ADM-201 study plan

Your step-by-step plan

1. Map the blueprint and set a date

   Day 1

   Read the official exam guide and the eight sections with their weights. Book a provisional exam date now: a fixed date turns open-ended study into a plan and is the single biggest predictor of actually sitting the exam. Set up a free Developer Edition org or a Trailhead playground so you can click through every feature you study.

2. Master the security model (Configuration and Setup)

   Week 1

   Get the layered security model solid before anything else, because it is the hardest material and it recurs across the exam. Learn profiles and permission sets for object and field access, then org-wide defaults, role hierarchy, and sharing rules for record access. Use the recall prompts in this guide: cover the summary, answer from memory, then reveal.

3. Build the data model and its presentation (Object Manager and Lightning App Builder)

   Week 2

   Create custom objects, fields, and both relationship types by hand so master-detail versus lookup becomes second nature. Then practise presenting data with record types, page layouts, business processes, and Lightning App Builder, always reaching for the lowest-customisation option such as dynamic forms.

4. Cover the applications and productivity features (Sales, Service, Productivity)

   Week 3

   Work through the sales pipeline, case management, and the collaboration and mobile features. These are lighter, more practical sections, so a focused pass with hands-on clicks plus scenario practice is enough. Keep the first-matching-rule behaviour of assignment and escalation rules front of mind.

5. Go deep on data, analytics, and automation (Data and Analytics, Automation)

   Week 4

   These two carry the most combined weight, so spend the bulk of this week here. Drill the Data Import Wizard versus Data Loader decision, report types, and the dashboard running user, then build record-triggered, screen, and scheduled flows and an approval process. Use scenario questions, not flashcards alone.

6. Practise on scenarios with worked explanations

   Week 5

   Move to full practice sets and read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. The exam tests judgement between plausible declarative options, so understanding why a distractor over-grants access, over-builds, or uses a retired tool is where the marks are.

7. Sit a timed mock and close weak sections

   Week 6

   Take at least one full timed mock to rehearse pacing and flag-and-return, then use your per-section accuracy to drill the two sections dragging you down rather than re-reading what you already know. Repeat until every section clears the pass line with margin on unseen questions.

Frequently asked questions