Consolidated list of Learning Programs to win Free or Discounted Salesforce Certification Vouchers

Motivation behind this

Many a times, I have received request from various Salesforce Trailblazers that if there are any certification programs are going on to avail discounted or free vouchers.

There are many promotional campaigns and engagements are going on at Salesforce ecosystem where people can take full benefit of it.

So, I have tried to prepare a consolidated list at the best of my knowledge and search. Hoping to see people get benefited where all the programs are free of cost.

1) Journey to Salesforce Program (#Journey2Salesforce)

This is a game changer for one's career who wants to transform them to Salesforce. See the features below:

• Is Online and free
• Facilitates employer connections
• Has no deadlines
• Offers mentorship from the Trailblazer community
• Offers a chance to win certification vouchers and other goodies

Link to register: Learn Salesforce and Discover a new Career 

Referral Voucher Opportunity:

Refer your friends to #Journey2Salesforce program and you could win a $400 certification voucher when they finish their program.

How to refer:

1. Invite your friends and family to register for the Journey2Salesforce Program in India.

2. Referees must enter your email id when signing up, and complete the Journey2Salesforce Program during the Referral Program Period.

3. Top 20 Referrers each month will win a $400 certification voucher.

Refer Journey2Salesforce Referral FAQ

Note: This program is only for legal residents of India. Students with no work experience and professionals who are already working in the Salesforce ecosystem are also not eligible for the program.

2) Trailhead Quests (#TrailheadQuest)

This offers to learn new skills and win prizes.

Link to register Trailhead Quests and check for the offers

3) Level Up Challenge

Join Level Up Challenge and get ready to earn your credential. Choose the Administrator or Developer career path, and Salesforce will support you with relevant learning through Trailhead Superbadge Super Sets (or super set). 

Super Sets are a collection of Superbadges, skill-based, domain-level credentials that prove your Salesforce expertise. While supplies last, eligible participants who complete a Super Set will earn a voucher to sit for a Salesforce certification exam ($200 value)*. 

Link to register: Join Level Up Challenge

Complete your superbadges to claim

4) Salesforce Certification Days

This is one of my favorite structure program and based on which many trailblazers have passed certifications.

This is conducted by Salesforce with half-day webinar and currently it is offering $40 discounted voucher.

Right now, it is conducting following certifications and also providing guided trailmixes.

• Administrator
• Advanced Administrator
• Marketing Cloud Email Specialist
• Platform App Builder
• Platform Developer
• Sales Cloud
• Service Cloud

Link to register: Upcoming Certification Days

5) Partner Learning Camp

This is expert training program for all the Salesforce partners.

As per latest announcement, it is offering following Fast Path courses and $200 voucher discount on following certifications:

• CPQ
• Marketing Cloud Developer
• Community Cloud
• Service Cloud (coming soon)
• Field Service (coming soon)

Link to register: Partner Learning Camp

And also join in this Marketing Cloud for Partners group to hear more announcement like below.

Eligible participants who complete a Fast Path Course on the Partner Learning Camp eligible to receive a $200 USD certification voucher to take the certification exam that corresponds with the course completed. Offer only valid while supplies last and subject to chance. Limit one (1) voucher per person. Participants must register for and take their selected certification exam by or before January 31, 2021. Vouchers are non-transferable, not redeemable for cash, and eligible for use by recipient only. No refunds will be provided for exam fees paid prior to effective date, on exam fees paid when there was a redeemable voucher, or for unused vouchers. Additional restrictions may apply. 

Refer: FastPathFAQ

6) Participation at Trailblazer Community Hosted Programs

There are exciting learning programs and events are hosted by Community Leaders, be part of this event and get a chance to win vouchers and goodies.

Link to sign up: Trailblazer Community Groups

At the end, we will learn and that's great takeaway from these programs.

Happy Learning!

Tips for passing Salesforce B2B Commerce Developer Certification

Motivation behind this

Today morning (22nd July,2020), I have successfully passed B2B Commerce Developer certification. Now a days, there will be lot of opportunities on B2B Commerce space which motivates me to learn this.

I tried earlier last month, but I have failed because there were lack of guidance on this exam. Today I have tried again and successfully passed.

I thought of sharing my preparation and experience which might help aspirants to pass this exam and will not face the pain which I have gone through.

Exam Outline

Refer Salesforce Accredited B2B Commerce Developer

• Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites for taking this exam (though I suggest to have B2B Commerce Administration knowledge and Certification first before trying)
• Exam Format: 50 multiple-choice questions
• Time allotted to complete the exam: 90 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Registration fee: 200 USD
• Delivery options: Online proctored or onsite proctored delivery. 
• Results: Provided immediately after exam submission as on-screen text and by email

I have given around one and half months time frame to learn and pass this exam.

Preparation

• Joined B2B Commerce - Partners group at Partner Portal
• Undergone B2B Commerce Developer (B2B201) training.
• Link to Partner Navigator (available for Salesforce Partners) B2B Commerce Learning Path

• Fortunately, today Salesforce has uploaded B2B 201 Developer Training guided path at partner portal. Be sure to refer those which I have badly missed during my preparation, after passing exam I have found those (hyperlink provided):
• Pre-Exercise Prep
• Code
• Deck
• Deck Videos
• Exercises: 1, 2, 3, 4
• Exercise Videos
• Study Guide

          Here is the screenshot of Deck Videos:

• Recommended resource: Cloudcraze wiki
• Technical Documentation: CloudCraze Technical Documentation
• Getting a org, since I am working for Salesforce ISV Partner so got an org to explore on this. You can install B2B Commerce package at your Developer Edition to explore it.
• Install package from this Link

B2B Commerce Architecture (high level)

Photo has been taken from Salesforce Document (click to maximize)

B2B Commerce Pages

Photo has been taken from CloudCraze Technical Documentation (click to maximize)

Topics to Consider for Exam

I have categorized the topics as follows:

• Technology Stack: Bootstrap, handlebars, jQuery, BACKBONE.js, Apex Controller & Hooks, Logic Classes and Service Classes API
• Salesforce Community, Setting up StoreFront, different components and configurations of CCAdmin
• Configuring Theme: 
• Loading static resource and configuring at CCAdmin.
• The objects where themes can be defined.
• Extending UI with template
• Page Include: What are the configurations needed for Page Include.
• Check different scenarios as to when to refresh the Configuration cache
• Subscriber Template: What are the configurations needed for Subscriber template.
• HandleBar template override
• Subscriber Page: Main elements like CC Subscriber Page Name, Page Key, Page Include etc. and check for the scenarios to create subscriber page.

