Some people learn best on their own.  But many prefer to learn with a group.  We’re launching training cohorts to give our subscribers access to a training community to help them on their professional journey.

You will be assigned learning each week to help you complete the courses in an order we’ve determined is logical to gain the skills of the particular cohort.  You’ll be free to take any of our courses at the same time, or before, or after. You can join additional cohorts also. 

You will be part of a community.  Each cohort has a private Teams available with dedicated channels for each course in the cohort.  Our instructors will be available for questions and discussions throughout the cohort. We’ll also have office hours for interactive conversations along the way.

Our goal is for quarterly cohorts, but will schedule more often if we need to.

First up is our cohort for beginners in October, then one for developers in January.

Keep an eye on this page for other cohorts as they get scheduled.

What does it cost?

Joining a cohort is free to our paid subscribers.

How big are the cohorts?

To be honest we’re not exactly sure.  We need enough students to encourage great conversations, but not so many that you’ll get lost.  We’ll keep an eye on enrollment and do our best to keep the numbers right.

Interested in subscribing?  Have a look here.

Got a group?  Want a private cohort?  Have a look here.

Когорта навчання "Професіонал з біснес-додатків". Версія для українців.

Після вдалого старту нашого пілотного проекту, ми із задоволенням розширюємо реєстрацію. Якщо ви чи хтось з вашого оточення шукає підтримку при зміні професії, приєднуйтеся. Наші фахівці працюють з передовими технологіями та знанням мов, щоб ваше навчання було максимально комфортним. Цей курс є адаптованим варіантом англомовних груп і містить матеріали на двох мовах: англійській та українській. Навчання самостійне з контрольними етапами. І, до речі, це абсолютно безкоштовно. Якщо ви бажаєте вчитися, але не готові зобов'язатися на 6 тижнів відразу, немає проблем. Матеріали основані на ресурсах Microsoft Learn, https://aka.ms/BAPskilling. Можете розпочати з цього сайту, а потім приєднатися до нас. 

Щоб дізнатися більше про курс, перейдіть за цим посиланням.

Для реєстрації в групі, клікніть сюди.

Biz App professional skilling cohorts-Ukrainian edition

After our successful pilot we are happy to open registration more broadly.  If you or someone you know is looking for help transitioning to a new career, join us.  Our team of professionals includes native speakers and some good technology to make this experience as smooth as possible.

This cohort is a modified version of the English-language cohorts.  Content is presented in both English and Ukrainian.  Learning is self-directed with checkpoints.  It is free.

If you’d like to learn but can’t commit to a 6-week cohort at this time, not to worry.  The program is based on the official collection from Microsoft Learn, https://aka.ms/BAPskilling . You can start there, and join a cohort later.

For more information about the training, visit here

To apply for a cohort, visit here 

You’re trained.

You’re eager to work.

You’re not getting hired because you have zero experience.

We’ve heard this story over and over again.  And it’s tough.  It’s hard to go through all the training, get excited about new tech and new beginnings.  And not be able to get the job because you lack “real-world” experience.

We’ve launched a new initiative at The Pivot Program to help address this.

Our volunteers will be accepting applications for new candidates to be project resources, specifically targeting people new to Power Platform and Dynamics 365. 

We know that everyone deserves to be paid for their work, and we will continue to seek paid apprenticeships for those new to the industry.  But we are hopeful this program can help you keep that forward momentum you’ve gotten from your training. 

You’re excited and ready to work, let’s keep you moving forward.

To learn more about our efforts, visit our Projects page. 

If you want to support us with paid opportunities, reach out to me directly and let's make it happen.

Використання перекладача браузера для матеріалів Microsoft Learn

I will show the steps in Edge browser, but Chrome has a nearly identical way to do this also.
Я покажу кроки в браузері Edge, але у Chrome є практично ідентичний спосіб це зробити також.

Navigate to the settings area of Edge browser.
Перейдіть до області налаштувань браузера Edge.

Add your preferred language.
Додайте бажану мову.

Prioritize your preferred language.
Встановіть пріоритет вашої бажаної мови.

