From that exam guide outline, prepare a study schedule.

Make a nice little spreadsheet if you’re into that sort of thing. Divide your schedule into two basic areas: large topics and smaller topics.

If you have a large block of consecutive hours, tackle one of the big topics (over 10%). I spent an entire week on Security & Access, so use as many “large blocks” to study those as you need.

Tackle the 1% and 2% topics (AppExchange, Desktop and Mobile Administration) on days you can’t study for hours consecutively but can still read up on the subject, like on your lunch break.

Overall, I highly recommend starting with Standard and Custom Objects and User and Org Setup because that’s really the beginning of everything.

The reason why I put a high priority on these 3 topics is because they cover a large chunk of the exam, they are often interrelated, so if you understand these 3 areas really well, you will be able to answer the most difficult questions in the exam. This doesn’t mean you should skip the other topics. But learn these ones VERY, VERY WELL. 

If you’re a Salesforce beginner (like I was!), go to Trailhead first.

Trailhead is the official Salesforce FREE online learning tool. It’s fun and gives you a practical, hands-on approach to learning Salesforce. They divide the subjects into modules and trails that you can take at your own pace and you earn badges after you complete a module.

There’s something there for every level. A lot of the modules will correspond to topics on the exam guide but it’s not comprehensive because that’s not what Trailhead is for. The Admin Beginner and Intermediate Trails cover a lot of ground but it’s not a one-stop shop. It’s a starting point, especially if you’re stuck on a subject you don’t know much about.

Be aware that Trailhead alone will NOT get you that certification.

Sign up for a Developer Account.

The Developer Edition Org is a free, Salesforce practice org where you can apply the skills as you’re learning. While you’re at it, download the Salesforce1 and SalesforceA apps as well since they will also be covered in the exam. The questions on the exam are scenario-based, so practice your learning material on your Developer Org constantly but also imagine business scenarios where the tools you learn could be used.

Utilize Salesforce Help and Developer Documentation.

They cover everything you need to know. But I wouldn’t tackle those until you’re at least a bit familiar with the topic you’re studying. Then make the Help and Developer documentation your best friend. Every Salesforce expert does.

Have a buddy system.

It’s helpful to ask someone with Salesforce experience questions as they come along; no question is silly. If you don’t personally know anyone, the Salesforce Success Community will be more than happy to answer any type of questions you may have.

Take notes as you learn and write down key concepts.

I used a combination of a good old-fashioned notebook and making my own flash cards. There are flash card websites that will have tons of ADM201 notes but be mindful they are not necessarily updated with the current release and may not be accurate.

Find a good study guide website.

There are a few good study guide websites out there. The good ones are paid but for a tiny fraction of the price of the Salesforce courses. Because you pay for these, you can expect a higher quality and accuracy with the material offered.

Because I had already been preparing my own flashcards on some of the key principles from each topic, I found the card and bullet point format from the Focus on Force study guide very helpful.

Find a good mock exam website.

Mock exams can be a hit or miss. Real “question dumps” compromise the integrity of your hard-earned certification. Real questions that get divulged by test takers out there get reported and taken down rather quickly, so don’t waste your time.

I used the Focus on Force Practice Exams, which contain all original questions but follow the same format as the actual exam: 60 questions, 105 minutes to complete. Also try sample Salesforce ADM201 Exam Questions

That alone helped me practice my test-taking pace but I also found the difficulty level on par with the actual exam. They also give you the feedback results percentage by topic at the end, as well as details on the correct answers, with screenshots and links for reference.

Finally: when you study, don’t try to just memorize names and numbers.

It’s useless to know how many data types of fields there are if you don’t understand how and when to use which type. The best way to practice these skills is real life or the Developer Org.

It’s important to remember which part of the Setup you can find some of the most important configurations, like the Company Settings but the approach is always from a business case. For instance, there may be a question where you have to decide when to apply a workflow rule instead of a validation rule or an approval process. Sometimes there isn’t a completely wrong answer, but one where you have to choose the “best” answer for that scenario.

One of the questions I asked myself a lot while studying was “do I need to learn this in Salesforce Classic or Lightning Experience?”. We strongly suggest to focus on Lightning Experience, but do learn the functionalities that are Classic only as well as how to switch and when to switch and some of the limitations.