Salesforce · Trailhead Certification

Salesforce Advanced Administrator

Platform Administrator II · Plat-Admn-301

The Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator credential is for experienced admins who already hold the Administrator cert and want to prove they can configure and manage the harder parts of a real org — complex sharing, advanced Flow automation, analytics, and change management. It's a résumé-defining credential that hiring managers and consulting partners look for, but it carries a real prerequisite and a tight 65% pass bar. This page breaks down exactly what's tested, how it's delivered, and how to get it done right.

105 Minutes
60 Scored Questions
65% to Pass
Center or Online

Pay Only After You Pass

No upfront fee — you settle only after your verified passing result. We advertise guaranteed results — 100% pass guaranteed or money back.

Exam Spec Sheet

Provider Salesforce
Exam code Plat-Admn-301 (formerly CRT-211)
Format Multiple-choice / multi-select
Duration 105 minutes
Questions 60 scored + 5 unscored
Passing score 65% (pass / fail)
Prerequisite Active Salesforce Administrator cert
Fee $200 (retake $100) + tax
Proctoring Pearson VUE (via Trailhead)
Maintenance Annual Trailhead modules
See Advanced Admin Help Options

EXAM FORMAT

How the Advanced Administrator exam is built — at a glance

60

Scored questions

60 scored items plus 5 unscored field-test questions (65 total). The unscored items are mixed in and not identified, so treat every question as if it counts.

65%

Pass threshold

You need roughly 39 of 60 scored questions right. Salesforce reports only pass or fail — there is no numeric scaled score on your certificate.

105

Minutes

About 1 minute 45 seconds per question. The scenario-based items are wordy, so pacing and reading speed matter as much as knowledge.

Question style

Expect multiple-choice and multiple-select questions built around realistic business scenarios — a stakeholder request, an org constraint, and several plausible configurations where only one is the best Salesforce-native answer. Many questions ask you to pick the right declarative tool (Flow vs. validation rule vs. sharing rule) rather than recall a definition.

Scoring & results

There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank. Once you submit, the exam shows your pass/fail result on screen, and Trailhead Academy posts a section-by-section breakdown that tells you which domains you were strong or weak in — useful if you need to plan a retake.

WHAT'S TESTED

Seven weighted domains — bars show each domain's share of your score

1

Security & Access

20%

Org-wide defaults, role hierarchy, sharing rules, manual and Apex sharing, permission sets, and resolving complex record-access scenarios across multiple objects.

2

Process Automation

20%

Choosing and building the right automation — record-triggered, screen, and scheduled Flows, approval processes, and when a declarative tool is the better fit than code.

3

Objects & Applications

19%

Advanced custom objects, relationships, roll-up summaries, record types, page layouts, and Lightning App design for complex business requirements.

4

Data & Analytics Management

13%

Custom report types, joined and matrix reports, dynamic dashboards, bucketing, cross-filters, and large-data-volume considerations for accurate analytics.

5

Cloud Applications

11%

Advanced Sales Cloud and Service Cloud configuration — forecasting, products and price books, entitlements, Omni-Channel, and case automation.

6

Auditing & Monitoring

10%

Field history tracking, setup audit trail, debug logs, login history, and the tools you use to diagnose why an automation or sharing rule behaved unexpectedly.

7

Environment Management & Deployment

7%

Sandboxes, change sets, deployment strategy, and managing changes safely from development through to a production org.

Security & Access and Process Automation together make up 40% of the exam, so the heaviest study weight belongs on complex sharing scenarios and Flow design. Weightings reflect the current official Salesforce exam outline and can shift slightly between release cycles — always confirm against the latest exam guide before you book.

DELIVERY & PROCTORING

Two ways to sit the exam through Pearson VUE (scheduled in Trailhead Academy)

At a testing center (onsite proctored)

You sit the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center, where staff verify your government-issued ID, store your belongings, and monitor the room. Seats are scheduled through Trailhead Academy. This route avoids any home-network or webcam-setup headaches on test day.

Online proctored (from home)

You install Pearson VUE's OnVUE software, complete an ID and webcam check-in, then take the exam from a private room. A remote proctor monitors your camera and screen throughout. You'll run a system test ahead of time so your hardware and connection are cleared before exam day.

