Salesforce Certification Maintenance – Everything You Need to Know

While it is crucial to earning Salesforce certification for your career growth, it is equally important to maintain your Salesforce certification periodically. To maintain your Salesforce certification, you need to complete Trailhead maintenance modules for each of the certifications.

If you are new to Salesforce and wondering how many Salesforce certifications are there, then check out our guide on the complete list of Salesforce certifications.

For example, if you are Salesforce Certified Administrator, you have to complete the corresponding Salesforce Administrator module before the due date of completion. If you fail to complete the Trailhead module, your hard-earned certification will become invalid. 

The idea of bringing the maintenance module is that by attending the maintenance Trailhead module, you should get up to date with current happenings in your certification domain. Besides gaining knowledge, it helps you add more Trailhead badges to your portfolio.

Earlier, before Spring ’20, one should need to maintain certifications thrice a year. Salesforce has revised its certification maintenance policy, and now, one should be required to complete the module once a year to keep their Salesforce certifications active. All the Salesforce maintenance exams are free of cost.

How to Check the Maintenance Details?

There are multiple ways to check your pending maintenance tracks. 

• The simplest way is to go to the Trailhead profile (trailblazer.me). If you have any certification maintenance pending, there should be a red mark near your current certificate. In the below diagram, the green marks say the certificate has been maintained for the current year. Yes, the indication is clear, Green is active, and Red is Due. Please make sure that your Webassessor and Trailhead accounts are linked properly.

In the below diagram, it is evident that the maintenance is due. Further, go down. There is a link (Here in this example, ‘Administrator Certification Maintenance Spring’ 22) Module’), click over there, which will guide you to your maintenance Trailhead module and complete the module exercise. That’s all! You are done now!

• The second way to check your maintenance details is to head to the trailhead Credential Verification Service. 

(https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/credentials/verification/)

Enter your Webassessor-linked email id and request for status update ( The second option in the above diagram). You will get notified in your email with all the certification statuses. The below diagram shows how you will receive the status of each certification maintenance in your mailbox.

For certain higher-level certifications, you do not require to finish a separate maintenance module. For example, suppose you are a certified Salesforce Advanced Administrator. In that case, once you complete the maintenance of the Salesforce Administrator examination successfully, your Salesforce Advanced Administrator certification will automatically become active.

Also read – How do certifications help advance your career?

Summing Up

As a best practice, completing all the maintenance modules at least one month before the due date is always advisable. If you fail to maintain the certification, other than losing the certification credential, your hard work to gain a certificate will go in vain. You will need to spend 200 USD or 400 USD again to write the exam. 

If you still have doubts, feel free to talk to the industry experts by joining the saasguru Slack community. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How often do I need to maintain my Salesforce certification?

Earlier, before Spring ’20, certifications needed to be maintained thrice a year. However, Salesforce has revised its certification maintenance policy. Now, you are required to complete the maintenance module once a year to keep your Salesforce certifications active.

2. How to check maintenance is due for Salesforce certification?

Head to the trailhead Credential Verification Service (Certification). Enter your Webassessor-linked email ID and request a status update. You’ll receive an email notifying you about the status of each certification maintenance.

3. What is the validity of Salesforce certification?

Salesforce certifications remain valid as long as you complete the required maintenance modules. If you don’t, the certification becomes invalid or inactive. As of the latest update, you need to maintain your certification once a year.

4. What happens when a Salesforce certification expires?

If you fail to complete the necessary maintenance modules by their due dates, your certification becomes invalid or inactive. This means that you would lose the certification credential, and all the effort you put into gaining that certification will go in vain. To regain the certification, you’d need to spend between 200 USD to 400 USD to retake the exam.

5. What are the benefits of maintaining my Salesforce certification?

• Adding to Your Portfolio: Maintenance modules allow you to earn more Trailhead badges, showcasing your continuous learning and dedication.
• Protecting Your Investment: You’ve invested time, effort, and potentially money into earning your Salesforce certification. Regular maintenance ensures that this investment doesn’t go to waste by letting your certification expire.
• Professional Credibility: Active certifications validate your expertise to employers, colleagues, and clients, reinforcing your standing as a knowledgeable professional in the Salesforce ecosystem.

6. What are the common mistakes people make when maintaining their Salesforce certification?

• Missing Deadlines: One of the biggest mistakes is not completing the required maintenance modules before their due dates, leading to the expiration of the certification.
• Not Linking Accounts: Failing to properly link Webassessor and Trailhead accounts can lead to confusion and might prevent you from getting accurate information about your certification status.
• Overlooking Notifications: Ignoring or not checking updates and notifications from Salesforce can result in missed maintenance modules.
• Confusion with Higher-Level Certifications: Some may think that higher-level certifications need separate maintenance, not realizing that maintaining a lower-level certification (like the Salesforce Administrator) can automatically renew a higher-level one (like the Salesforce Advanced Administrator).

7. What are the different ways to maintain my Salesforce certification?

• Trailhead Profile: One of the primary ways to maintain your certification is by visiting your Trailhead profile (Trailblazer account). Here, you can view any pending maintenance requirements, represented by red or green marks next to your certification. Clicking on the links provided (like ‘Administrator Certification Maintenance Spring’ 22) will guide you to the specific Trailhead module you need to complete.
• Trailhead Credential Verification Service: Another method is to visit the Trailhead Credential Verification Service (Certification). By entering your Webassessor-linked email ID, you can request a status update. This service will send you an email detailing the status of each of your certifications and any necessary maintenance requirements.