As with my previous certification exams, my preparation for Field Service Lightning Consultant was initially the same, start with the official study guide, but there was some lessons learned in the process this time, requiring a deeper dig to be successful.
First lesson learned: Always look at the release version of the exam! When registering for an exam, note that the release version is appended to the exam title. (SU16) Summer 16, (WI17) Winter 17, (SP17) Spring 17, and so on. This was crucial in this particular exam, since FSL is growing significantly with every release, my original modeling in a Summer 17 org with the Summer Release of FSL would not fully apply as the exam is modeled on Spring 17, and there is significant changes in FSL for Summer 17.
Now that my certification journey is release dependent, how do you study for a release dependent exam? FSL is so new, its not on trailhead (as of 6/8/17), also not in the Salesforce guide to all certifications yet, so we really are trailblazing this one!
So where does one start with learning an emerging product? Well, I headed for the success community! after some digging there, I found this group: Field Service Lightning Support Listed there is two key docs, that I printed out and read over and over again.
Compete Guide to Field Service
Field Service Lightning Managed Package Guide
In addition to those two key docs, I consumed everything else on the site, including reading through the chatter. Finally, read through the Field Service Release Notes
Now that you are fully read up…. back to modeling.
With modelling, here is another key link to your success FSL Managed Package Installer you will need this to set up and and configure the FSL managed package, a key learning to passing the certification. If you have access to a org with more than two seats, I would recommend that, as there are several actors in the FSL experience, each with unique permission sets, Standard, Dispatcher, Scheduling, Mobile. If not, don’t worry, you can wear all the hats in a dev org, just may need to inactivate a user time to time.
Another Key part to modelling.. the mobile app. install it on your phone, connect it to your FSL instance, learn what you can customize and what you cannot. Learn the “order of operations” of off-line mode. What is available in off-line mode, and how it syncs back to the instance, when connectivity is available.
Once you have all that installed and configured, and have a handle on how scheduling and optimization works by acting in the different roles, and did all the reading mentioned above, you should be well prepared for the exam.
As I always say, the best practice exam is the exam! there is no substitute for the real thing, and you are a success just for sitting for it. If you are not successful, analyse your section level feedback ( I do.. even when I pass! ) and learn what you need to focus on, go back and research or model some more.
