Analytics-Con-201 · ● Active · Professional · Salesforce
A professional-level certification validating expertise in unified data analytics, dashboard design, predictive modeling, and AI-driven insights using Salesforce's CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery platforms. Launched as Tableau CRM Specialist; renamed in 2024 to reflect current product branding. Certification is valid for 3 years and requires maintenance through CE credits or exam retake.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $200 USD (standard); retakes $100 |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored + up to 5 unscored (65 total) |
| Passing | 65% (raw score) |
| Format | Multiple choice + multiple response (scenario-based) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE OnVUE (proctored online) or testing center |
| Languages | English (primary); localized versions available |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | Salesforce quarterly CE credits or retake exam |
| Prerequisites | None formally; recommended: 6+ months hands-on CRM Analytics experience + Salesforce Administrator or Platform App Builder cert |
| Released | 2021 (as Tableau CRM Specialist); renamed to CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant in 2024 |
| Retiring | N/A — currently active and maintained |
Vendor source — Salesforce CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Credential ↗
Official exam guide — Salesforce Certified CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Exam Guide ↗
Exam objectives — Cert Prep: CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant (Trailhead) ↗
About
Salesforce Certified CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant (Analytics-Con-201) is a professional-level certification for analytics professionals, consultants, and architects who design and implement data-driven insights using Salesforce's unified CRM Analytics platform (formerly Tableau CRM) and Einstein Discovery predictive AI. The certification validates hands-on expertise across datasets, data flows, recipes (ETL), lens creation, dashboard design, and predictive modeling. It bridges analytics infrastructure (data modeling, security, performance) with end-user experience (dashboard usability, storytelling). As of May 2026, this cert remains a core credential for Salesforce analytics specialists seeking to advance into architect or advisory roles, with documented salary premiums of $8K–$20K+ over baseline CRM admin roles.
Domain context — Analytics/AI
Data analytics, business intelligence, and predictive AI applied to customer relationship management — unified data platforms, dashboards, visualizations, recipe-driven ETL, and machine-learning-powered forecasting within Salesforce.
Read full deep dive — Salesforce Ecosystem →
Topics covered
Exam blueprint (6 core areas, with weightings from official Salesforce exam guide):
- Admin Configuration & Data Layer Management (17%) — CRM Analytics org setup, security, data layer architecture, field types, entity relationships, custom fields, data modeling.
- Data Integration & ETL (23%) — Datasets, dataflows, data sources, connectors, transformations, field mappings, recipe creation, incremental refresh logic, scheduling.
- Security & Access Management (16%) — Sharing rules, predicate-based access, field-level security, RLS (row-level security), Salesforce data cloud integration, compliance.
- Lens Creation & Analytics Dashboard Design (13%) — Lens building (KPI, table, gauge, chart types), interactions, drill-downs, filters, sorting, best practices for exploratory analytics.
- Analytics Dashboard Implementation & Optimization (19%) — Dashboard layout, page design, performance tuning, embedded analytics, mobile responsiveness, user adoption patterns.
- Einstein Discovery & Predictive Modeling (12%) — Recipe creation, model training, accuracy metrics, SAQL (Salesforce Analytics Query Language) fundamentals, prediction insights, action recommendations.
Source: Salesforce CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Exam Tips ↗
Common skills at Analytics/AI · Professional
Shared baseline for CRM analytics and business intelligence roles at Professional level — not exclusive to this cert.
- Data warehouse / data lake architecture and design (dimensional modeling, star schema, fact/dimension tables).
- ETL pipeline design and implementation (data quality, incremental loads, SCD handling).
- SQL fundamentals (SELECT, JOIN, aggregations, window functions).
- Dashboard and visualization design (storytelling, hierarchy, drill-down patterns).
- Statistical concepts (mean, median, correlation, variance, hypothesis testing).
- Predictive modeling fundamentals (regression, classification, model evaluation).
- Change management and stakeholder communication.
- Security and governance (PII handling, audit trails, access controls).
- Business process mapping and requirements translation.
Recommended courses at Analytics/AI · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Trailhead (official) | Study for the CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Exam (trail) | Free | ↗ |
| Salesforce Trailhead (official) | Cert Prep: CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant: Data Layer and Admin (module) | Free | ↗ |
| Salesforce Trailhead (official) | Implementing CRM Analytics (ANC301) — instructor-led or self-paced | $395–$795 | ↗ |
| Salesforce Trailhead (official) | Building Lenses, Dashboards, and Apps in CRM Analytics (ANC201) | $395–$795 | ↗ |
| Salesforce Ben (independent) | CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Certification Guide & Tips | Free | ↗ |
| Udemy (independent) | Salesforce Certified CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Exam Prep | $15–$80 | ↗ |
| Udemy (independent) | Salesforce CRM Analytics & Einstein Discovery Practice Tests | $15–$80 | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Official Trailhead modules are authoritative and hands-on labs are invaluable (6+ months hands-on experience is strongly recommended). Paid Trailhead Academy courses (ANC201, ANC301) provide instructor-led depth. Third-party platforms (Udemy, CertsHero) supply practice exams and exam strategy. Most candidates combine Trailhead + one paid prep course.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Trailhead (official) | Cert Prep modules (interactive flashcards + scenario labs) | Free | ↗ |
| CertsHero (independent) | Salesforce Certified CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Practice Test | $79–$99 | ↗ |
| VMExam (independent) | Analytics-Con-201 CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Practice Exam | $49–$99 | ↗ |
| Focus on Force (independent) | CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Study Guide & Practice Exams | $99–$149 | ↗ |
Best practice: Take at least one full-length, timed 60-question practice exam under exam conditions (90 min, 65% passing threshold). CertsHero and Focus on Force are widely recommended for scenario-based format mirroring the real exam.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No dedicated certified textbook | — | — | — | — | — |
Book status: As of May 2026, no dedicated O'Reilly, Sybex, or Pearson textbook exists for Analytics-Con-201 (the platform evolves too rapidly for print publishing to keep pace). Study materials are official Trailhead modules, Salesforce-published exam guides, hands-on labs, and third-party practice platforms. Community-authored ebooks and blogs (Salesforce Ben, Focus on Force) supplement official resources.
