7 October 2026, 07:03 PM
I have been studying for the Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator exam, but there is a point where I am slightly unsure of myself, and that has to do with configuration. There is a lot covered in the exam, and I wonder whether it is best that I should spend more time configuring Salesforce or knowing why each part of it exists.
From what I’ve seen so far, configuration seems pretty important. Things like profiles and permission sets, sharing rules, validation rules, object and field settings, reports, dashboards, and automation all seem to require more than just memorising definitions.
In my view, what is more helpful is understanding the logic behind why one configuration is selected over the other. For example, if the question presents a case where there is a need for certain access, then knowing the difference between profiles, permission sets, and sharing will help me come up with the solution.
I am also trying to get used to scenarios where there is more than one possible answer, but only one that meets the requirement. That’s where I think hands-on practice can help, because actually testing a configuration makes it easier to understand what changes for the user or record.
I’m also trying not to overlook the other areas of the exam, especially data management, security, reporting, and user administration. So far, I’m using Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator exam questions to see which areas I’m still weak in and then going back into Salesforce to practice those concepts. I’m finding this approach useful because it gives me a better idea of which topics I understand in theory and which ones I need to revisit with actual practice.
Because there are a number of different factors that have to be balanced when preparing for the exam, I am now examining broader sources for certification preparation beyond one medium. It is easy to keep track of my progress when there are different mediums such as documentation, practical experience, and question-based practice. I’ve been using resources from CertBoosters alongside my other preparation materials, mainly as another way to review certification topics and test my understanding.
For those who have already written the test, how much of the practical configuration did you actually do during your preparation process? Is it better to know why something is configured rather than just remembering how it is done?
From what I’ve seen so far, configuration seems pretty important. Things like profiles and permission sets, sharing rules, validation rules, object and field settings, reports, dashboards, and automation all seem to require more than just memorising definitions.
In my view, what is more helpful is understanding the logic behind why one configuration is selected over the other. For example, if the question presents a case where there is a need for certain access, then knowing the difference between profiles, permission sets, and sharing will help me come up with the solution.
I am also trying to get used to scenarios where there is more than one possible answer, but only one that meets the requirement. That’s where I think hands-on practice can help, because actually testing a configuration makes it easier to understand what changes for the user or record.
I’m also trying not to overlook the other areas of the exam, especially data management, security, reporting, and user administration. So far, I’m using Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator exam questions to see which areas I’m still weak in and then going back into Salesforce to practice those concepts. I’m finding this approach useful because it gives me a better idea of which topics I understand in theory and which ones I need to revisit with actual practice.
Because there are a number of different factors that have to be balanced when preparing for the exam, I am now examining broader sources for certification preparation beyond one medium. It is easy to keep track of my progress when there are different mediums such as documentation, practical experience, and question-based practice. I’ve been using resources from CertBoosters alongside my other preparation materials, mainly as another way to review certification topics and test my understanding.
For those who have already written the test, how much of the practical configuration did you actually do during your preparation process? Is it better to know why something is configured rather than just remembering how it is done?