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Microsoft Exam Syllabus

PL-500 syllabus, skills measured, and exam topics

The PL-500 exam measures Design automations, Develop automations, and Deploy and manage automations. Use this page to review the current official syllabus, major domains, and source links before exam day.

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Skills measured by domain

Use the weighting table to decide where to spend the most study time.

Domain Weight
Design automations 25–30%
Develop automations 45–50%
Deploy and manage automations 20–25%

What to know before you study

These sections explain the role, audience, and exam framing behind the outline.

Purpose of this document

  • This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
  • Useful links: Description
  • Review the skills measured as of July 8, 2024: This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.
  • Review the skills measured prior to July 8, 2024: Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided.
  • Change log: You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided.
  • How to earn the certification: Some certifications only require passing one exam, while others require passing multiple exams.
  • Certification renewal: Microsoft associate, expert, and specialty certifications expire annually. You can renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn.
  • Your Microsoft Learn profile: Connecting your certification profile to Microsoft Learn allows you to schedule and renew exams and share and print certificates.
  • Exam scoring and score reports: A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.
  • Exam sandbox: You can explore the exam environment by visiting our exam sandbox.
  • Request accommodations: If you use assistive devices, require extra time, or need modification to any part of the exam experience, you can request an accommodation.
  • Take a free Practice Assessment: Test your skills with practice questions to help you prepare for the exam.

Updates to the exam

  • Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.
  • We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.
  • The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.
  • Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Audience profile

  • As a candidate for this exam, you automate Windows-based, browser-based, and terminal-based applications that are time-consuming or contain repetitive processes. You use a mix of automation approaches like:
  • UI
  • API
  • Database
  • You analyze, design, and implement automations by using Power Automate desktop flows and cloud flows. As a robotic process automation (RPA) developer, you use actions for logic and work with:
  • Data
  • Applications
  • Services
  • You work with business stakeholders to optimize business workflows. You partner with administrators to deploy and support solutions in other environments.
  • Additionally, as a candidate, you should have experience with:
  • The Windows desktop environment
  • Scripting languages such as VBScript and JavaScript

Detailed outline

Scan each section as a working study checklist instead of one long wall of text.

Design automations (25–30%)

  • Leverage the Power Automate ecosystem
  • Differentiate between cloud flows and desktop flows
  • Design automations using desktop flows and cloud flows
  • Differentiate trigger types for cloud flows
  • Differentiate options for interacting with target applications and browsers
  • Differentiate the different methods for running a desktop flow
  • Assess the ability to run cloud and desktop flows concurrently
  • Recommend running desktop flows attended versus unattended
  • Differentiate HTTP actions in cloud and desktop flows
  • Assess if work queues are applicable for the automation
  • Design custom actions
  • Design automations that include canvas and model-driven apps

Develop automations (45–50%)

  • Develop a cloud flow that calls a desktop flow
  • Develop and use child cloud flows including passing and returning data
  • Perform actions in cloud flows by calling external APIs
  • Implement trigger conditions and concurrency in cloud flows
  • Implement timeout and retry policies in cloud flows
  • Implement data objects and data operations in cloud flows
  • Perform text parsing including JSON, XML, and CSV in cloud flows
  • Implement UI options
  • Implement datatables, lists, and custom objects in desktop flows
  • Implement subflows in desktop flows
  • Perform actions in desktop flows by calling external APIs
  • Implement timeout and retry in desktop flows

Deploy and manage automations (20–25%)

  • Implement Microsoft Power Platform application lifecycle management (ALM)
  • Differentiate credentials used for different environments
  • Recommend how to deploy solution components to other environments
  • Build virtual desktop environments for unattended desktop flow execution
  • Assess Microsoft Power Platform DLP policies
  • Assess how DLP policies impact actions in cloud and desktop flows
  • Assess how DLP policies apply to custom connectors
  • Perform sharing of cloud and desktop flows
  • Perform sharing of machines and machine groups
  • Recommend security roles required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows
  • Implement service accounts and service principals
  • Assess machine and machine group requirements

Skills measured prior to July 8, 2024

  • Candidates for this exam automate Windows-based, browser-based, and terminal-based applications that are time-consuming or contain repetitive processes. They use a mix of approaches like UI, API, and database automations.
  • Candidates analyze and design processes for automation and implement automations using Power Automate for desktop and Power Automate cloud flows. RPA developers use actions for logic and to work with data, applications, and services.
  • Candidates work with business stakeholders to optimize business workflows. They work with administrators to deploy solutions to other environments and support solutions.
  • Additionally, candidates should have experience with the Windows desktop environment, scripting languages, Power Automate cloud and desktop flows, AI Builder, Process Advisor, and Microsoft Dataverse.
  • Design automations (30–35%)
  • Develop automations (40–45%)
  • Deploy and manage automations (20–25%)