This post provides some Salesforce certification learning resources that we have found useful.
Trailhead:
https://trailhead.salesforce.com
The most obvious source! Here you have:
Modules: Modules introduce you to specific topics in bite-sized units. Learn what a feature is, when it’s helpful, and how to use it. Then test yourself with interactive challenges. The challenges are either carried out in a playground or as a set of multiple choice questions.
Projects: Projects give you hands-on practice with Salesforce technologies via step-by-step instructions.
Trails: Trails are guided learning paths through modules and projects that help you cover the most ground in the shortest amount of time.
Trailmixes: Trailmixes are custom learning paths you create from your favourite trails, modules, projects, and superbadges.
Superbadges: Described as credentials in their own right. Superbadges let you take the skills you’ve learned and apply them to complex, real-world business problems.
Quests: Ideal if you like an additional challenge. The Quests refresh every month and by following them you can gain community badges and/or win prizes such as certification vouchers.
Certification Vouchers:
Not strictly a learning resource but super helpful with the cost of becoming certified. Aside from Quests, you can also gain certification vouchers from attending certification days (https://trailhead.salesforce.com/credentials/cert-days), from quizzes in Community Groups and other such competitions. The voucher can vary from a percentage off to a free certification attempt.
Trailblazer Success community:
https://success.salesforce.com
With a Salesforce login you get access to the Salesforce Trailblazer Community. Here they have a comprehensive help section that documents in a knowledge format everything an admin would want to know about all the Salesforce Clouds.
Recently rebranded in 2021 and made easier to navigate, you can find plenty of helpful groups to join often filtered to a single subject.
Traiblazer Community Groups:
https://trailblazercommunitygroups.com/
It’s well worth signing up for these groups – not just because there’s the opportunity of vouchers and/ or swag. They often set community learning topics for each session. They also help you to connect with like-minded individuals worldwide.
Salesforce Developers
Information from a developer viewpoint rather than that of an Administrator, go to Salesforce Developers, https://developer.salesforce.com/. Here they have documentation on areas such as implementations, SOQL and Apex.
Salesforce.org Customer Hub (what used to be called the Power of Us Hub):
https://trailhead.salesforce.com/trailblazer-community/groups/0F94S000000kHOwSAM?tab=members
As Salesforce.org partners we can access the partner training and resources on NPSP etc through the partner tab. Salesforce.Org has the most comprehensive and well-documented learning resources of all the above. It does incorporate elements of Trailhead, Success and Partner Community – but is enhanced by the repetition.
Partner Community (if working for/as a Salesforce Partner):
https://partners.salesforce.com/
Salesforce wants to upskill its partner community and so they provide fast-path learning experiences and the Partner Learning Camp. They also launched in 2021, Accredited Professional exams for Partners to show case their knowledge beyond traditional Salesforce Certifications.
Non-Salesforce Resources:
Udemy: https://www.udemy.com
There is a wide range of courses available to purchase from Udemy created by people with varying presenting skills. Search for the topic of interest (there are a number of Salesforce-related videos) and research as much as you can about which one is right for you.
A shout out here to Udemy trainers whose Salesforce courses that we have found useful:
- Amit Singh (Integrations)
- Deepika Khanna (Platform Developer 1 and other such developer based learning)
- Hirday Lamba (free introductions to many aspects of Salesforce)
- Kaelan Moss (Marketing Cloud)
- Kelli Meador (Pardot)
- Manish Thaduri (Marketing Cloud Email Specialist)
- Mike Wheeler (Sales and Service Cloud and more recently with his son, Anthony Wheeler Platform Developer 1)
- Tom Ryan (Pardot)
Focus on Force: https://www.focusonforce.com
Focus on Force is ideal as a revision tool or reference before an exam. They take the certification guides and flesh them out with what it means and best practices. They have taken the trouble to ensure that Salesforce Help is referenced to cement the information presented. This makes the information trustworthy. They typically cost at the time of writing between £15 – £20 (circa $20) per study guide/ sample test.
We hope you have found these of use.