Why I went for a #clicksnotcode Salesforce certification

When I started working for my recent Platform App Builder certification (have I mentioned that recently?) I initially was heading towards the Platform Developer cert, which includes writing Apex code. We don't have much Apex code in our current org, and have only modified it a couple of times in minor ways. So I wouldn't be using the code writing skills that I gained in order to get it, and they'd get rusty. Given my years of experience writing code in other languages (and the Apex I wrote in 2017 for our switch from Raiser's Edge to Salesforce) I think I could pick it up if required.

It strikes me though, that the whole development process with, say, a Flow is very much like the process if you're writing Apex. So typically you:

1. Talk to the people who want the enhancement or bug fix (let's assume it's a fix)
2. Work out how to fix it
3. Work out how to test that fix
4. Fix it
5. Test it
6. User acceptance testing
7. Documentation/training
8. Release

So step 4 is different between Flow writing and Apex coding, but everything else is very similar. Have I over-simplified everything, or is there something substantially different to coding compared to creating a Flow?

My experience of Salesforce Certification

 

I've recently completed my first Salesforce certification - Platform App Builder and I thought I'd share some of my experience. I can't tell you much about the exam itself or the Salesforce hit squad will be round my house.

I'd recommend Focus on Force with their study guides and practice exams. It took me about 5 months doing an hour or so a week to work through the guides and the exams before I felt ready.

I'd recommend this video by Roy Moore or this article on test taking tips to help with exam technique. When it comes to the question of doing it at home or at a test centre, I chose the test centre because a) I didn't have to faff around with proving I wasn't cheating and b) an hour's bus journey felt like a good way of getting in the zone.

The Platform App Builder certification is a mixture of admin stuff and flows and app configuration. There's no Apex because #clicksnotcode. 

If you haven't done a certification yet, is there anything you'd like to know?