MB-280 · ⚠️ Retiring July 31, 2026 · Associate · Microsoft
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $165 USD (regional pricing varies) |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Questions | 40–60 mixed format (multiple choice, multiple response, scenario-based) |
| Passing | 700/1000 (scaled score) |
| Format | Multiple choice, multiple response, scenario-based questions, interactive labs |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE OnVUE (proctored, remote or test center) |
| Languages | English (additional languages available) |
| Valid | 12 months from pass date; renewal required annually |
| Renewal | Free annual assessment on Microsoft Learn (continuing education) |
| Prerequisites | None; hands-on Dynamics 365 and Dataverse experience strongly recommended |
| Released | 2025 (consolidated replacement for MB-210, MB-220, MB-260) |
| Retiring | July 31, 2026 — replacement is exam AB-210 (Accelerate Sales Pipelines with AI) |
Vendor source — Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate ↗
Official exam guide — Study Guide for Exam MB-280 ↗
Course series — MB-280-A: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Course ↗
About
MB-280 is a role-based certification validating intermediate competency in implementing and configuring Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Insights solutions. Launched in 2025, it consolidated three legacy certifications (MB-210 Sales, MB-220 Customer Insights – Journeys, MB-260 Customer Insights – Data) into a single, broader credential. Candidates demonstrate hands-on ability to configure customer experience model-driven apps, manage Dataverse configuration, implement security, and leverage Dynamics 365 Customer Insights capabilities for data-driven customer engagement. This is a critical certification for CRM functional consultants and implementations specialists targeting mid-market and enterprise Microsoft stacks. Critical: This certification retires July 31, 2026. Microsoft recommends transitioning to the new AB-210 (Accelerate Sales Pipelines with AI) certification for future upskilling in Dynamics 365 Sales with AI-first capabilities.
Domain context — CRM & Business Applications
Vendor-specific customer relationship management (CRM) and customer engagement platform specialization within the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem. Focuses on configuring, customizing, and implementing sales, customer service, and customer insights functionality for mid-market and enterprise organizations.
Read full deep dive — Microsoft Dynamics 365 + Power Platform Ecosystem →
Topics covered
-
Configure Dynamics 365 customer experience applications (35–40%)
- Configure Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service apps
- Customize forms, views, and business logic
- Set up sales pipelines, product catalogs, and quote management
- Implement service management and entitlements
- Configure Dynamics 365 app for Outlook integration
-
Implement security and customize Dynamics 365 (20–25%)
- Configure role-based access control (RBAC) and hierarchical security
- Implement field-level security and row-level security
- Apply security roles and business units
- Manage team ownership and shared records
- Configure API security and OAuth flows
-
Configure and customize Dataverse and model-driven apps (25–30%)
- Create and manage tables, columns, relationships
- Implement calculated and rollup fields
- Apply business rules and workflow automations
- Configure plug-ins and real-time workflows
- Manage solution layering and managed solutions
-
Implement Dynamics 365 Customer Insights capabilities (10–15%)
- Configure Customer Insights – Data (unified customer profiles)
- Implement Customer Insights – Journeys (customer journey orchestration)
- Create segments and journeys for targeted engagement
- Integrate predictive models and AI-driven recommendations
- Monitor and optimize customer data platforms (CDP)
Source: Study Guide for Exam MB-280 ↗
Common skills at Associate Level — CRM & Business Applications
- Dataverse data modeling and configuration (tables, relationships, business rules)
- Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service app customization
- Microsoft Power Platform fundamentals (Power Apps, Power Automate)
- Role-based access control (RBAC) and security architecture
- Customer journey mapping and segmentation
- Third-party integration and API connectivity
- Solution lifecycle management (dev, test, production)
- Power Fx formula language (Power Apps and calculated fields)
- Troubleshooting and performance optimization in model-driven apps
- Change management and end-user training strategies
Recommended courses
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn | [MB-280-A: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst (Official Course)] | Free | ↗ |
| Microsoft Learn | [Prepare for Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst (Learning Path)] | Free | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | [Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Path] | $299/yr | ↗ |
| Udemy | [MB-280: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst] | $15–$120 | ↗ |
| CloudThat | [MB-280 Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate Training] | $599–$799 | ↗ |
| A Cloud Guru | [Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst (MB-280)] | $49–$149/yr | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Prioritize Microsoft Learn (free, official) for foundational knowledge. Pluralsight for comprehensive video depth. Udemy for targeted, affordable exam prep. CloudThat and A Cloud Guru for hands-on lab environments.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp | [Microsoft MB-280 Official Practice Test] | $99–$149 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | [Exam MB-280: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst] | $39–$79 | ↗ |
| ExamTopics | [MB-280 Free Practice Questions] | Free | ↗ |
| Microsoft Learn | [MB-280 Practice Assessment (Official)] | Free | ↗ |
Practice exam note: MeasureUp is the official Microsoft partner and includes detailed explanations and references to official documentation. Use 1–2 practice exams 2–3 weeks before your exam date to identify weak domains and refine time management.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst: MB-280 Exam Guide | Not yet published | Packt / Sybex | 2026 | TBD | N/A |
Book note: No dedicated MB-280 study guide is currently available in print. The official Microsoft Learn study guide and course series remain the primary study resources. Candidates may reference legacy MB-210, MB-220, and MB-260 books (retired 2024) for foundational Dynamics 365 knowledge, though exam objectives have shifted. Check publisher websites (Packt, Sybex, Pearson) for 2026 release announcements.
