By: Duane
Published: October 30, 2019
Guide to FileMaker Certification
by Duane Maas
So you want to get certified in FileMaker. I will attempt to help prepare you for the exam. I have taken all the FileMaker Certification exams since FileMaker 9 and have taken over 25 Apple, Microsoft, and other companies certification exams. In order to succeed you need to know what is covered on the exam. It is also essential to know how to approach the exam to maximize your score.
Claris publishes a great guide to the certification exam https://www.filemaker.com/learning/certification/ giving you a look at the topics on which you will be tested.
Here are the General Areas tested and items in the areas to review.
Technical Specifications
Defining Database Schema
Building Layouts
Working with Calculations
Writing Scripts
Securing FileMaker Systems
Deploying Custom Apps
Data Integration
Taking the exam
If you have not taken the certification exam before, here are some things to note to help you score better.
You have 110 minutes to answer the 60 questions on the exam. Some are multiple-choice with a single correct answer.
For Example here is a single answer multiple-choice question.
Where do you edit or add a privilege set?
(a) File > File Options
(b) File > Manage Database
(c) File > Manage Security
(d) Edit > Privilege Sets
Here is a question that has more than one correct answer.
What are supported external SQL data sources? (choose 3)
(a) MS SQL Server
(b) Mongo v 4
(c) PostgreSQL
(d) IBM Informix
(e) IBM DB2
In order to maximize your time, don’t dwell on a question too long, but instead if it will take you a long amount of time to answer a question, such as one that requires analyzing a script, spend a little time on it and it isn’t immediately clear, check the flag for review checkbox. This will enable you to return to the question later. You want to make sure you get through all the questions within the 110 minutes allotted for the exam.
I also highly recommend checking flag for review on any questions you are not 100% certain that you have answered correctly. It is a good way to check your work. A lot of times I have corrected mistakes where I misread a question in my haste. When I take the FileMaker exam, I usually have at least 30 of the 60 questions checked to review after the first time through the test. It is more important to get the answer correct than to finish fast.
When you are ready to take the exam register online at the Pearson|Vue site. (https://home.pearsonvue.com/filemaker).
MC Services provides great training classes (https://www.www.mcservices.com/training-courses/#_filemaker-training) to help you gain the knowledge required to pass the certification exam. We are also a Pearson|Vue exam Test Center. So when you register for your test, select MC Services as your testing facility.
Good luck with your certification.