Key Points of This Article

The Certified Administrator is the gateway for all Salesforce certifications. The shortest route to overcoming the challenge with a 50-60% pass rate is through repeating Trailhead hands-ons and past question exercises.

  • • The most important certification proving foundational Salesforce skills (security, data management, automation)
  • • Difficulty is Normal to Slightly Difficult. Those without practical experience may struggle to understand terminology
  • • Over 40% of the exam focuses just on Configuration and Setup, Object Manager, and Lightning App Builder
  • • After passing, step up to App Builder or Consultant certifications

Overview

Salesforce Certified Administrator is the most important and fundamental certification that proves foundational knowledge for managing and configuring Salesforce. It can be called a necessary “gateway” not only for administrators but also for those aiming to be developers or consultants.

In this article, I will explain the overview of the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam, its difficulty, and specific study methods to pass on the first try.

Salesforce Certification Complete Guide

1. What is the Certified Administrator Exam?

It is an exam that tests configuration and management abilities using standard features , such as customization of Salesforce organizations (environments), user management, security settings, data management, and report creation.

Basic Exam Information (As of 2025-2026)

  • Time Limit : 105 minutes
  • Number of Questions : 60 questions
  • Passing Score : 65% or higher
  • Exam Fee : 20,000 JPY (Excluding tax) *May vary due to campaigns, etc.
  • Exam Format : Test center or online proctored (at home)

2. Difficulty and Pass Rate

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Normal to Slightly Difficult)

Although positioned as a “basic certification,” it is by no means “easy.” Salesforce features are diverse, and terminology is unique. If you don’t have practical experience, you might struggle just to understand the meaning of terms. In particular, understanding the security model (sharing settings, profiles, permission sets) is the first big wall for beginners.

👍 メリット (良いところ)

3. Exam Scope and Key Points

The exam scope is wide, but the shortcut to passing is to focus on areas with a high percentage of questions.

Priority Areas (Over 50% just here!)

  1. Configuration and Setup (20%)
  • Settings for objects, fields, page layouts, and record types.
  1. Security and Access (High share)
  • Differences and proper use of organization-wide default (OWD) sharing settings, role hierarchy, sharing rules, profiles, and permission sets. This is the most important part.
  1. Data and Analytics Management (Reports and Dashboards) (10% or more)
  • Report types, chart types, data import/export.
  1. Workflow/Process Automation (Flow)
  • Basic concepts of Flow . What can be executed at what timing.

4. 3-Step Study Method to Pass

1

Solidify Foundations with Trailhead

Complete the Salesforce Administrator: Beginner trailmix. Launch Playgrounds and practice setting locations like profile settings and validation rules.

2

Accustom Yourself with Mock Exams

Get used to terminology and question phrasing. Use Official Practice Tests and Udemy question sets.

3

Verify Weak Areas with a Sandbox

Config and check behavior of sharing rules and permission sets in your own environment.

5. Next Steps

After obtaining the Administrator certification, aim for the following certifications according to your career.

Certified Platform App Builder

Summary

The Certified Administrator exam is your passport to a Salesforce career. If you breakthrough here, learning efficiency and credibility in practical work will improve dramatically. First, let’s work hard by setting passing this certification as your top priority goal!

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