MS-900 study plan
MS-900 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services
Map the Microsoft 365 productivity app family (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher) to their cloud and desktop delivery models
Distinguish Microsoft 365 from Office 365 licensing families at a conceptual level without yet memorizing SKUs
Describe Microsoft Teams capabilities across chat, channels, meetings, calling, and webinars
Explain how OneDrive and SharePoint differ in storage scope, sharing model, and sync behavior
Sketch the Microsoft 365 admin center navigation and name the primary admin roles
Your checkpoint
A one-page hand-drawn diagram grouping every Domain 1 service into productivity, collaboration, endpoint, and platform layers, self-checked against Microsoft Learn with zero unlabeled services
Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services
Explain Exchange Online as the mail and calendaring backbone and describe how mail flow is administered
Describe Microsoft Viva modules and the employee-experience problem each one addresses
Differentiate Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, and Microsoft 365 Apps deployment scenarios for endpoint management
Describe the Power Platform components (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages) and give one business use case each
Explain what Microsoft 365 Copilot is and which data boundaries constrain it
Your checkpoint
A 20-item flashcard deck covering Domain 1 services, scored at 18/20 or better on a closed-book self-quiz
Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services & Describe Microsoft 365 security and compliance capabilities
Complete a timed 40-question Domain 1 practice set and log every missed item by sub-topic
Re-teach the three weakest Domain 1 sub-topics in your own words, written out
Define the Microsoft 365 security pillars: identity and access, threat protection, information protection, and compliance
Describe Microsoft Entra ID basics: users, groups, roles, and the difference between cloud-only and hybrid identity
Explain multi-factor authentication, Conditional Access, and password protection as sign-in controls
Your checkpoint
A written error log of the 40-question set with a corrected explanation for each miss and a Domain 1 confidence rating of 4/5 or higher
Describe Microsoft 365 security and compliance capabilities
Differentiate Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, and Defender for Cloud Apps by asset protected
Describe Microsoft Purview capabilities for data classification, sensitivity labels, and data loss prevention
Explain retention policies and retention labels, including how they interact with deletion
Describe eDiscovery, audit, and communication compliance workflows at a process level
Interpret Microsoft Secure Score as an improvement-prioritization tool
Your checkpoint
A side-by-side table of ten Purview and Defender capabilities mapped to the business risk each one mitigates, plus a passing score of 75% or better on a 30-question Domain 2 practice set
Describe Microsoft 365 pricing, licensing, and support
Distinguish the Microsoft 365 Business plans (Basic, Standard, Premium) by user cap, device management, and security inclusions
Compare Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 by the security and compliance workloads each adds
Describe the frontline worker and education licensing families and when each applies
Identify which add-ons carry Copilot, advanced compliance, or telephony capabilities
Explain the base license plus add-on model and how it affects total cost of ownership
Your checkpoint
A plan-comparison matrix of at least eight licensing plans with user caps, included security features, and recommended buyer for each, verified against Microsoft's official licensing documentation
Describe Microsoft 365 pricing, licensing, and support
Describe the support offerings available to Microsoft 365 customers and which tier suits which organization size
Explain FastTrack, self-service purchasing, and the role of a Cloud Solution Provider partner
Describe the Microsoft 365 service lifecycle, including the Modern Lifecycle Policy and the message center
Explain billing models: per-user monthly versus annual commitment and the effect of seat changes mid-term
Describe how the Microsoft 365 roadmap and release channels affect change management
Your checkpoint
A one-page licensing and support recommendation memo for a fictional 250-user company, defended with at least five specific feature or cost justifications
Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services & Describe Microsoft 365 security and compliance capabilities & Describe Microsoft 365 pricing, licensing, and support
Re-rank all three domains by current practice-test accuracy and rebuild study time proportionally
Drill every missed question from weeks 3, 4, and 6 into corrected flashcards
Complete one full-length timed practice exam under exam conditions
Review Microsoft Learn module summaries for the two lowest-scoring sub-topics
Practice eliminating distractor options on licensing and plan-selection questions
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed practice exam score of 80% or better with a prioritized remediation list of no more than five remaining weak areas
Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services & Describe Microsoft 365 security and compliance capabilities & Describe Microsoft 365 pricing, licensing, and support
Clear the remediation list from week 7 by re-testing each weak area to 90% accuracy
Complete two additional full-length timed practice exams on separate days
Recite from memory the domains' weightings and the highest-yield facts for each
Confirm exam logistics: registration, testing environment, identification, and online proctoring requirements
Run a final 30-minute rapid review of licensing SKUs, Purview features, and service definitions
Your checkpoint
Two consecutive full-length practice exams at 85% or better, plus a signed-off one-page exam-day checklist
Milestones
Week 3: Domain 1 practice set completed at 80% or better and a written error log exists with a corrected explanation for every missed question
Week 4: Domain 2 practice set passed at 75% or better, with the Defender and Purview capability table complete and accurate on self-review
Week 6: Domain 3 licensing matrix covers at least eight plans and the 250-user recommendation memo is written with five or more justifications
Week 7: First full-length timed practice exam scored 80% or better, with no more than five weak areas remaining on the remediation list
Week 8: Two consecutive full-length practice exams at 85% or better and all five remediation items re-tested to 90% accuracy