When on the page that needs to be translated, right click and select translate.
Коли ви перебуваєте на сторінці, яку потрібно перекласти, натисніть правою кнопкою миші і виберіть опцію "Перекласти".

Your page will now be in the translated language.
Тепер ваша сторінка буде у перекладеній мові.

If you use the lesson’s navigation to page to the next page the translation continues.
Якщо ви використовуєте навігацію уроку для переходу на наступну сторінку, переклад продовжується.

If you navigate separately, you can simply right-click and translate again.
Якщо ви навігуєтесь окремо, ви можете просто клацнути правою кнопкою миші і знову перекласти.

Now your page is displayed in the translated language again.
Тепер ваша сторінка знову відображається у перекладеній мові.

When the time comes and someone needs to review and confirm your credentials, you may need to share your training transcript.  In Microsoft Learn, it’s pretty straightforward.

Navigate to your profile.

Select transcript.

Select share link.

Copy the link and send it to whoever needs it.  Be mindful that the transcript contains not only your certifications and completed learning modules, but also your MCID and program email.

Your transcript looks like this, sharing the details of your training and certifications.

365Ai is rolling out across courses in the portfolio at 365.Training.  365Ai allows you to ask questions while in the context of a course and get detailed responses related to that topic.

You can view more courses with 365Ai here

For example, in our Zero to model-driven apps course, you can ask:

What is the difference between a model-driven Power App and canvas Power App?

And 365Ai will return the following:

Model-driven Power Apps and Canvas Power Apps are two different types of Power Apps that serve different purposes and cater to different development styles.

Model-driven Power Apps:

1. Focus on the data and business logic, automatically generating the user interface based on the underlying data model and relationships.
2. Primarily built using Microsoft Dataverse as the data source.
3. Provide a responsive design that works well on both desktop and mobile devices.
4. Offer a more structured and consistent user experience, suitable for complex business applications.
5. Require less design effort, as the app's layout is determined by the data model.

Canvas Power Apps:

1. Focus on the user interface and user experience, allowing for pixel-perfect control over the app's design.
2. Can connect to various data sources, including Microsoft Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL Server, and more.
3. Offer more flexibility in terms of design and layout, suitable for custom and visually appealing applications.
4. Require more design effort, as the app's layout is built from scratch using drag-and-drop components.
5. May not be as responsive as model-driven apps, requiring additional effort to optimize for different devices.

In summary, model-driven Power Apps are best suited for data-centric applications with complex business logic, while canvas Power Apps are ideal for custom, visually appealing applications with a focus on user experience.

365Ai is fully integrated with the course and contained in a module.  Just look for it from the navigation while viewing the course.



Once there, simply ask 365Ai your questions.

We are rolling this out across several courses, and it is currently available as mentioned in our Zero to model-driven apps course, and also in our Power Fx Basics course. 

365Ai knows the topics that are relevant and will respond with answers from those topics only.  It uses that latest available technology, but it might still produce occasional inaccurate information.

Our Power Fx Basics course is free.  Our Zero to model-driven apps course is available for purchase or included in all of our subscriptions.

Recently we’ve had the option to incrementally update some of our certifications.  A certification has a shelf-life.  And it should.  The product, the training content, the exam questions, are all updated quite often.  However, the incremental differences are not worthy of a full re-do of a certification every year.  We now have the chance to take an assessment of the net new and extend a certification.

With the renewals, you have a few chances to pass.  My strategy, take the assessment to see what gaps I may have to fill to be more current.  Just like with the exams themselves, there is no better study guide than the test itself.  If I started the assessment and knew right away it was not going to end in my favor, then I slow down and re-read every question, every one of the answer options.  Make sure I know what is expected of me for the next time.  The renewals are free, and you get more than one chance to pass.

A million years ago, I did a blog post about my failing a certification exam.  You can find my post from 2011 here.  So much of it is still relevant today.  It even looks like Microsoft may have taken some of my advice and split the old-school applications exam into separate ones based on products/modules.

You should set realistic expectations of yourself.  No one has to know your score, unless you tell them.  Certifications are binary; you are certified, or you are not certified.

