If you are in the business of becoming a SharePoint developer then you will want to pay attention to becoming a Microsoft 365 Certified Developer Associate. The Microsoft 365 Certified Developer Associate encompasses extending and customizing SharePoint on the web but not actually running it in-house and yet there is still a Microsoft 365 Certified Partner credential but this too has been discontinued as of August 2020. It is highly likely that once these two Microsoft certifications become available that there will be further certifications added to this group and eventually, we may see a new Microsoft 365 Partner Categorization.

This will take care of proving proficiency in the various Microsoft technologies that are unique to MS. These Microsoft Certifications covers areas such as: Microsoft 365 Business Portal; Microsoft 365 Customer Experience & Analytics Cloud; Microsoft 365 Enterprise Application Platform; Microsoft 365 Integration Platform; and Microsoft 365 Solution Explorer. In order to take any of these exams, you need to already have a Microsoft 365 Professional license or an MS Certification. The first two certifications require a licensed professional, whereas the others are self-paced.

It is important to note that with the release of these two Microsoft certifications, one will no longer be able to call themselves a Microsoft certified developer or a Microsoft certified consultant. This is because these two certifications have been discontinued. There is however a Microsoft 365 Partner Role which bridges the gap between the two groups. This role has become the bridge between the two groups of professionals.

How does one become a Microsoft 365 Partner? The process is quite simple. You first need to complete the Microsoft 365 Partner Activity which can be found in the Store section on the Microsoft Learning Management System. On the Store home page, click on the option named: Microsoft 365 Partner Activity. There, you will see the link for getting started with the Microsoft 365 activities.

Now, for the second part of the process, which consists of six steps which link in with the Microsoft certifications. These include: Creating a LinkedIn account linked with your business; Setting up an Online Business profile linked with your business; Participating in groups such as Online UK Companies for sharing ideas and business objectives related to Microsoft 365; Sending invitations to online events and blogs related to your Microsoft 365 topics; and joining online training websites such as the Microsoft Learning Management System. As soon as you complete these tasks, you will be given a code which you can attach to your resume.

With the six Microsoft 365 partner activities, you are able to develop your Microsoft 365 developer skills which will help you achieve the six certifications. This will also help you to get familiar with the online tools and formats for submission of your CV online. Furthermore, it helps you understand the basic concepts behind the Microsoft certification exams. If you do not know anything about the Microsoft certifications, these are the details you need to know:

If you decide to pursue further studies after you have cleared the six Microsoft 365 partner activities, you can pursue the MS-600 exam. There is no specific course work required for this exam. However, you will need to complete a set number of study hours before you take the exam. Completion of the study requirements by any individual before the issuance of the examination will result in him or her getting a Microsoft Licensed Specialist (MS) 600 certificate. Any individual who receives this certification will become qualified to sit for the MS-600 exam

For more detailed information on the different roles that can be fulfilled by a Microsoft Licensed Specialist, you will find links to the different Microsoft certifications later on. These certifications are divided into two parts: client roles and server roles. A Microsoft Licensed Specialist (LMS) is only qualified to work on the client side while a Microsoft Certified Server Administrator (MCA) is only qualified to work on the server side of the company. The most common of the server roles is the MS SQL Server.