 20%
- • Extending Custom Objects & Applications – 9%
- • Auditing and Monitoring – 9%
- • Sales Cloud Applications – 11%
- • Service Cloud Applications – 11%
- • Data Management – 10%
- • Process Automation – 27%
- • Change Management – 3%
- Stronger monitoring and logging options help you troubleshoot complex automation chains more easily.
- Flow and release-update enhancements simplify planning migrations from legacy tools.
- Tighter alignment with Data Cloud and AI features gives advanced admins more building blocks without needing custom code.
Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder
Intermediate | Declarative App Development
The Platform App Builder credential validates your ability to design data models, build Lightning pages, and implement business logic using clicks, not code. It’s ideal for admins who build apps but don’t necessarily want to be full-time developers.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + up to 5 unscored |
| Passing Score | 63% |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (admin/app builder experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Salesforce Fundamentals – 8%
- • Data Modeling and Management – 20%
- • Business Logic and Process Automation – 27%
- • User Interface – 17%
- • Reporting – 5%
- • Mobile – 3%
- • App Deployment – 20%
- Improved Lightning page performance and layout tools make record pages faster and more flexible.
- More powerful Flow + component experiences let you blend declarative logic with reusable pieces.
- Tighter integration with Data Cloud and AI gives builders more ways to personalize apps without code.
Salesforce Certified CPQ Administrator
Specialized | Salesforce CPQ (Configure–Price–Quote)
The CPQ Administrator credential is for admins who configure Salesforce CPQ to deliver fast, accurate quotes. You’ll design product bundles, discounts, approval rules, and subscription renewals so sales reps can quote complex deals with confidence.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + up to 5 unscored |
| Passing Score | Typically around mid-60% (check latest guide) |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (Sales/CPQ admin experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics (High Level)
- • Product Configuration
- • Pricing & Discounting
- • Quoting & Approvals
- • Contracts, Amendments & Renewals
- • CPQ Administration & Troubleshooting
Note: exact topic percentages change over time; always check the latest official exam guide before booking.
- Guidance to move away from older pricing patterns toward newer CPQ pricing capabilities.
- Closer integration between CPQ, core CRM, and data services for more accurate pricing and discounting logic.
- Better analytics around quote performance to help sales and revenue teams optimize deal structure.
Salesforce Certified Business Analyst
Specialized | Requirements & Process Analysis
The Business Analyst credential is for people who capture requirements, map processes, and translate business needs into Salesforce solutions. It’s a great certification if you enjoy workshops, user stories, and working across business and technical teams.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + up to 5 unscored |
| Passing Score | 72% |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (Admin certification recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Customer Discovery – 17%
- • Collaboration with Stakeholders – 23%
- • Business Process Mapping – 12%
- • Requirements – 18%
- • User Stories – 18%
- • User Acceptance – 12%
- Improved dashboards and analytics make it easier to translate data into business requirements and KPIs.
- Richer customer data from unified profiles helps during discovery and process mapping.
- AI and agent features give BAs new options for “AI-assisted” user stories and prototypes.
Salesforce Certified Agentforce Specialist
Specialized | AI & Agentforce (AI skills)
The Agentforce Specialist exam focuses on building, securing, and monitoring AI agents powered by the Einstein Trust Layer, Data Cloud, and Prompt Builder. It’s ideal for admins and builders who want to lead AI adoption on the Salesforce Platform.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored questions + a few unscored |
| Passing Score | Check latest official guide (updated frequently) |
| Exam Fee | Often free for a first attempt; retakes typically $100 |
| Prerequisites | None (experience with AI features, Prompt Builder & Data Cloud recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics (Example Outline)
- • Prompt Engineering & Design
- • Agentforce Concepts and Architecture
- • Agentforce & Data Cloud
- • Agentforce & Service/Sales Cloud Use Cases
- • Governance, Trust, and Monitoring
Always use the official exam guide for the most up-to-date percentages and topics.
- New tools to design, test, and deploy AI agents safely with clear guardrails.
- Einstein Trust Layer enhancements, including stronger audit trails and data controls, help with compliance.
- Deeper integration with Sales, Service, and data services delivers more context-aware AI experiences.
Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator
Specialized | Marketing Cloud Engagement
The Marketing Cloud Engagement Administrator credential is for admins who configure Email Studio, Journey Builder, Automation Studio, and related tools. You’ll manage subscriber data, permissions, and platform health so marketers can run scalable campaigns.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice questions |
| Passing Score | Around mid-60% (check latest guide) |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (experience with Marketing Cloud Engagement recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Digital Marketing Proficiency – 13%
- • Subscriber Data Management – 28%
- • Setup – 11%
- • Channel Management – 16%
- • Maintenance – 20%
- • Data Security and Privacy – 12%
- New AI-powered send-time and content optimization features help improve engagement automatically.
- Improved integration between Marketing Cloud and unified data services for more precise audience building.
- More guardrails around consent, deliverability, and compliance to keep email programs healthy.
Salesforce Certified Slack Administrator
Specialized | Slack Configuration & Governance
The Slack Administrator credential validates that you can configure Slack workspaces, channels, security policies, apps, and user lifecycle at scale – often in tight connection with Salesforce CRM. It’s perfect for admins who own collaboration and productivity tooling.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice / multiple-select |
| Passing Score | Around mid-60% (check latest guide) |
| Exam Fee | $200 USD (Retake: $100) |
| Prerequisites | None (6–12 months Slack admin experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage
- • Fundamentals – 9%
- • Workspace Administration – 9%
- • Channel & User Group Administration – 28%
- • User Lifecycle Management – 14%
- • App Administration – 10%
- • Security – 15%
- • Enabling Slack Success – 15%
- Tighter Salesforce + Slack integration, including better ways to surface CRM data directly in channels.
- Improved analytics to monitor channel usage, external collaboration, and adoption.
- Security and governance updates help manage Slack Connect and app approvals at enterprise scale.
Study Tips for Admin-Track Success
Hands-On Practice
Use a Developer Edition org or sandbox to configure security, automations, and apps. Most exam questions assume real hands-on experience.
Prioritize High-Weight Topics
Use the topic weightage above and the official exam guides to decide where to spend most of your study time.
Practice & Release Notes
Combine practice exams with current release notes so you’re familiar with new features that can appear in scenario questions.