By 2030, 1.8 million new tech skills will be needed, creating opportunities for those with the right expertise. As Salesforce plays a growing role in digital transformation across industries, building Salesforce expertise through certification can help you stand out. Whether you’re a customer, partner, or job seeker, we’re here to support you – starting with our Foundation certifications.
What are Salesforce Foundation Certifications?
Foundation certifications are designed for individuals with 0-6 months of experience who want to build their Salesforce skills. These entry-level certifications help you gain confidence, understand key concepts, and explore career opportunities without needing to commit to a specific path. Today, there are six Foundation certifications available:
- Salesforce Platform Foundations Certification
The Salesforce Platform Foundations Certification is ideal for users who are familiar with the platform and want to validate their understanding of reporting, user administration, data management, customization, and sharing. No technical expertise required — just a desire to grow their Salesforce knowledge. - Marketing Cloud Engagement Foundations Certification
The Marketing Cloud Engagement Foundations Certification is designed for individuals with a basic understanding of Salesforce and Marketing Cloud Engagement. It validates knowledge of marketing concepts, platform fundamentals, and campaign management – a great starting point for individuals exploring careers in digital marketing or who plan to pursue additional marketing certifications. - Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Foundations Certification
The Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Foundation Certification is designed for individuals who would like to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in designing and building marketing campaigns within Account Engagement. The candidate possesses the experience and knowledge to build focused marketing processes that incorporate the different strategies for email marketing, lead generation, and lead qualification. The candidate should also be able to effectively use reports to make data-driven decisions. - MuleSoft Integration Foundations Certification
The MuleSoft Integration Foundations Certification is designed for individuals who are interested in working as an informed member of a MuleSoft project team. Candidates should have knowledge of core integration and API-led connectivity terminology and concepts and should understand the benefits of Anypoint Platform for system integration and API management. - Sales Foundations Certification
The Sales Foundations Certification is designed for individuals who have broad knowledge of the sales process and be proficient in planning, customer and prospect research, deal management, pipeline management, forecasting, and closing deals with value. Candidates should also have a detailed understanding of their customers, putting them at the center with a commitment to their success, leading with empathy. - Tableau Desktop Foundations Certification
The Tableau Desktop Foundations Certification is designed for individuals with foundational knowledge of Tableau Desktop and its core capabilities. Candidates should be proficient in connecting to data, exploring and analyzing data, and sharing insights through visualizations. They demonstrate an understanding of key concepts such as data types, filters, dashboards, and basic calculations.
How are Foundation Certifications different?
Foundation Certifications are tailored for those just getting started with Salesforce. The exams are shorter, focused on essential skills, and don’t require ongoing maintenance like professional certifications do.
Professional Certifications are intended for experienced users in specific roles or product areas, with most requiring yearly maintenance to stay current with new releases and best practices.
Why earn a Foundations Certification?
If you’re new to Salesforce, it can be tough to know where to begin. Foundation Certifications provide a clear starting point — helping you build core knowledge and explore which path might be right for you.
Trailblazer and Salesforce MVP Lizz Hellinga shared why she believes this type of certification fills an important gap:
“Firstly, having an understanding of Salesforce is important for many jobs. Not everyone becomes a Salesforce Administrator, but everyone needs Salesforce skills. This fills a gap that was missing.”
“Secondly, this is a great stepping stone for those planning to sit for the Salesforce Administrator exam one day. I teach an ‘Intro to Salesforce’ course at City Colleges, with Rebe de la Paz. This will keep students engaged while they explore Salesforce careers. They might even be able to get a job using Salesforce in some capacity because of this cert.”
Get certified
Ready to start your journey? To earn a Foundations Certification, you’ll take a 40-question exam (online or in person) and have 70 minutes to complete it. Each exam has a different set of suggested requirements and exam guides.
- Join the Certification Exam Resources Trailblazer Community Group, where you can collaborate with others and find support. Connect with Trailblazers from around the globe to reach your goals together.
- Read the certification details and prepare for your exam with your foundational certification prep resources.
- When you’re ready, schedule your exam at a test center or online. You’ve got this!
