Obtaining a Microsoft certification is one of the best ways to advance your IT career. Any IT professional, analyst, developer, system administrator, or database administrator can benefit from a Microsoft certification to demonstrate their expertise and improve their prospects for employment or advancement.
Despite recent changes to certification paths and categories in Microsoft Training, some students are still struggling to decide which path to take and which certification to pursue. Several certifications are available from Microsoft.
What is the Microsoft 365 Certification?
By looking at the Microsoft 365 certification, clients can verify that applications have been tested against controls derived from leading industry standard frameworks. This certification also attests to the fact that strong security and compliance procedures are in place to protect users’ personal data. Attestation and certification are the two stages of Microsoft 365 certification.
Attestation
A lengthy questionnaire describing the application’s security, data processing, and compliance characteristics is at the heart of the attestation process. When an application is launched on the company’s Microsoft 365 platform, all of its functionality is exposed and the information provided by the ISV includes the following:
Data processing refers to how the application collects and stores organizational data and the degree of control over the data in the organization.
Security: the procedures, processes, and protocols the application must follow to protect data, and identify and block online threats
The application’s compliance with necessary industry standards and requirements
Identity: The extent to which the application adheres to identity management and access control standards.
Certification
The primary goal of the certification phase is the security audit of the application and its supporting infrastructure. Applications will use numerous security features derived from significant industry standard frameworks, including SOC 2, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001If you already have a SOC 2, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001 certification report for your application, we invite you to publish it. They are not mandatory, but they can be used to pass a partial inspection without further proof. If you do not have any external certification, you must still provide us with convincing evidence (documents, screenshots, etc.) that you comply with all the necessary controls. Certified applications have proven to be highly secure and compliant.
BENEFITS OF MICROSOFT 365
People use Microsoft Office, which includes programs like MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Word, and MS Project, in both their personal and professional lives. In fact, one need for the majority of job categories is proficiency with Microsoft. Whether you work in coding, business analytics, marketing, or accounting, you should be quite familiar with Microsoft tools.
The features of Microsoft are almost universally known. We use Microsoft Word and Excel a lot. However, it is mostly limited to simple tasks like inputting letters, changing fonts and formatting, creating tables, and a few other easy ones. Also, we may not understand how to apply various formulas to sort or format the array, etc.
We can participate in a number of MS certification programs to hone our skills and earn certification as Microsoft professionals. This certification demonstrates our mastery of Microsoft tools and features.
Microsoft is important to both the business and the people who use it. Therefore, most companies value Microsoft certifications and favor certified employees over unregistered employees.
1. MS Office Proficiency
Microsoft certification demonstrates proficiency with MS Office, including MS Word for document creation, MS PowerPoint for presentation creation, MS Project for project management, and MS Excel for data management. You can establish a strong foundation for professional options in the IT industry and show that you have an in-depth understanding of Microsoft applications by earning an MS certification.
2. Competent in creating maps
Competent in Microsoft products, you are undoubtedly a competent map creator. In an ideal world, business analysts and financial experts would be responsible for creating the charts. However, almost every job requires this talent at some point. For every kind of data and source, maps should be used. In your working life, you may encounter presentations that include charts as a crucial component.
3. Ability to Compile
Data In the contemporary environment, data actually makes sense. You must offer enough proof to back up your claim or viewpoint. MS Excel is one of the best applications to use in these situations. The application enables data collecting and thorough formatting. Data from multiple files can be sorted and combined.
4. Flexibility of work
Online access to Microsoft software is the latest innovation. Owners of businesses and stakeholders can access your work online from anywhere. As a result of your mastery of the MS software and increased work flexibility, you become a standout leader in the office.
5. More promising job opportunities
Microsoft certification increases your career opportunities and makes your office simpler and more efficient. With your master’s degree, you can prove yourself in demanding leadership and analytical roles. Because of your proficiency with Microsoft software, you are able to pursue promotions and higher-level positions, which will help you expand your business and level of success. In addition, this qualification is often required to obtain a job.
6. Microsoft Certifications Recognized by Employers Worldwide
Microsoft Office certifications are widely recognized and can make it easier to find a job, advance, start a career or make a career change.
To inform you of the need for workers with Microsoft Office training, we searched Glassdoor for “Microsoft Office Specialist jobs” in the United States. Data through October 2022 shows employers favor people with Microsoft Office certifications or expertise. Careers in marketing, healthcare, banking, and finance, and insurance are just a few of the many opportunities accessible. These are some examples of job titles: sales compensation specialist, human resources specialist, accounts payable specialist, and specialist in Office 365 support.