Typical job titles at Analytics/AI · Professional
CRM Analytics Specialist · Einstein Discovery Analyst · Salesforce Analytics Consultant · Business Intelligence Architect · Salesforce Data Analyst · Analytics Solutions Architect · BI Developer · Data Intelligence Specialist
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings — Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor — that list Analytics-Con-201 or equivalent CRM Analytics expertise as required or strongly preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $85,000 – $130,000 (specialist / analyst roles); $130,000–$180,000+ (architects, senior consultants) | ZipRecruiter Einstein Analytics (Apr 2026) ↗ · Salesforce Ben Salary Infographic ↗ · Focus on Force Salary Comparison ↗ |
| ZAR | R1,400,000 – R2,100,000/year (specialist-level, ~$75K–$115K USD equivalent); R2,100,000–R2,900,000+ (architect) estimated from USD benchmarks. | Pnet SA ↗ · CareerJunction ZA ↗ · PayScale ZA ↗ |
| GBP | £65,000–£105,000 (specialist/analyst level); £105,000–£160,000+ (architect, senior consultant). London and South East roles command 15–20% premium. | Hays UK Salesforce ↗ · IT Jobs Watch UK ↗ · Glassdoor UK ↗ |
| EUR | €75,000–€120,000 (specialist average, DE/NL/FR); €120,000–€170,000+ (architect, mid-market). | Glassdoor EU ↗ · PayScale EU ↗ |
Salary rule: Verified data from live job boards and salary surveys as of May 2026. Analytics specialists with this cert command $8K–$20K+ premium over baseline CRM admin roles due to specialized data modeling and predictive skills. Regional ZAR/GBP data extrapolated from broader Salesforce consultant benchmarks where cert-specific data is sparse.
Skills validated
Concrete, testable capabilities this exam assesses — distinct from general "analytics professional" skills.
- Designing and implementing data layers from relational or cloud data sources (multi-source connectors, field mapping, relationship modeling).
- Creating and optimizing dataflows and recipes for incremental ETL and data transformation (SOQL-to-CRM Analytics pipeline).
- Applying row-level and field-level security to protect sensitive customer data in analytics contexts.
- Authoring multi-type lenses (KPI, table, chart, gauge) with drill-down and interactive filtering.
- Designing responsive dashboards for web and mobile with performance optimization.
- Configuring Einstein Discovery recipes to train predictive models on cleaned datasets.
- Interpreting model quality metrics (R², confusion matrix, feature importance) and selecting appropriate algorithms.
- Writing SAQL (Salesforce Analytics Query Language) for custom queries and advanced calculations.
- Troubleshooting data refresh failures, performance bottlenecks, and access issues.
- Implementing embedded analytics and Salesforce Data Cloud integration for unified customer profiles.
Related certifications
- Prerequisite foundation (strongly recommended, not required): Salesforce Certified Administrator ↗ — platform fundamentals, security model, field types.
- Complementary cert (same level): Salesforce Certified Data Cloud Consultant ↗ — unified customer data platform (often stacks with CRM Analytics for 360° insights).
- Stacks with: Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I (PDI) ↗ — for developers building programmatic connectors or custom analytics components.
- Builds toward (higher-level): Salesforce Certified Solutions Architect or Data Architect — architect-level data strategy and system design.
- Lateral move: Salesforce Certified Tableau Desktop Specialist ↗ — Tableau standalone skills for data visualization (different platform, overlapping domain).
- Vendor overview: Salesforce Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Salesforce CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Credential (official) ↗
- Study for the CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Exam (Trailhead trail) ↗
- Cert Prep: CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant: Data Layer and Admin ↗
- CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Certification Guide & Tips (Salesforce Ben) ↗
- Stay Certified: CRM Analytics and Einstein Updates for 2026 (Trailhead) ↗
- Salesforce Certified CRM Analytics and Einstein Discovery Consultant Quick Facts (Certification Practice) ↗
- ZipRecruiter: Salesforce Einstein Analytics Jobs & Salary (Apr 2026) ↗
- Average Salesforce Salaries 2026 Infographic (Salesforce Ben) ↗
- Salesforce Consultant Salary Comparison by Country (Focus on Force) ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent ecosystem: Salesforce Ecosystem Parent domain: Analytics/AI Vendor overview: Salesforce Vendor Overview