I hold the Alteryx Designer Expert Certification. But it have already passed one year since I got that certification, so I can recertify now. I challenged the Advanced Certification again so that I recall how exam to know.
What is “Alteryx Designer Advanced Certification”?
The Alteryx Designer Advanced Certification certifies that you are competent in the advanced use of Alteryx Designer. It is an open book exam, so you can take advantage of all the resources on the Internet, but you are not allowed to take the exam with the assistance of another person, someone else taking the exam on your behalf, or use an unauthorized publication with the answers to the exam.
In any case, because it is an open book, it is not an exam that can be solved by just only searching, but rather, there are four “Practical application questions” that you must answer by actually make the solutions yourself. Furthermore these four questions account for more than half of the total score. It is very difficult to pass the exam unless you usually make the workflows using Designer.
Incidentally, 4 of the 40 questions are “Practical application questions”, and the remaining 36 are multiple-choice questions, but instead that you can get partial points for the multiple-choice questions, points are deducted if you check uncorrect answers.
By the way, the trend of the questions seems to have changed quite a bit since I passed it at the end of March 2020 (I don’t think there was a Data Investigation category or anything like that at that time).
Note that the exam is only in English (as of May 2023). If you are not good at English, make good use of Google Chrome’s translation function. Because you can’t select or copy all text, you can only use Chrome’s extension to translate. Or you can use your smartphone’s camera to translate…
Overview
I would like to unpack an overview of the exam from the Prep Guide.
- Audience : Anyone must have Designer Core certification
- Experience Level : Advanced
- Price : Free
- Exam Type : Online, on-demand(You can try it anytime)
- Time allotted : 2 hours
- Designer Version : the latest Designer Desktop with the AMP Engine disabled
- Attempts : 1 attempt every 7 days
- Question : 40
- Question Types : 36 multiple choice questions, 4 practical application questions
- Passing Score : 80%
- Point Value : 1 point for multiple choice, 10 points for practical application. Partial credit is awarded and deducated for matching and multiple-response questions”Select all that apply”.
- Allowed Resources : This exam is “Open book”. You can refer Alteryx Community, Alteryx Help Documentation, information on public websites and sample workflows and other in-Designer resources.
- Prohibited Resources : You may not receive assistance from another person, allow another person to take the exam on your behalf, plagiarize any exam answers, or use unauthorized publications of exam answers. Please check Alteryx Certification Agreement and Policies for more detail.
- Recertification : This certification expires after 2 years. You may retake and pass the Advanced exam or the more higher level exam(Expert or Master class exam) to renew your Advanced certification.
Scope of Examination
I would like to understand the scope of the questions from the Prep Guide.
First of all, the assumption is that you have the Core Certification, so you need to be able to use the tools that are on the Core exam as a matter of course (although you will not be asked about those tools in particular).
Advanced Preparation
Taget Tools
- Multi-Row Formula
- Multi-Field Formula
- Random % Sample
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Correctly format string expressions to produce a given output
- Identify the specifiers and separators that transform a given date
- Create Multi-Row Formula expressions using Row variables
- Determine how to correctly configure the Multi-Row Formula tool for “values for rows that don’t exist”
- Identify the results of a compound condition in the Filter tool (condition joined by and/or operators)
- Identify how the Random % Sample tool selects and processes records to output
- Identify the output of complex expressions
My impression of the examination
“Identify” means that when multiple outputs are given, you select correct tool setting, or when multiple tool settings are given, you select the correct output.
I felt that there are date question frequently. You should also be able to use the Multi-Row Formula quickly.
Advanced Join & Parse
Target Tools
- Join Multiple
- RegEx
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline in the Prep Guide)
- Determine the number of records that result from a multidimensional join
- Identify the regular expression that would transform a given input to a given output
- Differentiate Match and Parse output methods of the RegEx tool
- Identify how the Join Multiple tool processes records that don’t match
My impression of the examination
RegEX tool and Multiple Join tool appear quite often. You should learn how to use the regular expression. For both tools, it is a good idea to enter the input data for the question in the Text Input tool, actually run the tools and confirm the result in exam.
Spatial Analytics
Target Tools
- Spatial Category tools(Buffer, Create Points, Distance, Find Nearest, Generalize, Poly-Build, Poly-Split, Spatial Info, Spatial Match, Spatial Process and Trade Area)
- The following tools are not subject: Make Grid, Smooth and Heat Map
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline in the Prep Guide)
- Identify which tools can generate the centroid of a polygon
- Interpret the results of interactions between Target and Universe objects
- Differentiate the functionality of the T and U input anchors of the Find Nearest tool
- Identify the spatial object that’s created from the intersection of two spatial objects
- Identify the output of a Convex Hull build method
- Determine how the Distance tool outputs the distance of a point within a polygon to the nearest edge of the polygon
- Identify the tool that can decrease the number of nodes that make up a polyline or polygon
- Configure the Trade Area tool to create doughnuts
- Identify spatial functionality within the Summarize/Formula tool
My impression of the examination
Be sure to keep in mind the T and U inputs for each tool. How are they used and how are they output? You need to flexibly decide which input to use based on the scenario in which you will actually want the results.