                                                                         (click to maximize)

• Global APIs:
• Request Data from API
• Data Sizing
• Versioning
• Skipping related queries and associate queries
• map-in/map-out structure of APIs
• REST Wrapper
• Refer my prepare flow for understanding

• Use for Data Service Layers
• Querying and transforming data
• Data Service Providers: buildQuery, getFieldsMap, getFilterMap etc
• Extending data service provider like CCServiceProduct (for example, creating a new field and that's need to shown on Product Detail Page)
• Call Context: It provides standard interface for current user, storefront activity.
• Read its methods init, initRemoteContext
• Debugging Mechanism
• Best practices using CCLog
• Debug on JavaScript
• Using handlebars
• Where to put CCLog.log statement
• Custom Console Logging
• Read about use of Remote action and Events (pubsub)
• Scenarios on implementing Logic Service Provider
• Scenarios on creating new Payment Type
• Use of Global Extension Points like cc_hk_Menu, cc_hk_Invoice, cc_api_CartExtension etc.

Hope, it will help you to prepare for this exam.

Further Reading

Tips for passing Salesforce B2B Commerce Administrator Certification

Tips for passing Salesforce Einstein Analytics and Discovery Consultant Certification

Motivation behind this

Yesterday (11th July,2020), I have successfully passed Einstein Analytics and Discovery Consultant Certification. Last year I have started learning EA through trailhead modules and trailmixes. 

Salesforce is providing guidance on certification preparations through Partner Portal which helps me to prepare and pass this exam.

Don't forget to read Experience on appearing online exam section at the end.

Exam Outline

Refer Salesforce Certified Einstein Analytics and Discovery Consultant Exam Guide

• Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites for taking this exam
• Exam Format: 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions and 5 non scored questions
• Time allotted to complete the exam: 90 minutes
• Passing score: 68%
• Registration fee: 200 USD
• Delivery options: Online proctored or onsite proctored delivery. 
• Results: Provided immediately after exam submission as on-screen text and by email.

I have given myself 3 weeks time frame only for certification through the materials and sessions shared by Salesforce for partners and happy to see me passed.

Preparation

• Trailmix - Einstein Analytics and Discovery Certification Preparation - Intro
• Trailmix -  Einstein Analytics and Discovery Certification Preparation - Intermediate
• Trailmix - Einstein Analytics and Discovery Certification Preparation - Advanced
• After completion Request for Voucher Form
• Be sure to participate Einstein Analytics for Partners Chatter Group to find all the valuable materials and discussions.
• Most valuable resource
• Look for free partner training program for Fast Path. In case if you are unable to register then download the deck and go through the webinar videos.
• Video series (40 videos) by Einstein Analytics (all sections) by Ziad Fayad

• Blogs to be referred
• Salesforce Einstein Analytics Certification Study Guide - By Kelsey Shannon
• How to ACE the Salesforce Einstein Analytics & Discovery Consultant Exam By Charly Prinsloo

Topics to Consider for Exam

• Data Flow, Data Sync (Replication)
• Data Transformation - sfdcDigest, flatten, edgemart, computeExpression, computeRelative (almost 6-7 questions).
• Use of External Data API
• Co-grouping with SAQL
• Integration User's currency
• Different types of Connectors which can be used.
• Shield Encryption
• Sharing Inheritance, 
• Support objects for Sharing Inheritance
• Security Predicate (check with Role Hierarchy), Sharing Apps, View All Data permission
• For different type of teams, permission sets with different set of permissions
• Different types of roles (Viewer, Editor, Manager)
• Analytics Permission Sets
• Deployment with ANT migration tool, Change Sets
• Analytics App Template - use of template-info.json
• XMD - use cases behind edit/upload
• Use of layout templates
• Configuring Actions
• Creating layouts for Web and Mobile
• Trend Analysis
• Performance issue
• Binding by selection of a grouping
• Binding syntax 
• Compare table
• Use of fill statement with SAQL
• coalesce (atleast 2 questions)
• Unbiased insights and Recommended actions
• Write back package

Hope, this will help you to prepare for exam.

Here it comes actual experience.

Experience on appearing online exam

My luck was not with me on exam day. I have scheduled the exam at 4pm IST so started around 10 minutes before. Webassessor site was very slow on that day, usually doesn't happen. After bio-metric, when I am answering the questions and clicking the next button, I had wait around 75 secs to see the next question. So after going though all the 65 questions when I first went to review the first question then all of a sudden it logged out.

I have contacted the support over phone so that I could re-launch the same session. Now over call, there was long wait time and almost 5 times I have logged in and done bio-metric and faced the challenges.

Finally, scheduled again after my dinner at 11pm IST and completed exam at 12:15am IST.

So, after struggling after 8 hours, I was so excited to see me passed. By the way, Webassessor support persons are very helpful to support you. If this situation happens to you then don't panic, they will help you to bring the same session. They are reachable at this number (800 491 6595 and 602 659 4665).

Best of Luck.