Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate Certification Info
Data Analysts are professionals that are present in any organization despite the sphere it is specialized in (finance, medicine, science, government, business). Such specialists are responsible for collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting data sets. They help organizations implement the best decisions thus helping businesses function effectively and provide improved services. To be competitive in this job role, Microsoft offers candidates to obtain the Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate certification. It proves candidates’ skills in implementing Microsoft Power BI and applying advanced analytic skills to increase and deliver business value through data visualizations. The candidates have to pass one exam DA-100.
The Microsoft DA-100 exam focuses on analyzing data with Microsoft Power BI. The exam assesses your skills to complete the technical tasks related to data preparation, data modeling, its visualizing, analyzing as well as implementing and maintaining deliverables. The exam will contain from 40 to 60 questions which you are to complete within 100 minutes (if the test doesn’t include labs) or 120 minutes (if the test includes labs). You will pass the exam if you score 700 points, but before sitting for this exam, you are to pay the exam fee of $165. Also, this vendor offers candidates who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis, get this accreditation just for $15. As it’s a time-limited offer, try to grab it now. You can schedule this exam on the Pearson VUE platform.
Regarding the topics tested in the exam, there are five of them and each checks your specific skills. The first one refers to data preparation processes. This implies that you are able to collect data from different sources, by connecting to them, choosing a storage mode, utilizing parameters, creating PBIDS files and data flows, applying the XMLA endpoint to connect to a dataset. Then, your skills in profiling the data, cleaning, transforming, and loading it will be assessed.
The second topic focuses on data modeling. Your ability to design and develop a data model, utilize DAX for measuring, and optimize model performance will be tested. Thus, you should be ready to demonstrate how skilled you are in creating tables, defining them, resolving many-to-many relationships, using sensitivity tables, creating hierarchies, utilizing object-level security, working with DAX and CALCULATE, and removing unnecessary columns and rows.
The third topic deals with visualizing data. In this domain, you are required to have expertise related to creating reports and dashboards, and enriching reports for usability. For that purpose, you will need to demonstrate your skills in adding visualization components to reports, implementing filtering and slicing, adding a Smart Narrative visual, creating a PivotTable, setting a mobile view, adding data alerts, and creating interactions between visuals.
The fourth topic is devoted to analyzing data. Within this topic, you will be tested on implementing conditional formatting, using statistical summary, adding a Quick Insights, creating reference lines, and utilizing the Play Axis aspect for better visualization. Your ability to provide advanced analysis will also be measured.
The fifth topic deals with using and maintaining deliverables. Here, your competence in operating datasets and managing workspaces will be assessed. That’s why you should be ready to provide access to datasets, certify Power BI datasets, create large dataset format, configure a workspace, specify workspace roles, and promote Power BI content.
According to the figures found on the Ziprecruiter website, with the Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate certification, you can account for an average salary of $81,908 per year. If this job role is what you need and want to develop in, you can increase your paycheck by advancing your skills and earn up to $139,500 per annum.