Also, spatial tools need to be familiar with whether to have multiple data as multiple fields or records, as different tools need to be used in different ways. For example, Spatial Process tool must have the data in multiple fields. However, the Poly-Build tool must have the data to be processed in the row direction. In some cases, you may need to use Multi-Row Formula tool , Formula tool or Summarize tools instead of spatial category tools.
Spatial tools are also a tool category that clearly divides workplaces into those that use them and those that do not, so if you do not use them, you need to practice them in the Weekly Challenge.
Reporting
Target Tools
- Interactive Chart
- Layout
- Overlay
- Rendering
- Report Map
- Report Text
- Table
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Identify the tool that can place reporting snippets on top of one another
- Identify the tools used to produce a given report
- Identify the default outputs of the Report Map tool
- Identify configuration options in the Interactive Chart/Table tool
- Identify the ways the Render tool can write out reporting snippets
- Determine how to achieve batch reporting with the Reporting tools
- Determine how the Layout tool arranges snippets
My impression of the examination
In my opinion, reporting tools are not difficult to use, but they have their own quirks that make them difficult to use if you have not used them much before. I think this category also has a clear division between workplaces that use them and those that don’t.
Macros
Target Tools
- Control Parameter
- Macro Input
- Macro Output
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Determine which kind of macro (standard, iterative, batch) is the best solution for a given scenario
- Identify the number of outputs an iterative macro can produce
- Identify common reasons macros error
- Determine how to debug a macro interface
- Differentiate the functionality of macros versus apps
- Determine how to use an engine iteration number
- Configure a batch macro and an iterative macro
My impression of the examination
Be sure to keep the interface designer in check as well as each tool in the interface category.
Analytic Applications
Target Tools
- Interface category tools(Action, Check Box, Drop Down, Error Message, File Browse, Folder Browse, List Box, Map, Numeric Up Down, Radio Button, Text Box and Tree)
- The following tools are not subject: Condition, Date and DCM Connection.
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Configure chained applications
- Identify the Interface tools used to create a given App interface
- Determine when an Action tool is required between Interface and workflow tools
- Identify which Interface tools can be used to input or output data in an App
- Correctly format list values for the Drop Down tool
- Identify ways app users can interact with interface elements from the Map tool
- Identify common reasons why apps error
My impression of the examination
You should keep the Chaind App in check. Because of the large number of tools in the interface category, it may be quite difficult to keep track of them all. But I feel that the difficult interface(ex. Tree tool) is rarely questioned.
Data Investigation
Target Tools
- Association Analysis
- Field Summary
- Contingency Table
- Pearson Correlation
- Scatterplot
- Spearman Correlation
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Identify the tool that provides remarks and suggestions on data quality
- Interpret the output of the Pearson Correlation tool and identify the variables that have the strongest correlation
- Differentiate the Spearman Correlation and Pearson Correlation tools
- Interpret the output of the Spearman Correlation tool
- Identify the configuration of the Scatterplot tool that produces a given graph
- Determine how to find p-values for correlations
My impression of the examination
You need to know how to just use the tools, you need some statistical knowledge, such as Pearson correlations, Spearman correlations, p-values, etc. Keep in mind the difference between Association Analysis tool, Pearson Correlation tool, and Spearman Correlation tool. And also, you have to understand what are the Frequency Table tool and Field Summary tool.
Practical Application
Needed Skills(from Exam Outline on the Prep Guide)
- Questions in the practical application section gauge your ability to use the tools above, along with tools from the Core exam, to solve real-life scenario questions. These questions require you to connect to a provided data set in Alteryx Designer and build a workflow to arrive at the correct answer.
- The ability to solve problems accurately and efficiently is an important advanced skill that’s measured in this section. The time restriction of the exam reflects the importance of efficiency in the workplace. Time is a valuable commodity at work and during the exam.
- The practical application questions account for just over half of the points on the exam.
- The 4 practical application questions appear at the beginning of the exam, but you may complete the questions in any order.
My impression of the examination
I think the difficulty level of the questions is about the beginner to intermediate level of the Weekly Challenge. However, I feel that the questions are relatively straightforward (the Weekly Challenge has many questions that are a bit twisted).
As the Prep Guide says, please do the exam the first time as part of your learning process, so you’ll probably hit the same questions if you do it more than once (save time there!). To be honest, it requires quite a bit of speed.
If you are at the level where you can solve the questions to look at the Help and samples, this Practical Application is quite tough in terms of time.
You can solve two past exams, one from the Prep Guide and the other from the Advanced Certification Learning Path, so be sure to do so. These questions are exactly right for the level of the exam! (Of course, they are past questions…).
Hint
The Prep Guide contains several tips.