Typical job titles at Associate Level
D365 Customer Experience Consultant · Dynamics 365 CRM Functional Consultant · Sales Cloud Consultant (Microsoft) · Customer Insights Analyst · Dynamics 365 Sales Consultant · Business Solutions Consultant · CRM Implementation Specialist · Microsoft Solutions Implementation Manager · Customer Experience Architect · Data Analyst (Dynamics 365)
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings requiring MB-280 or equivalent hands-on Dynamics 365 experience.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $75k–$125k (roles requiring MB-280 or D365 CRM functional consultant experience) | Glassdoor ↗ · ZipRecruiter ↗ · PayScale ↗ |
| ZAR | No verified cert-specific data available — use general CRM Consultant range (R350k–R750k) | PayScale ZA ↗ · CareerJunction ↗ |
| GBP | £45k–£85k | IT Jobs Watch ↗ · Hays UK ↗ |
| EUR | €50k–€85k (DE/FR/NL average) | Qubit Labs ↗ |
| AUD | A$85k–A$140k | Seek.com.au ↗ |
Salary note: MB-280 is an Associate-level cert and typically qualifies for functional consultant and implementation specialist roles with 2–5 years hands-on CRM experience. Salaries correlate strongly with industry vertical (Financial Services, Manufacturing, Healthcare command 10–20% premiums), geography (major metro areas 15–25% higher), and prior certifications (PL-200 or PL-400 stacking adds 5–10%). Expert-level certs (MB-700 Solutions Architect) command 20–35% higher salaries.
Skills validated
- Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service app configuration and customization
- Dataverse table and relationship design (forms, views, business logic)
- Row-level and organization-level security implementation
- Calculated fields, rollup fields, and business rule authoring
- Plug-in development fundamentals (real-time workflows, async jobs)
- Model-driven app navigation and interface customization
- Customer Insights – Data unification and segmentation
- Customer Insights – Journeys orchestration and automation
- Outlook integration and mobile app configuration
- Performance tuning and troubleshooting in Dynamics 365 environments
- Solution lifecycle management and ALM (Application Lifecycle Management)
Related certifications
- Prerequisites: PL-900 (Power Platform Fundamentals) ↗ — helpful background in Power Platform concepts
- Stacks with: PL-200 (Power Platform Functional Consultant) ↗ · PL-100 (Power Platform App Maker) ↗
- Prerequisite for: MB-700 (Dynamics 365 Solutions Architect Expert) ↗ · PL-600 (Power Platform Solution Architect Expert) ↗
- Replaces: MB-210 (Dynamics 365 Sales) ↗ (retired Nov 30, 2024) · MB-220 (Customer Insights – Journeys) ↗ (retired Nov 30, 2024) · MB-260 (Customer Insights – Data) ↗ (retired Nov 30, 2024)
- Migration path: AB-210 (Accelerate Sales Pipelines with AI in Dynamics 365) ↗ — Microsoft's recommended upgrade post–July 2026
- Related domain: PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst Associate) ↗ — for BI and analytics integration with Dynamics 365
- Cross-vendor alternative: Salesforce Certified Administrator or Salesforce Certified Business Analyst (at equivalent functional-consultant level)
- Ecosystem guide: Microsoft Dynamics 365 + Power Platform Ecosystem ↗
- Vendor overview: Microsoft Certification Overview ↗
Important notice: Certification retirement
This certification retires on July 31, 2026. Microsoft is transitioning from broad CRM coverage to AI-first sales acceleration. Candidates should plan accordingly:
- If you plan to pursue MB-280, complete the exam by July 31, 2026.
- If you already hold MB-280, you have until July 31, 2026 to renew; after this date, the cert is no longer valid.
- Microsoft's recommended transition path: AB-210 Accelerate Sales Pipelines with AI in Dynamics 365 (released late 2025) emphasizes AI-driven sales workflows, copilot capabilities, and agent-assisted customer engagement — a strategic shift reflecting Microsoft's AI-first product roadmap.
Sources
- Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate
- Study Guide for Exam MB-280
- Course MB-280-A: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst
- Dynamics 365 Community: Preparing for MB-280
- Evolving Microsoft Credentials for Dynamics 365
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Certifications: The Complete List
- 3 Dynamics 365 Certifications Retiring and Why You Shouldn't Panic
- Glassdoor: Dynamics CRM Consultant Salary
- ZipRecruiter: Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant Salary
- PayScale: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Skill Salary
- MeasureUp Microsoft Practice Tests
- Whizlabs Certification Exams
- ExamTopics: MB-280 Free Practice Questions
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Microsoft Dynamics 365 + Power Platform Ecosystem
Parent domain: CRM & Business Applications
Vendor overview: Microsoft Certification Vendor Overview