When you pass the exam by one question, you get the same certification as the person with a perfect score, no gold stars for anyone- Julie Yack, 2011

 

I did my renewal yesterday and am just as certified as anyone else. 

I am often asked what exam to take...how do I know it applies to me? It is super important to understand that the numbers with the certification exam do not convey any level of difficulty. 

Here's my summary of the Business Applications exams.

PL-100- Power Platform App Maker (aka the citizen developer exam)- Your job is not Power Platform. Maybe you’re an accountant, maybe you work on the shop floor. You are an expert in what you do but you want to solve problems with Power Apps. This is a good way to show IT that you can be trusted to make apps in ”their” environments, or maybe even transition to a role of making Power Apps.

PL-200 -Power Platform Functional Consultant- You make Power Apps with low code or no code. You automate stuff with Power Platform resources using Power Fx, cloud flows, and connectors. This is your explicit job. (In my opinion, this is the toughest exam because it covers SO MUCH STUFF).

PL-300- Power BI Data Analyst- You transform data in a way that makes it consumable to stakeholders.  You need to understand the sources for the data, and that may or may not be a Power Platform data source.  This is your explicit job.

PL-400-Power Platform Developer-You extend Power Apps with code. You will do this better if you also understand what’s needed from PL-200/MB-200 above. This is your explicit job.

PL-500- Power Automate RPA Developer- You automate tasks with robotic process automation, and you do it with pro-code level skills. This is your explicit job.

PL-600-Power Platform Solution Architect-An advanced certification for architecting Power Platform solutions. You need to know a bit of everything and be able to apply it to solve real problems. This is your explicit job.

PL-900- Power Platform Fundamentals- Your job might be Power Platform, but the non-technical side. It’s important for you to understand abstract ideas about what the platform can and should do.

MB-210- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Functional Consultant- You implement Dynamics 365 Sales. You understand the sales process and how users best work with sales automation software. You recognize and mitigate inefficiencies. You have a strong base knowledge of Power Platform, specifically model-driven apps and cloud flows.  This is your explicit job.

MB-220- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing Functional Consultant- You implement Dynamics 365 Marketing. You understand traditional and digital marketing needs and strategies. You recognize and mitigate inefficiencies. You have a strong base knowledge of Power Platform, specifically model-driven apps and cloud flows.  This is your explicit job.

MB-230- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service Functional Consultant- You implement Dynamics 365 Customer Service. You understand how and why users use software to track and solve customer service issues. You recognize and mitigate inefficiencies. You have a strong base knowledge of Power Platform, specifically model-driven apps and cloud flows.  This is your explicit job.

MB-240- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant- You implement Dynamics 365 Field Service. You know how users can manage and implement software solutions in the field to better service customer needs. A solid understanding of Internet of Things will help you do your job better. You recognize and mitigate inefficiencies. You have a strong base knowledge of Power Platform, specifically model-driven apps and cloud flows.  This is your explicit job.

MB-260- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Data Platform Specialist- You implement solutions for customer profiles and engagement tracking.  You have a very good understanding of Power Platform that includes Dataverse, Power Query, and general CRM principles.  You have a general understanding of the common data model and Azure concepts like Azure Machine Learning, Azure Synapse and Azure Data Factory. This is your explicit job, likely along with either Power Platform or CRM-type implementations.

MB-300- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Core Finance and Operations- You need to know the common features and concepts for the finance and operations apps.  You might become a functional consultant, developer or other supporting role for an implementation. You will likely specialize in one of the other ERP-focused areas.  This is your explicit job.

MB-310- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance Functional Consultant- You analyze business requirements and turn them into business solutions and processes using the finance application.  You understand industry best practices and how it applies to ERP-related operations. You are capable with other finance and operations apps, but specialize in finance solutions.  This is your explicit job.

MB-330- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant- You analyze business requirements and turn them into business solutions and processes using the supply chain application.  You understand industry best practices and how it applies to ERP-related operations. You are capable with other finance and operations apps, but specialize in supply chain solutions.  This is your explicit job.

MB-340- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce Functional Consultant- You analyze business requirements and turn them into business solutions and processes using the commerce application.  You understand industry best practices and how it applies to ERP-related operations. You are capable with other finance and operations apps, but specialize in commerce solutions.  This is your explicit job.