7. Match certifications to established industry positions
You can acquire the software skills necessary to address many of the current real-world company difficulties by preparing for and passing certification tests. Of the 1,000 Microsoft enterprise application professionals surveyed, 30% said they had “improved and increased their business knowledge”, 38% said they were “more productive” at work, and 21% said they “were able to perform complex tasks with more confidence,” according to 2022 by Nigel Frank. Business Applications Version of the Career and Recruiting Handbook for Microsoft.
8. Maintaining your certification ensures that your skills are current.
The Microsoft Office certification is regularly updated to meet the changing requirements of organizations. In order to maintain your certification, you must show employers that you are committed to their professional development by keeping up to date with your technical skills. According to the Microsoft Business Applications Guide, 26% of survey respondents said employers had “more confidence” in them, and 20% said they had “transferable business skills.”
9. Your salary may increase
The Microsoft Business Applications Guide reports that 68% of survey respondents said their salary increased when they changed jobs, citing their Microsoft certification as a contributing factor.
According to Payscale, the median salary for a Microsoft Office Specialist in the United States is $57,000. Senior Marketing Data Analyst and Sharepoint Administrator are two specialist Microsoft Office job titles that Payscale classifies as having typical earnings above $57,000.
Also Read: A Detailed Roadmap to Microsoft 365 Certification
Why take MS Office Certified Training?
Using an Office suite at a basic level is not the right thing to do. The ins and outs of MS Office are handy to master. You become a certified expert in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Access, making you stand out from the crowd when you pitch your skills to companies. Hence, it increases your chances of advancement and provides higher pay for your skills.
1. Superior Management Software
First of all, numerous corporations from around the world have made large investments in Microsoft technology. If they pick a Microsoft Office-certified expert, they will be able to determine that you are knowledgeable. Thus, businesses can do away with their extensive training to get you accustomed to their business tools.
2. Exceptionally Valuable Certification
You may show that you invested time, money, and effort in your training by having an MS Office certification. All three of these factors are weighted more heavily in the case of Microsoft Office versus other third-party certificates. Microsoft Office credentials are preferred by employers because they are simple to verify.
3. Develop Your Data-Collection Skills
Businesses interact with, analyze, and store vast volumes of data on a daily basis. Because of this, workplace MS Office skill development is crucial. If you are certified in Microsoft Office, you can sort, organize, and format large amounts of information with ease. Office applications can be used to combine multiple files. These records can be later documented and presented in captivating ways.
Additionally, you work more quickly than your coworkers without qualification because you are an MS Office professional.
4. More Career Possibilities
In regions where Microsoft Office is widely used, there are employment options available. Regardless of the industry, you will utilize your MS Office skills for routine work duties including creating correspondence using MS Word, using email programs, and analyzing data sets.
A Microsoft Office certification will seem better on your resume because you need one to submit work reports and communicate with various departments within a company. Some businesses additionally make it mandatory to get this position.
5. Scalability
Because of its online functionality, Microsoft Office is a potent piece of software with greater organizational scalability. You may easily collaborate with over 300 users wherever they are. Machines from all over the world can access and edit any updates made to earlier assignments from online servers. The office will expand as necessary to handle demand as your company expands.
6. Get proficient at Innovative Features
No matter where you are working, One Drive enables you to sync your most recent updates. SharePoint makes it simple to share big folders and improves teamwork.
Data that has been significantly compressed can be emailed as a One Drive cloud attachment. Additionally, it enables you to quickly edit your communications.
You may browse client profiles using an Outlook tool called Customer Manager.
Additionally, the office has created video conferencing services and technologies that allow users to communicate via polls, whiteboards, and messaging.
7. Ensured Security
You don’t need to be concerned about malware attacking your data because MS Office is a high-performing piece of software. For enterprise-grade reliability and catastrophe recovery, documents are routinely scanned. They operate several data centers with rigorous privacy regulations. By earning an MS Office certification, you join this powerful security program.
Overall, becoming an expert in Microsoft Office increases your dependability, accessibility, and productivity to your company. This not only helps the business but also makes you happier at work. You don’t want to miss the chance to land your dream job, do you? Try it anyhow. Obtain an MS Office certification.
Certification Process
You must have finished your Publisher Attestation satisfactorily before beginning the certification procedure. Following completion of the process, your Microsoft 365 Certification will proceed as follows:
Preparation
- Review your finished Publisher Attestation documents by going to the partner center. You can revise and update your answers as needed, but doing so will require you to reapply for approval of your attestation paperwork. The Publisher Attestation must be submitted again for evaluation and validation if your contribution is older than three months.
- Understand what is expected of you by carefully reading the Microsoft 365 Certification Submission Guide. In order to submit for Microsoft 365 certification, you must demonstrate that you can meet the control standards specified there.
