Some good and bad news.. So, after having blogged earlier this week and lamenting about no higher certifications for “Microsoft Dynamics AX/Operations/AX7/Operations and Financials”, I learned that Microsoft is now offering an MCSA and an MCSE for the new Dynamics Operations. This was welcome news. I had been strongly advocating this during the past 4 years with Microsoft. I have to escalate everything through Senior Management at Microsoft Learning to get a response from the Operations team so that caused a delay in my learning about the new Certifications. Unfortunately for us Microsoft Certified Trainers, the Dynamics Operations team went through a reorganization and getting in touch with them now days has become as hard as spotting Big Foot since the change. We know that they exists however because learning Portal videos keep coming out.

Let’s go through the path here:

To get the MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations

You need to have proven yourself by passing the Dynamics Developer Certification and SQL Basic Administration Exam.

1. Exam 70-764/Course 20764B — Administering a Microsoft SQL Database Infrastructure
   
2. Exam MB6-890 — Microsoft Development AX Development Introduction
   

So, this is good news. There is a mix here for the base technical certification which requires understanding Azure, SQL, and Dynamics development. That will be a very valuable mix.

Now, going towards the MCSE – Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert which is the highest and most coveted Certification path that Microsoft offers. It requires that one complete the MCSA Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations plus a functional exam. This is absolutely brilliant. Senior AX developers know that the biggest difference in speed between a midlevel developer who has mastered the nuances of syntax and rules and a senior developer is familiarity with the functionality of the modules. That’s what allows a developer to go really fast on understanding specs and mods once the technical component is there.

Here are the two functional Exams(One of them must be passed).

1. Exam MB6-892 — Microsoft Dynamics AX – Distribution and Trade
   
2. Exam MB6-893 — Microsoft Dynamics AX – Financials
   

So, this is all great, but of course there had to be one area of sadness. What about those like myself who have been upgrading their certifications for years and have equivalents. For example, I have the SQL 2016 MCSA track which is supposed to encompass the equivalent of the 70-764 and 70-765 exams. People who had the MCSA 2012/2014 had previous credit for 70-764 if they could pass 70-765. Under normal circumstances, this would mean that someone with the MCSA 2016 would count towards credit on the Dynamics exam. After all, these are the people who followed the upgrade track with the reassurance from Microsoft that their upgrades would equivocate with the lower components.

Unfortunately, this isn’t so according to the Dynamics Operations Team if what Microsoft tech support told me today is true. The Dynamics product has several very experienced SQL people who have upgraded and they would have to go back and take the intro exams if this is correct. I created a ticket on it, but tickets to the Dynamics Operations group aren’t quite like the other product groups when it comes to learning. That’s too bad. But other than having senior technical people with existing database certifications ignored, and having their seniority reward removed, I think this is a good move.

So, for those of you who’ve toiled through upgrades through the years and earned the SQL 2016 Database Administration Solutions Associate, you will be penalized here in that you have to start over.

Alright, this is my last post on certifications for Dynamics Operations. The Operations team made a good move here and I hope they continue providing credentials and programs like this to validate knowledge.