About this Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator study guide
This page is your Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (exam code ADM-201)—formerly Salesforce Certified Administrator study guide. The certification validates skills that employers look for in Salesforce roles—whether you're an administrator, consultant, developer, or architect. It is designed for administrators and related roles who want to prove their knowledge with an industry-recognized credential.
Here you'll find section-wise exam weightage so you know exactly which topics carry the most questions, exam tips and prerequisites, a focused study plan, and sample practice questions with detailed explanations. All content on this page is original and unique—written specifically for this certification to help with both your preparation and search engine indexing. Use this page to align your study with the official outline and to gauge when you're ready to sit the exam. Many candidates use section weightage to prioritize high-value topics and practice questions to build exam-day confidence.
Passing this certification can support career progression, higher earning potential, and recognition in the Salesforce ecosystem. Salesforce exams are updated periodically, so we keep our materials aligned with current objectives.
Last reviewed: January 2025. Salesforce exam outlines may change; always check the official exam guide on Trailhead before booking.
Release compatible: Winter '26 — Study materials and objectives are aligned with the Winter '26 release (compared to Summer '25).
What's new in Winter '26:
- Agentforce and AI: New Agentforce for Service (IT Service), Agentic Commerce, and Agentforce Grid for low-code AI workflows—expect more AI-related objectives on Admin and Consultant exams.
- Data Cloud: Clean Rooms for privacy-safe data collaboration and zero-copy analytics; Data Cloud objectives may include new collaboration and governance topics.
- Automation & Platform: Enhanced automation capabilities and platform updates; Flow, Process Builder, and integration topics remain core—check the official outline for weightage changes.
- Tableau & Analytics: Tableau Next Concierge in Slack and conversational analytics; Tableau certs may reference new Slack and natural-language features.
- Security & Access: Continued focus on identity, access management, and secure data handling; relevant for Administrator and Architect tracks.
Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201) Study Guide
The Salesforce Administrator Certification (ADM-201) validates your knowledge of Salesforce CRM administration, including data management, security, automation, and analytics. Prepare for the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam with this study guide.
Exam Weightage by Section
Exam Topics
Why This Certification Matters
The Admin cert is the gateway to most Salesforce roles and is often required for Consultant and Developer paths.
Exam Tips
- 1Configuration and Setup + Object Manager together are ~40%—master Lightning App Builder and Object Manager first.
- 2Know the difference between Process Builder, Flow, and Workflow (and when to use each).
- 3Security is always tested: roles, profiles, permission sets, sharing rules, OWD.
- 4Practice building reports (summary, matrix, joined) and dashboards from scratch.
- 5Review standard objects: Account, Contact, Lead, Opportunity, Case—and their relationships.
Prerequisites
- •6+ months Salesforce Admin experience
- •Platform Fundamentals or equivalent knowledge
Focus Areas
- •Configuration and Setup
- •Object Manager and Lightning App Builder
- •Security and Access
- •Automation (Flow vs Workflow)
Study Strategy
Spend 40% of study time on Configuration, Object Manager, and Lightning App Builder. Use a Developer Edition org to configure real scenarios. Take full-length practice exams under time pressure.
Sample Practice Questions
Test your knowledge with these sample questions. Click on an answer to select it, then check your answer to see if you're correct.
A sales manager wants to see which of their sales reps have logged the most calls this month. Which report type should they use?
What is the maximum number of fields that can be tracked for field history on a custom object?
A user needs to create a report that shows Opportunities grouped by Account and then by Stage. Which report format should be used?
Which permission allows a user to transfer records they don't own?
What happens when a Workflow Rule with a Time-Dependent Action is triggered, but the record no longer meets the rule criteria before the action executes?
Which Lightning App Builder component allows users to filter records on a record page?
A company wants to ensure that all Leads are automatically assigned to the correct sales rep based on geographic territory. What should be configured?
What is the purpose of a Validation Rule?
Which sharing setting allows users to see all records in an org regardless of ownership?
A user needs to create a custom field that calculates the number of days between two date fields. Which field type should be used?
What is the maximum number of master-detail relationships allowed on a custom object?
Which feature allows administrators to track changes to specific fields over time?
A company wants to automatically send an email when an Opportunity reaches the 'Closed Won' stage. Which automation tool should be used?
What is the purpose of a Roll-Up Summary Field?
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Contact Us for Full AccessFrequently Asked Questions
- What is covered on the Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201) exam?
- The Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201) exam—formerly Salesforce Certified Administrator— covers section-wise weightage as shown above. Use the exam topics and practice questions on this page to align your study with the official outline.
- Is there a prerequisite for the Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator exam?
- No, there is no formal prerequisite. However, Salesforce recommends 6+ months of hands-on experience as a Salesforce Administrator and completion of the Platform Fundamentals trail on Trailhead before taking the exam.
- How difficult is the Platform Administrator certification exam?
- The Platform Administrator exam is considered intermediate-level. It covers a broad range of topics including configuration, security, automation, and analytics. With proper preparation using Trailhead, hands-on practice, and practice questions, most candidates with 6+ months of experience can pass.
- How do I prepare for the Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201) certification?
- Use the exam tips, prerequisites, and study strategy on this Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201) study guide—formerly Salesforce Certified Administrator— Focus first on the highest-weighted sections, then take the sample practice questions. Schedule the exam when you consistently score well on practice tests.
- Where can I find the official exam outline for Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator (ADM-201)?
- Salesforce publishes exam guides and outlines on Trailhead (trailhead.salesforce.com). This page's section weightage and topics are aligned with those outlines to help you prepare.