New Microsoft Certification Transcripts and Certificates

Microsoft have updated their Certificates and Transcripts for all MCP professionals. From April 2011 onwards, the new transcripts and certificates contain several changes, some of which are fairly significant. This is especially true for the Inactive Date which causes much confusion with decertification date.

Lets take a look at the new changes in detail..

New Transcript

Exams categorized by certification

Transcripts are now consolidate by certification path e.g. MCTS, MCPD, MCITP. Each of the exams you've passed are shown under their relevant certification. Unlike the old transcript layout, exam numbers are not shown anymore. The new Certification Number is used instead.

Certification Number

These are unique identification numbers for your certification. No one else will have this number and in the future you can give these numbers to employers to validate a certain certification i.e. they will know you actually passed the certification. This avoids having to send your entire transcript to a potential employer or client.

Inactive Date

The new Inactive Date is shown for any exams which are no longer active i.e. they have outlived their market relevance. Microsoft have stated that this is not a decertification date. It is intended to give employers more of an idea about the relevance of that technology. A certification becomes inactive when Microsoft no longer supports that technology.

In addition to these changes, the Transcript has also been cleaned up and the layout improved. You can see these changes below:

New Certificates

There are 3 changes to the Microsoft Certificates. These are the certificates you receive in the post after you've achieved a certain certification.

Achievement Date

This is a new addition to the certificate. As you can imagine, it's the date when you achieved the certification.

Certification Number

This is the new identification number for your certification. In exactly the same way as the transcript, only you will have this Certification Number. Its unique to you. You get one of these Certification Numbers for every certification that you achieve. As mentioned above, in the future you'll be able to send your Certification Number to employers so they can validate you have actually passed.

Inactive Date

The date that this certification became or will become inactive. This is not decertification date. It is the date that the certification lost its marketplace relevance i.e. Microsoft does not support that technology anymore.

It should be made clear that even though an Inactive Date is shown, the individual still holds the certification indefinitely. However, there may be newer certifications to bring his/her skills up to date with current Microsoft technology.

You will also keep your MCP benefits even if a certification becomes Inactive.

Image of the new Certificate

When will these new Transcripts and Certificates come into effect?

Inactive Dates will come into affect in June 2011. All other changes will happen in April 2011.