ID & identity check

A valid, unexpired government photo ID with a name matching your Trailhead Academy profile. Online testers also submit photos of their ID and a headshot at check-in.

Environment scan

For online exams: a clear desk, no second monitor, no phone or notes within reach, and a webcam scan of the room. No one else may enter while you test.

During the exam

Stay on camera and in frame. There are no scheduled breaks in the 105-minute window. Talking aloud, looking off-screen, or losing connection can flag the session for review.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS

Built for experienced, already-certified admins

  • Certified Salesforce Admins ready for a senior credential
  • Admins managing large, complex production orgs
  • Consultants and partners needing the advanced badge
  • Admins moving toward an architect or developer track
  • Professionals targeting a raise or promotion to senior admin

PREREQUISITE & DIFFICULTY

One hard requirement — and a genuinely advanced bar

  • Active Salesforce Certified Administrator credential required
  • Salesforce recommends hands-on admin experience first
  • Solid command of Flow, sharing models, and reporting
  • Comfort reading long, multi-step business scenarios

Difficulty: Widely regarded as a notable step up from the Admin exam. The questions are scenario-heavy and the 65% bar leaves little margin, so many candidates who breezed through the Admin cert find this one demands real, applied org experience — exactly the kind of pressure point our help is designed to remove.

HOW EXAM ASSIST HELPS YOU PASS ADVANCED ADMIN

The Advanced Administrator exam is a scenario-heavy, remotely proctored test with a 65% bar and a real prerequisite. Exam Assist pairs you with a vetted Salesforce specialist and works on a pay-after-you-pass model — so the risk sits with us, not you. No upfront fee, guaranteed results: Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end, and you settle only after the verified result.

1

Share your exam details

Tell us your delivery method (center or online), your target date, and whether you already hold the Admin prerequisite. Takes a couple of minutes over WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord.

2

Get an honest feasibility answer

We review your timeline and situation and tell you plainly whether it's realistic — before any money is discussed. If it isn't a fit, we say so.

3

The sitting is handled

Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end. You're matched with a Salesforce specialist who maps the work around the seven exam domains and the Pearson VUE testing environment — discreetly and confidentially.

4

Settle after the verified result

You only pay once your passing result is confirmed. No verified result, nothing owed.

Ready to add Advanced Administrator to your name?

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FREQUENTLY ASKED

Straight answers about the Salesforce Advanced Administrator exam

What score do I need to pass the Salesforce Advanced Administrator exam? +
You need 65% to pass. The exam has 65 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions, of which 60 are scored and 5 are unscored field-test items, so you must answer at least 39 of the 60 scored questions correctly. There is no scaled score — Salesforce reports only a pass or fail with section-level feedback.
Is there a prerequisite for the Advanced Administrator certification? +
Yes. You must hold the active Salesforce Certified Administrator credential before you can earn the Advanced Administrator (now branded Platform Administrator II) certification. The Advanced exam assumes you already know core configuration and goes deeper into security, automation, and analytics.
How much does the Salesforce Advanced Administrator exam cost? +
The registration fee is USD $200 plus applicable taxes, and a retake is USD $100. Salesforce also requires that you keep your credentials current by completing free release-based maintenance modules on Trailhead each year, so the certification does not simply expire after a fixed period.
Can I take the Advanced Administrator exam online from home? +
Yes. Salesforce now delivers the exam through Pearson VUE (scheduled in Trailhead Academy), either at a physical Pearson VUE testing center (onsite proctored) or as an online proctored exam you sit from a private room at home. The online option requires the OnVUE software, a system and webcam check, a government ID, and a clean, monitored workspace.
How is the Advanced Administrator exam different from the standard Admin exam? +
The standard Administrator exam tests broad day-to-day configuration. The Advanced Administrator exam assumes that foundation and drills into complex sharing and security, advanced automation with Flow, custom report types and analytics, change management and deployment, and auditing and monitoring — the judgment calls a senior admin makes across a large org.
Do I pay Exam Assist before or after I pass? +
You settle only after your verified passing result is confirmed. There is no upfront fee — you share your exam details, receive an honest feasibility answer, and decide before any money changes hands. We advertise a guaranteed pass with money back if you do not pass; we offer a transparent, results-first arrangement.

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