Microsoft retired the PL-200 Power Platform Functional Consultant exam on 31 August 2026. Its replacement is AB-410, Building Intelligent Applications, which leads to the Intelligent Applications Builder Associate certification. If your team had PL-200 on its training plan, this is the moment to update it. PL-300, the Power BI Data Analyst exam, continues.
The two exams side by side
| PL-300 | AB-410 | |
|---|---|---|
| Certification | Power BI Data Analyst Associate | Intelligent Applications Builder Associate |
| Status (Sept 2026) | Active; skills updated 20 April 2026 | Active; replaces PL-200; skills updated 15 May 2026 |
| Best for | Analysts, finance and FP&A, anyone who owns reports | People who build internal apps, automations and AI agents on Power Platform |
| Main tools | Power Query, DAX, Power BI Service | Dataverse, Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio agents |
| Skills measured | Prepare data 25–30% · Model data 25–30% · Visualise and analyse 25–30% · Manage and secure 15–20% | Foundation for intelligent apps 25–30% · Create intelligent apps 25–30% · Business logic and automation 40–45% |
| Pass mark | 700 | 700 |
What changed with AB-410
PL-200 tested how well someone configures Power Platform solutions. AB-410 keeps much of that ground, including Dataverse data models, model-driven and canvas apps, and cloud flows, but adds AI throughout: building agents, adding Copilot features to apps and Power Pages sites, and using AI models and prompts. People who studied for PL-200 are not starting from zero; the new material is mainly the AI and agent work.
Which one should your team take?
- Reporting and analysis roles (finance, sales operations, HR analytics): PL-300. It matches what they do every week.
- Process owners and citizen developers who automate approvals, build internal apps or want AI agents: AB-410.
- A small team that does both: start with PL-300 for the report owners, then AB-410 for one or two builders.
Microsoft associate certifications are valid for one year and renew through a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn. If someone on your team already holds the Power Platform Functional Consultant certification, check its renewal status on their Microsoft Learn profile.
A certificate is not the goal
The exam proves knowledge; the business value comes from a working report or app. We prepare teams for both at the same time. Each person builds on your company's own data and processes, so they leave with a working result and are ready for the exam.
How we run it at Cairo Syntax
Our data track follows Microsoft's certification path: data foundations, then PL-300, then Level 3 aligned with AB-410, covering Power Platform and AI agents. Training runs in Arabic or English, at your office in Egypt or the Gulf, or online.
Sources (opened 28 September 2026): PL-300 study guide · PL-200 retirement notice · AB-410 study guide · Intelligent Applications Builder Associate (Microsoft Learn).