Salesforce Admin exam-day guide
Salesforce Admin · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Use a valid, unexpired ID (passport or driver's license). The name must match your exam registration exactly - if it does not, fix it with the provider before test day.
Registration confirmation and login credentials
Know your testing-account username and password, plus your appointment confirmation number and the exact start time in your local time zone.
Completed system test (online-proctored exams)
Run the provider's equipment check on the same computer, webcam, microphone, and network you will use on exam day. Do it at least 24 hours ahead, not minutes before.
Private, quiet, well-lit room
You will typically be asked to show the room on camera. Clear the desk of papers, phones, watches, and second screens, and tell household members not to enter.
Secondary ID or identity verification step
Some providers require a second verification (security question, photo capture, or signature). Confirm with the provider what your specific session requires.
Test-center arrival plan (in-person exams)
Confirm the address, parking, and arrival window with the provider, and plan to arrive early since late arrivals may be turned away.
Notes, scratch paper, and calculator policy
Most certification exams prohibit personal notes and require an on-screen or provider-supplied writing surface. Confirm with the provider what is allowed rather than assuming.
Phone silenced and stowed
Put your phone away and out of reach before check-in. Handling it during the exam is commonly treated as a violation.
Water and restroom plan
Take care of both before you begin; unscheduled breaks may not stop your clock. Confirm the provider's break rules in advance.
Backup plan for technical failure
Know the provider's support phone number or chat and have it written down on paper (not only in a file on the exam computer).
Realistic pacing budget
Note your question count and time limit and compute minutes per question - roughly 1.5 to 1.75 minutes each for a 60-question, 105-minute exam. Confirm the current format with the provider.
Settled logistics: sleep, food, and schedule buffer
Do not schedule anything demanding immediately after the exam, and leave buffer time before your start time so a minor delay does not become a missed appointment.
Plan the day
Re-confirm appointment date, time, time zone, and delivery method (test center vs. online proctored). Verify the name on your registration matches your ID. Complete the system test if online. Stop learning new topics; spend remaining study time on your two or three weakest domains using practice questions and short review notes.
Do one timed mixed-topic practice set to rehearse pacing, then review only the explanations you got wrong. Write a one-page summary of concepts you keep missing (sharing and visibility, automation order of execution, permission dependencies, reports vs. list views) and reread only that.
Stop heavy studying. Reread your one-page summary for 30-45 minutes at most. Prepare ID and any allowed items in one place. Confirm the room setup or travel route. Get a normal night's sleep - do not cram late.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate. For online proctoring: close all other applications, restart the machine, plug in power, test camera and mic, and clear the desk. For a test center: arrive per the provider's arrival window with your ID already out. Avoid last-minute discussion of exam content with others.
Read the instructions and any reference/tutorial screens carefully, note the question count and total time, and write your time checkpoints on the allowed writing surface (for example, where you should be at the halfway point).
Answer every question - there is normally no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave a blank. Flag uncertain items and move on rather than burning minutes. Watch your checkpoints; if you are behind, tighten up on easy items. Reserve the last several minutes to revisit flagged questions and confirm you have no unanswered items.
Note whether the score is shown on screen or emailed, and save the confirmation. If you did not pass, capture your domain-level results before closing the browser - they tell you exactly where to focus for a retake. Confirm the retake waiting period with the provider.
Rules to check
Bring valid government-issued photo ID with a name matching your registration exactly; mismatches are the most common reason candidates are refused entry.
Do not bring or use notes, books, phones, smartwatches, or any unauthorized materials. Assume personal scratch paper is not allowed unless the provider explicitly says it is.
Do not communicate with anyone during the exam, do not read questions aloud, and do not let anyone enter the room or appear on camera during an online-proctored session.
Break policy varies by provider and delivery method, and the clock may not stop for an unscheduled break - confirm your session's rules in advance instead of assuming.
Answer every question. Scoring is based on correct answers only, with no deduction for wrong answers, so a guess is always better than a blank.
You may be asked to accept a confidentiality/NDA agreement; do not reproduce, discuss, or share exam questions afterward.
If the connection drops or the proctor pauses the session, stop working and contact the proctor or support immediately - do not attempt to continue on your own.
Retake eligibility, waiting periods, and fees change over time and by region. Confirm the current policy with the provider before you rely on it.