MB-500- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Apps Developer- You implement business logic for finance and operations apps using pro-code solutions to extend these apps.  You need a solid understanding of out of the box configuration options so that you do not code things that are best as configured options.  This is your explicit job.

MB-700- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect- This is an advanced certification for architecting solutions with finance and operations applications.  You orchestrate and watch over all aspects of the implementation from planning to building to testing.  This is your explicit job.

MB-800- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant- You implement the core setup of Business Central.  You configure the application to meet the needs of the client.  You fully understand the business needs that are solved with the application. This is your explicit job.

MB-910- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM)- Your job might be something with Dynamics 365, but not the technical aspects.  You support people who use these products or implement these products.  You need to understand the business reasons for implementing various customer relationship management software.

MB-920- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP)- Your job might be something with Dynamics 365, but not the technical aspects.  You support people who use these products or implement these products.  You need to understand the business reasons for implementing various enterprise resource planning software.

The Microsoft Learn platform hosts Collections.  These collections are several learning assets in a container.  There are official collections like the Biz Apps Skilling collection (https://aka.ms/BAPSkilling).

You can also make (and share) your own collections.  You may have just completed a training such as one of the Business Applications Skilling cohort experiences and want to build your “what’s next” collection.  Here’s how. 

Login to Learn and click on your profile in the top right.  This will load a page like this one.  Select Collections from the options.  Click +New collection.

Name and save your collection.

You can fill your collection starting from the collection.  Add items to the collection.

Or from viewing a lesson in Learn, when you click the +Save option.

And choosing the collection.

Collections can be just for you, or you might want to share one.  This is also where you can edit some of the details about your collection.



See it in action as I build and organize a collection.

Every business uses technology.  This is business management software, or business applications. These business applications can be quite simple or quite complicated.

Microsoft’s Business Applications include a suite of products and services called Dynamics 365. Dynamics 365 applications can be organized into a few different groups.

Sales and marketing

Service

Finance

Commerce

Supply chain

Within the sales and marketing group you will find Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Marketing, and Dynamics 365 Customer Insights.

Within the service group you will find Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Dynamics 365 Field Service, Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, and Dynamics 365 Customer Voice.

In the finance group you will find Dynamics 365 Finance, Dynamics 365 Project Operations and Dynamics 365 Human Resources.

In the commerce group you will find Dynamics 365 Commerce, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Fraud Protection, Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights and Dynamics 365 Marketing.

Within the supply chain group, you will find Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Insights, and Dynamics 365 Guides.

You probably noticed that a few of the products I mentioned were repeated.  That’s because these products are versatile and can support businesses in different ways.

Additionally, these products are built to work directly with other Microsoft products such as Microsoft Teams, Power Bi, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and more. 

Dynamics 365 products also work well with products made and maintained outside the scope of Microsoft.  These are called integrations.  Some of these integrations require a simple plug-and-play connector and others require a professional developer to write code to allow communications between the systems to share data and actions.

These Microsoft Business Applications are robust and solve many business problems.  They are also configurable to allow businesses to offer users the applications they need to do their jobs.  They are also customizable to allow professionals to pick and choose what to offer users with a strong foundation of the Dynamics apps.

Careers in Dynamics 365 are quite varied.

Let’s think about what it takes to make and support business software.

First you have to plan and design the solutions. This requires industry experts who understand what the business needs.  You’ll need someone to capture and document the needs and solutions.  And you’ll need a solution architect to orchestrate the overall solution to be made.

Then you need to build the solution that was just planned.  If this is with Dynamics 365, you will need professionals skilled in configuration of the apps, who also understand the requirements of the business.  Sometimes you need professional developers to write code to build these applications.  You need team members proficient in automation.  You need a team to test the solutions.  You need someone to train users.  And so on.

This is of course an over-simplified narrative.  But the point is that with Dynamics 365 you can find great career opportunities for skilled professionals. 

Looking to learn more about Dynamics 365?  Join our user group for learning.  https://aka.ms/BAPCommunity