It’s been a while since I posted an “all-up CRM 4 training and certification” article, so without further ado, here it is, starting with the core skills areas:

Applications

• Course: Applications in Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8913b.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/632.mspx
• Editorial comments:  The Applications class is quite good (if you get a good instructor!), but it is not sufficient to prepare you for the Applications exam, which in my opinion is the hardest of the three core exams to pass! You will need a lot of Dynamics CRM experience, and you will need to know the web and Outlook UI’s very well to pass the exam.
• Here’s an article I wrote on this exam that a lot of people tell me they’ve found helpful.
• Links to all of the practice tests can be found on the new Certification Prep page hosted on www.IMGinc.net

Customization

• Course: Customization and Configuration in Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8912a.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/631.mspx
• Editorial comments: The Customization and Configuration exam is an excellent exam, in my opinion: it’s relatively difficult, but it’s well-written and it tests concepts that you actually need to know to be an effective customizer and configurator (if that’s how you’d say it). The Configuration part is what’s new in the 4.0 exam compared to the 3.0 version: to pass this exam, you need to understand business units and security, system settings, and multi-currency and multi-lingual issues (in addition to the core customization topics).  
• Here’s an article I posted recently specifically on The Dynamics CRM Customization Platform and Exam 30-631. (But be forwarned: I reveal my true inner geek in the videos linked to from the article) 
• Links to all of the practice tests can be found on the new Certification Prep page hosted on www.IMGinc.net

Installation

• Course: Installation and Deployment in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8911B.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/633.mspx
• Editorial comments: Installation and Deployment is an OK exam – not fantastic but not terrible either. The trick about this exam is preparing for it. I always emphasize to students that the single best resource for preparing for this exam is the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide – not the Microsoft Official Curriculum course. Memorize the Planning and Installing chapters and you will get at least a 40% on the exam (of course, you need another 30 points to pass it!)
• Here’s an article I wrote specifically on preparing for the Installation and Deployment exam.  
• Links to all of the practice tests can be found on the new Certification Prep page hosted on www.IMGinc.net