The MO-500: Microsoft Access Expert (Access and Access 2019) exam is a requirement for the appropriate Microsoft Office Specialist: Microsoft Access Expert (Access and Access 2019) certification. Therefore, this test covers the creation process and maintenance of Access Database objects such as tables, relationships, multilevel reports, data entry forms, and multi-table queries. Moreover, candidates must clearly show the right interpretation of the major features of Access and accomplish relevant tasks independently.

Thus, by earning the Microsoft Office Specialist: Access Expert (Access and Access 2019) certificate, you can demonstrate that you have the advanced skills needed to get the most out of Access.

Intended Audience

According to the official website, candidates for the MO-500 exam should be proficient in the application of advanced and specialized Access capabilities and be able to complete appropriate exam tasks.

Concerning the target audience, regardless of industry, if you are a power Microsoft Access user, you can add value to your company thanks to this accreditation exam. So, customer service representatives, data entry professionals, administrative assistants, database managers, and Microsoft Access experts are all applicants for this Microsoft evaluation.

Exam Prerequisites

At the same time, there are no particular prerequisites for this exam. The test verifies that the candidate understands and can apply database design principles. Therefore, it is designed for Access users who have sufficient experience with this program. And while the test also covers fundamental procedures such as creating tables, queries, forms, and reports, this serious exam's primary focus is on the software's intermediate and advanced features. So, ideal candidates may have at least 150 hours of prior experience with Access and a high level of expertise in creating and working with tables, queries, forms, and reports to get the most out of this Microsoft accreditation.

Exam Details

Every candidate should know that exam MO-500 has a 50-minute time limit. During this time, you will have to complete 31 tasks that are aimed at validating your skills. Therefore, you should not neglect your preparation before writing the final exam.

Once you realize that you are fully prepared, you can register for the exam through your Pearson VUE account. Here, you'll have to pay an enrollment fee of $100 and choose a convenient date, test language, and exam format. Conveniently, each candidate can choose either the online option or the in-person one, depending on his or her abilities.

Anyway, to complete the tasks on the MO-500, you'll need a solid understanding of the Microsoft Access functionalities. Besides, this exam is graded on a pass/fail basis.

Exam objectives And Domains

To know in more detail what you have to face, you can study the exam outline. According to this document, the Microsoft MO-500 exam will measure your expertise in the five general areas described below.

Exam Domain 1: Management Of Databases

The first section of the exam focuses on databases including their structure, importing data or objects, managing objects, and using the Navigation Pane. In addition, you must be able to manage relationships between tables as well as set primary and foreign keys. Data exporting and printing skills for records, reports, and forms are also required to successfully pass this evaluation.

Exam Domain 2: Table Creation And Modification

Tables are the core of this test, so be prepared for tasks involving the creation of tables, including the importing of data from other databases and external sources. You must also demonstrate expert table management skills, i.e., the ability to hide fields, add rows, and describe tables. Effective record management is also essential, as each candidate should know how to replace and find data, as well as sort and filter records. Don't forget about field management, as you will probably encounter questions about creating fields as well as changing sizes, data types, and captions.

Exam Domain 3: Query Creation And Modification

The topic of query management is also not left unattended. So you should know how to create, run, and save queries of different formats including multi-table, action, parameter, and crosstab queries. One of the questions can also check if you are able to modify existing requests. In other words, you should demonstrate skills in managing fields, sorting and filtering data, as well as formatting fields.

Exam Domain 4: Form Modification In Layout View

According to the exam content, each candidate should be able to manage form controls. In other words, it requires skills in configuring form control options and adding form labels. Questions also cover the process of form formatting, including establishing a tab order, sorting records, managing positioning, alongside adding information and images.

Exam Domain 5: Report Modification In Layout View

It is worth noting that tasks concerning reports will also be included. Therefore, on the final day of the exam, you should know how to clearly and quickly configure the report controls by sorting the fields and adding labels. You also need to be prepared to prove yourself in report formatting. In other words, you should be able to change positioning, format different elements, change orientation, and add images.

Exam Benefits

If you work as an administrator in an office, one of your responsibilities is to report the financial status of the company. With Microsoft Access 2019 skills, the reporting process will be better and easier to understand. That’s because, all procedures will be simplified and expedited, resulting in increased productivity. As a result, it is reasonable to consider it as one of the Microsoft Access benefits in the workplace.

Moreover, data analysts, staff assistants, database analysts, executive assistants, and a variety of other specialists may need to work with databases. In any case, Microsoft Access is a great tool for working with data at work therefore having advanced expertise in this application may be valuable for your career.

And turning to the numbers, a holder of this certificate earns an average of $55k per year, while a qualified database analyst can raise that figure to $92k according to PayScale.com. Thus, the choice is yours.

Certification Path

Even though this designation is the last point of the Microsoft accreditation path associated with Access, you should not stop there. As you know, the Microsoft Office package includes other products necessary for your daily use and to increase your productivity. Therefore, you will probably be interested in the following qualifications:

• Microsoft Office Specialist: Microsoft Word Expert (Word and Word 2019)
• Microsoft Office Specialist: Microsoft Excel Expert (Excel and Excel 2019)