Tips to do for the exam
Solve the Prep Guide’s practice problems in advance
The Prep Guide contains six practice questions. Those contain multiple-choice questions and Practical Application questions to help you get a feel for the exam (The real exam will have questions that are very similar to the mock questions, so you should be able to complete these questions!).
Tips during the exam
Pace of solving problems and Passing Criteria
Prep Guide says :
Spend about 90 seconds on each 1 point question and 16 minutes on each 10 point practical application question. If you finish early go back and check your answers. Use the full 2 hours.
https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ayx.policies/Advanced+Certification+Exam+Prep+Guide.pdf
When I took the exam, the first 4 Practical Application questions were continuously, so I could spend 64 minutes there (but I think you’ll be pretty frazzled if you take half the time in the beginnig.
Since the passing score is 80%, the simple calculation suggests that the total score is 10 x 4 + 36 = 76 points, which means that the passing line is 60.8 points. From this, it can be said that you can only drop 15.2 points in totall. If you can’t solve one Practical Application question, you can only drop 5.2 points left. If so, the number of lost points must be kept within 5 out of 36 questions(1 point questions). Therefore dropping one application question is quite painful (assuming that the 7 categories questions are averagely out, the number of lost points must be kept within 1 question per category).
On the other hand, if you can solve all the Practical Application questions, you can drop 15 out of 36 questions, which means that you only need to solve about 60% of the multiple-choice questions. In other words, you can drop two questions per category, or two whole categories.
Given the above, those who are confident overall in Multi-Row/Field Formula tool, Multiple Join tool, RegEx tool, Spatial category, Report tools, Interface tools, Data Investiment category, etc., can manage to fail at least one Practical Application question, while those who are not confident overall would like to get all the Practical Application questions somehow. On the other hand, if you are not confident overall, you need to get all the Practical Application questions.
As a result, what I want to say is the Practical Application questions are really important to pass this exam.
You can move on to any questions
You can return to any question at any time by using the “See all questions” button in the upper left corner. You can also bookmark questions that you are not confident about and return to them later.
Let’s actually solve it using the Text Input tool under exam!
I recommend that you enter the input data for the questions that come up in the Text Input tool and actually set up the tool to solve them as time permits.
Other notes in Prep Guide
- Please read each questions carefully.
- Please review your answer again and again.
How to learn?
Let’s see the study methods described in the Prep Guide.
Advanced Certification Learning Path
One content in the Community Learning Path series is “Advanced Certification Learning Path“.
This is basically just a compilation of Interactive Lessons, Advanced Certification Prep series videos, Tool Mastery, and Weekly Challenges.
However, there are practice questions here as well, and you can take the quiz under “Practice Questions” in the General section (what a surprise, there is also one applied question. This is a question I have taken in the past, and I think it is a past question that is not used anymore; it is a question to get a count of the locations where UFOs have been sighted).
Video
- Spatial Analytics : Advanced Certification Prep – Part I
- Macro : Advanced Certification Prep – Part II
- Analytic App : Advanced Certification Prep – Part III
- Reporting : Advanced Certification Prep – Part IV
- Advanced Parse: Advanced Certification Prep – Part V
- Advanced Exam Overview : Advanced Certification Prep – Part VI
Weekly Challenge
I have collected the Weekly Challenges linked from the Advanced Certification Learning Path.
Parse
Join
Spatial Analytics
Reporting
Macros
- Challenge #95: Draw 1000 Apples in Under 60 Seconds
- Challenge #110: Think Like a CSE…Reduce the manual inputs!
Analytic App
Weekly Challenge
I have just introduced the Weekly Challenges linked at the Advanced Certification Learning Path, and the Weekly Challenge INDEX is labeled “Certification Exam Level,” so you can use this tag to efficiently complete the Weekly Challenge. However, even in September 2023, there are 260 questions labeled Advanced, so it would indeed be difficult to solve all of them.
Prep Guide says that “Use your new skills to solve at least 10 Weekly Challenges“.
My Advice
I think it is very difficult to pass the exam at first in one shot when it comes to Advanced. I started using Alteryx in 2017 and took this exam many times until I passed in 2020. It is quite difficult to cover everything in your work: Reporting, Spatial, Macros, Analytic Apps, RegEx, and Data Investigation. Most of the case, it is natural to be biased towards one area or another. Therefore, it may be difficult to pass it if you don’t study for Advanced to some extent (compared to Server Administrator, for example, which you can get used to and get it if you use servers).
If you are not familiar with Designer, you will probably take a lot of time on the Practical Application questions. Keep working with Designer on a regular basis to create workflows. The best training are still the Weekly Challenges.
You can retake the test once a week, so I think it is a good idea to try many times (although it is painful to consume 2 hours at one time…). If you do it many times, you will find that the Practical Application questions are all problems that you have done before, and you will have more time to do them.
Anyway, I hope you will not give up and try. The Advanced exam can be covered by the number of times!
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