- “Start Certification” can be found in the partner center. Your initial document submission portal will appear after doing this. You should send in your first document. We’ll be able to decide what is covered by your assessment with the help of your app’s functionality.
Assessment: The set of security restrictions required for your app will be instantly presented in the portal once your initial document submission has been approved. After that, you’ll have to provide proof for each control that it is indeed in place. Remember that you have 60 days to present all of your evidence. After examining your evidence, an analyst will either approve the control or make a request for fresh or more proof. To find out if your proof has been accepted, periodically check this page.
Certification: You’ll be informed of your certification choice after an analyst has verified your application. Applications that are certified will display a badge on their pages in Microsoft Docs and AppSource.
Review and Recertification: Additionally, you’ll need to undergo recertification every year. Revalidating the in-scope controls against your current environment will be necessary for this situation. Before your certification expires, you have up to 90 days to start this process. Throughout the recertification period, your current certification will remain valid. On the anniversary of your Microsoft 365 Certification, all programs require recertification.
The certification status of your software will be lost if it is not renewed before it expires. Your app will lose all branding related to the certification, including icons and badges, and you won’t be allowed to promote your software as Microsoft 365 Certified.
Initial Document Submission: Certification analysts will be able to do scoping and decide what will be covered by your evaluation with the aid of the initial document submission. The supporting documentation and proof that were used to conduct the evaluation will then be sought from you.
Evidence Collection and Assessment Activities: The defined sample set’s evidence will need to be examined by certification analysts across all system components. Any or all of the following forms of evidence are needed to support the evaluation process:
Evidence gathering:
- Initial documentation, as noted in the section above on the submission of the initial documentation
- policies in writing
- Document processing
- Configuration options for the system
- Buy new tickets
- Change management records
- computer reports
- The evidence required to complete the assessment process will be gathered through a variety of techniques. This evidence-gathering could take the following forms:
- Documents \Screenshots \Interviews \Screensharing
- The methods for gathering evidence will be decided upon during the assessment process.
Evaluation Activities
To ascertain if you have effectively met the rules within this Microsoft 365 Certification Specification, certification analysts will analyze the supporting documentation you supply.
Whenever possible, any or all of the documentation listed in the Initial Documentation Submission should be submitted beforehand to cut down on the time needed to finish the evaluation.
In order to determine acceptable lines of inquiry, sampling size, and the requirement for additional evidence to be gathered as described above, certification analysts will first analyze the information provided from the first documentation submission and the Publisher Attestation. Analysts that specialize in certification will review all the data gathered to determine how well you adhere to the controls outlined in this Microsoft 365 Certification Specification.
App Certification Criteria: The following security domains will be evaluated while evaluating your application, supporting infrastructure, and supporting documentation:
- Operational security and secure deployment of applications
- Data Management Privacy and security
Each of these security domains have certain important controls that address one or more particular needs, and these controls will be assessed as part of the assessment process. Each of the security domains is evaluated using a scoring mechanism to obtain an overall score from each of the domains, ensuring that Microsoft 365 Certification is open to developers of all sizes. Each Microsoft 365 Certification control receives a score between 1 (low) and 3 (high), depending on how likely it is that it won’t be met. For each security domain, a minimum percent mark will be required.
Also Read: Top 7 Benefits of Using Microsoft Dynamics 365?
FINAL THOUGHTS
Microtek Learning is there for you along your learning path with all the resources you require because it is a Microsoft Learning Partner. The tools and functionalities of Microsoft Office 365 are made easier to understand by professionals, who can then run their businesses more quickly and cheaply.
The top Office 365 certification courses are available from Microtek Learning, and they were created by highly qualified Microsoft specialists. Professionals can gain a deeper understanding of Office 365’s capabilities and functions with the help of our onsite training program for Microsoft Office 365. You may easily choose your chosen training style with Microtek Learning, from instructor-led online training to live classroom instruction, blended live training to self-paced and private on-site training.
Obtaining Office 365 certification can expedite corporate processes and cut costs. However, to realize these benefits, IT professionals must have a conceptual understanding of the Office 365 suite. With the help of Microtek Learning’s Microsoft Office 365 certification training, IT professionals can gain the advanced skills necessary to migrate their businesses to the cloud and boost productivity and agility. We also offer the top technology for enhancing security and reducing data loss.
We provide a comprehensive understanding of many Office 365 features and components through our corporate training programs. This course is for you if you’re an Office 365 end-user trainer looking for a more effective approach to working with colleagues or an IT specialist in charge of managing and implementing Office 365 training.
During the training, we will provide you with instructions on setting up and planning your Office 365 collaboration solution. You will learn how to interact by utilizing shared files and become proficient with a variety of collaboration tools, including as OneDrive, SharePoint, and Skype for Business. These programs help you develop your talents, fill gaps and grow your business.