Solutions Partner for Business Applications

Which certifications count

Microsoft scores every Dynamics 365 and Power Platform partner on the same ladder: membership, a designation, then specializations. This guide shows which certifications count at each step, and where to train for them.

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How the Microsoft partner program is structured

Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program
The partner program itself. Every partner is a member.
Business Applications
One of six solution areas, covering Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
Solutions Partner for Business Applications
The designation you earn in that solution area, with 70 of 100 points. Certifications give up to 35 of them.
AI Business Solutions
Since August 2026, the badge customers see for the Business Applications and Modern Work designations. Requirements did not change.
Specialization
Proof of depth in one product, on top of the designation.
Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program: certifications for Solutions Partner for Business Applications and its specializations Diagram of the partner program: membership, three badges with six solution areas, the certifications that count for the Business Applications designation per product, the certifications per specialization, cross-solution specializations and the ISV track. The same information is in the tables below. earn the designation requires the designation Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (umbrella program, membership) Badge: AI Business Solutions Business Applications (solution area) Modern Work (solution area) Badge: Cloud & AI Platforms Data & AI Digital & App Innovation Infrastructure Badge: Security Security (solution area) Solutions Partner for Business Applications The designation earned in this solution area: 70 of 100 points needed; certifications give max 35 Product Intermediate (max 20 points) Advanced (max 15 points) Business Central MB-800 Business Central Functional Consultant MB-820 Business Central Developer Finance & Supply Chain MB-310 Finance Functional Consultant MB-330 Supply Chain Mgmt Functional Consultant MB-500 Finance and Operations Apps Developer MB-335 SCM Functional Consultant Expert retired · counts until 30 Jun 2027 MB-700 F&O Solution Architect Expert retired · counts until 30 Jun 2027 Customer Engagement Sales, Service MB-230 Customer Service Functional Consultant AB-210 Sales AI Consultant AB-250 Contact Center AI Engineer MB-240 Field Service Functional Consultant retired · counts until 30 Jun 2027 MB-280 Customer Experience Analyst retired · counts until 31 Jul 2027 Power Platform AB-410 Intelligent Applications Builder PL-400 / AB-400 Power Platform Developer PL-200 Power Platform Functional Consultant retired · counts until 31 Aug 2027 PL-500 Power Automate RPA Developer retired · counts until 30 Jun 2027 PL-600 Power Platform Solution Architect retired · counts until 30 Jun 2027 Power BI PL-300 Power BI Data Analyst All products Counts for every product; replaces MB-335, MB-700 and PL-600 for partner scoring AB-100 Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect Business Applications specializations: skilling SMB Management (BC) 5 x MB-800 MB-820 does not count here Finance 5 x MB-310 or MB-500 2 x AB-100 or MB-700 until 30 Jun 2027 Supply Chain 5 x MB-330 or MB-500 2 x AB-100 or MB-700 / MB-335 until 30 Jun 2027 Sales 5 x AB-210 or MB-280 until 31 Jul 2027 2 x AB-100 or PL-600 until 30 Jun 2027 Service 5 x MB-230 or AB-250 or MB-240 until 30 Jun 2027 2 x AB-100 or PL-600 until 30 Jun 2027 Agentic Business Solutions 5 x AB-410 or AB-620 or PL-200 until 31 Aug 2027 2 x PL-400 / AB-400 or PL-500 (PL-500 until 30 Jun 2027; at least 1 x PL-400 / AB-400 ) 2 x AB-100 Cross-solution specializations Frontier Partner 5 x Frontier Transformation Engineer Titan badge 3 x DP-600 Fabric Analytics Engineer Digital Sovereignty No certifications; requires other specializations ISV track Solutions Partner with certified software: no certifications, technical review and revenue From fall 2026: Frontier Accelerate
The partner program and the certifications that count at each step. Click an exam to open its Companial Learning training.
Grey = retired, still counts for one year if earned before retirement.

Certifications that count for the designation

For the designation, any mix counts. A small partner earns 4 points per person with an intermediate certification, up to 5 people, and 7.5 points per person with an advanced certification, up to 2 people. Three MB-800 holders and two PL-300 holders score the same 20 points as five MB-800 holders. Each person counts once.

Product Intermediate (max 20 points) Advanced (max 15 points)
Business Central MB-800 Business Central Functional Consultant MB-820 Business Central Developer
Finance & Supply Chain MB-310 Finance Functional Consultant
MB-330 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant
MB-500 Finance and Operations Apps Developer 		–
Customer Engagement MB-230 Customer Service Functional Consultant
AB-210 Sales AI Consultant
AB-250 Contact Center AI Engineer 		–
Power Platform AB-410 Intelligent Applications Builder
PL-400 / AB-400 Power Platform Developer 		–
Power BI PL-300 Power BI Data Analyst –
All products – AB-100 Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect

Certifications per specialization

Specializations ask for depth in one product: specific certifications, customer results in the last 12 months and a consulting offer on Microsoft Marketplace. Retired certifications listed below still count until their end date.

Specialization Products Certifications Customer results
Small and Midsize Business Management Business Central 5 x MB-800 15 new Business Central deployments (5+ monthly active users), 15% user growth
Finance Finance, Project Operations 5 x MB-310 or MB-500
2 x AB-100 		3 new Finance & Operations deployments (50+ monthly active users)
Supply Chain Supply Chain Management, Commerce 5 x MB-330 or MB-500
2 x AB-100 		3 new Finance & Operations deployments (50+ monthly active users)
Sales Sales, Customer Insights 5 x AB-210
2 x AB-100 		3 new large Common Data Service deployments
Service Customer Service, Field Service, Contact Center 5 x MB-230 or AB-250
2 x AB-100 		3 new deployments (25+ monthly active users)
Agentic Business Solutions Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio 5 x AB-410 or AB-620
2 x PL-400 / AB-400 or PL-500
(at least 1 x PL-400 / AB-400)
2 x AB-100 		2 new Power Platform customers or 2 Copilot Studio deployments

AB-100: the certification behind five specializations

AB-100 Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect counts for partner scoring in place of the retired MB-335, MB-700 and PL-600. Two people with AB-100 are required for Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Service and Agentic Business Solutions. AB-100 is not a content successor to those exams: it covers the planning, design and deployment of AI-powered business solutions.

To earn AB-100 you first need one associate certification. MB-800, MB-820, MB-310, MB-330, MB-500, MB-230, PL-400 or AB-400, AB-210, AB-250, AB-410 and AB-620 all qualify, so your product experts are the natural candidates.

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Retired certifications: how long they still count

Certification Retired Counts until For scoring, Microsoft now uses
PL-600 Power Platform Solution Architect Expert 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 2027 AB-100
MB-700 Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 2027 AB-100
MB-335 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 2027 AB-100
MB-240 Field Service Functional Consultant 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 2027 AB-250
PL-500 Power Automate RPA Developer 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 2027 No new certification
MB-280 Customer Experience Analyst 31 Jul 2026 31 Jul 2027 AB-210
PL-200 Power Platform Functional Consultant 31 Aug 2026 31 Aug 2027 AB-410

Frequently asked questions

Plan your certifications in two layers

Certify broadly for the designation, following the skills your projects need. Then pick one to three specializations and certify exactly what Microsoft asks. One Learning Journey covers both.

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Sources:
Microsoft Partner Center: Solutions Partner for Business Applications, Apply for specializations, Partner Center announcements July to September 2026
Microsoft Learn: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect.