Every figure in this post was read on Microsoft Learn on 14 October 2026. Prices and outlines change, so check them again before you book.

What is the MB-800 exam, and who is it for?

MB-800 tests whether you can set up and run Dynamics 365 Business Central for a small or medium business. Microsoft rates the certification Intermediate and lists the job role as Functional Consultant.

On its Business Central Functional Consultant Associate page, Microsoft describes the candidate as someone who configures the core application, creates companies, migrates data and works with an implementation team. The modules it names are financial management, sales, purchasing, inventory and fixed assets.

Two more lines in that profile are easy to skip. Candidates are expected to configure role centers and to expand the product with extensions. They are also expected to configure and use Copilot capabilities in Business Central, including built-in agents.

What changed in the MB-800 skills outline on June 30, 2026?

Microsoft's study guide now lists the skills measured as of June 30, 2026, and it ends with a change log that compares the new outline with the old one. Three of the four skill areas appear in that log.

The MB-800 study guide records these changes:

• Set up Business Central: its share of the exam decreased. Inside it, "Set up core functionality" is marked as a major change, and the group "Describe Business Central integrations with other products" was removed.
• Configure financials: no change in its share. The sub-groups in the log (chart of accounts, posting groups, journals and bank accounts, accounts receivables, fixed assets) are all marked minor.
• Perform Business Central operations: its share increased. "Perform basic tasks in Business Central" is marked major. "Process payments and journals" became "Process journals and payments" and is also marked major. "Process inventory transactions" is new.

The fourth area, Configure sales and purchasing, is not listed in the change log.

The log gives the direction of each change and not the old numbers, so this post quotes no earlier percentages. What the log does show is where older notes are most likely to be out of date: core setup, basic tasks, journals and payments, and inventory transactions.

How are the four skill areas weighted now?

Two areas carry most of the exam. Configure financials and Perform Business Central operations are each 30 to 35 percent, so together they make up 60 to 70 percent (our addition, not Microsoft's wording).

• Set up Business Central: 20-25%
• Configure financials: 30-35%
• Configure sales and purchasing: 10-15%
• Perform Business Central operations: 30-35%

Microsoft publishes ranges, not exact figures, and it does not say how many questions come from each area. Our reading of the ranges is simple: an hour spent on posting groups or on posting a purchase invoice covers more of the exam than an hour spent on price lists.

What does each skill area ask you to do?

Each area is a list of tasks, and most lines begin with a verb such as set up, configure, create or process. Here is the short version.

• Set up Business Central. Create and configure a company, manage security with permission sets and security groups, set up number series, job queues and report layouts, enable Copilot and agent capabilities, set up dimensions, and manage approvals with workflows.
• Configure financials. General ledger setup, accounting periods, the chart of accounts, posting groups, journals and bank accounts, accounts payables and receivables, and fixed assets.
• Configure sales and purchasing. Inventory setup, items and locations, costing methods, customer and vendor master data, and prices and discounts.
• Perform Business Central operations. Basic tasks such as applying filters, personalizing pages, Edit in Excel and data analysis mode. Then purchases, sales, financial documents, journals and payments, fixed asset transactions and inventory transactions.

If you want every line of the outline in one place, EduSum's Business Central Functional Consultant exam syllabus sets the four areas out in a table, with the exam summary above it.

How is the MB-800 exam delivered?

MB-800 is a proctored exam booked through Pearson VUE, with 100 minutes to answer. For exams of this length Microsoft lists a seat time of 120 minutes, which also covers the instructions and the candidate agreement.

Microsoft does not publish a question count for MB-800. Its page on exam duration and exam experience says most certification exams contain between 40 and 60 questions and that the number can vary. The same page sets three rules that affect how you use the clock:

1. You may take a break without asking in advance, but the exam clock keeps running while you are away.
2. After a break you cannot go back to the questions you saw before it, even the ones you left unanswered.
3. On associate exams you can open Microsoft Learn in a split screen beside the question. No extra time is added for it.

The exam is offered in eight languages: English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil) and Arabic (Saudi Arabia). Microsoft updates the English version first and says the localized versions follow about eight weeks later.

Question types are not announced for a single exam. The certification page says only that you may have interactive components to complete, and it links an exam sandbox where you can try the question types in the real interface.

What score do you need, and what does MB-800 cost?

You need 700 or more on a scale of 1 to 1,000. Microsoft calls this a scaled score and warns that it may not equal 70 percent of the points.

Three scoring facts help on exam day:

• There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
• Some questions may be unscored, and you are not told which ones.
• Results usually arrive within minutes, with a bar chart of your performance in each skill area.

The price shown for the United States is $165. Microsoft sets the price by the country or region where the exam is proctored, so pick your own country in the list on the certification page.

If you fail, you can retake the exam after 24 hours. From the second failure on, the wait is 14 days between attempts, with a limit of five attempts in 12 months. Microsoft says you must pay for a retake where a fee applies.

How do you read a Microsoft skills outline?

Read it as a task list with weights. The percentage tells you how much of the exam an area takes, and each bullet under it is something you should be able to do in the product.

EduSum's YouTube channel has no MB-800 video yet. The one below was made for AZ-104, Microsoft's Azure Administrator exam, not for MB-800. It walks through that exam's format, time limit, passing score and weighted skill areas, and the same way of reading an outline applies here.

How should you prepare after the update?

Start with the parts of the outline that changed, then spend your hours in proportion to the weights. One way to order the work (our suggestion):

1. Print the current skills outline and mark every line "weekly", "have done it" or "never".
2. Take the items the change log marks major or new first: core setup with Copilot and agents, basic tasks, journals and payments, and inventory transactions.
3. Do the tasks in Business Central itself. The outline is written as actions, and reading about a posting group is not the same as setting one up.
4. Take Microsoft's free practice assessment on Microsoft Learn, and open the exam sandbox once so the interface is not new on the day.
5. Review your misses by skill area, because that is how the score report is laid out.

For a first look at how a Business Central task turns into a multiple-choice question, EduSum has ten MB-800 sample questions with an answer key. They are practice items written for study, not questions from the real exam.

If you prefer a class, Microsoft lists course MB-800T00-A, a five-day instructor-led course, and it offers self-paced study for the same material.

How do you keep the certification after you pass?

The certification has a 12-month renewal cycle, and renewing it is free. Microsoft's associate certifications expire every year unless you pass an online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.

The rules on Microsoft's certification renewal page are short:

• The assessment is free, unproctored and open book.
• You can take it at any time in the six months before the certification expires.
• A pass extends the certification by one year from its expiration date.
• You can try as many times as you need, as long as you pass before the expiry date.

So if you renew on time, the exam fee is paid once. Staying certified costs study time each year, not another exam.

Frequently asked questions

1. How long is the MB-800 exam?

You have 100 minutes to complete MB-800. Microsoft lists a seat time of 120 minutes for exams of this length, and it does not publish a question count for this exam.

2. What is the passing score for MB-800?

A score of 700 or greater is required to pass. Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 1,000, and Microsoft notes that 700 may not equal 70 percent of the points.

3. How much does the MB-800 exam cost?

Microsoft lists MB-800 at $165 USD in the United States, as read on 14 October 2026. The price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored.

4. Is the MB-800 exam available in Japanese?

Yes. Microsoft offers MB-800 in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil) and Arabic (Saudi Arabia).

5. How soon can you retake MB-800 if you fail?

You can retake MB-800 24 hours after a first failed attempt. Later attempts need a 14-day wait, and you may not take the exam more than five times in a 12-month period.

Written by the team behind EduSum, an independent exam-prep site that is not affiliated with Microsoft. Facts were checked against Microsoft Learn on 14 October 2026.

Every figure in this post was read on AAPC's own pages on 13 October 2026. Fees and rules change, so check them again before you pay.

What is the CEMC certification, and who is it for?

CEMC stands for Certified Evaluation and Management Coder. AAPC says the credential validates a coder's advanced expertise in E/M coding: choosing the correct level of service for patient encounters across office visits, hospital services, consultations and other E/M categories.

On its CEMC certification page , AAPC describes the credential as ideal for coders in physician practices, multispecialty groups and hospitals, and for people in compliance or auditing roles. It also names medical billers and reimbursement specialists who handle E/M claims and denials.

It is a stand-alone credential. AAPC states that its specialty credentials carry no requirement to hold a CPC first, and it sets no minimum amount of experience. It does strongly recommend at least two years in the specialty, and it describes these exams as difficult, high-level tests that are not meant for people with little or no coding experience.

What does the CEMC exam cover?

AAPC lists four areas of skill. Its CEMC pages give no question count for any one of them, so plan to be ready for all four.

• Core knowledge. ICD-10-CM, CPT and HCPCS Level II coding principles as they apply to E/M services, the 2021 E/M guideline updates for office and outpatient visits, and the documentation and compliance requirements behind code selection.
• Medical decision making and time. Assigning a level of service from the complexity of medical decision making (MDM), using time as the controlling factor, and the documentation standards for history, exam and decision-making elements.
• Inpatient, outpatient and specialty E/M services. Office visits, preventive medicine services and consultations. Hospital admissions, subsequent visits and discharge services. Critical care, prolonged services and other encounters reported by time or complexity.
• Compliance and audit readiness. Spotting undercoding and overcoding risk, applying payer rules and NCCI edits related to E/M, and supporting compliance through documentation and internal auditing.

Read as a whole, the list is less about recalling codes and more about judgement. Does this note support this level of service? Would the claim hold up in an audit? AAPC adds that most questions are presented as coding scenarios or cases.

If you have never seen an E/M scenario written as a multiple-choice question, these ten free CEMC sample questions come with an answer key. They are practice items, not questions from the real exam.

How is the CEMC exam set up?

The exam is 100 multiple-choice questions, proctored, taken in one sitting with four hours on the clock. It is open code book.

You can sit it in two ways: online at home with a live remote proctor, or on a computer at a testing center. AAPC's page on taking the CEMC exam lists three approved books:

1. AMA's CPT Professional Edition
2. ICD-10-CM, from any publisher
3. HCPCS Level II, from any publisher

Current-year books are recommended because the code sets change every year. You may use the previous year's books, the current year's, or a mix, but only one copy of each.

You choose printed books or eBooks. Printed books may carry handwritten notes that relate to daily coding work, and tabs that mark a page with words or numbers. The eBooks are supplied through the exam platform with a search function, and your own notes and tabs are not available in them.

An online calculator is built into the platform. Physical calculators are not permitted, and devices with an on/off switch stay out of the room.

To be admitted you need current AAPC membership, a valid unused exam voucher, a current email and address on your account, and a government-issued photo ID whose first and last name exactly match your exam confirmation.

How much does the CEMC exam cost?

AAPC sells the exam as a voucher, at two prices:

• $325 for one attempt
• $399 for two attempts

Bought up front, the second attempt costs $74 (our subtraction, not AAPC's wording). AAPC states that exam fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and that you have one full year from the date of purchase to take the exam.

One rule is easy to miss. AAPC updates its exams every January for the new code sets, and a candidate who uses a second attempt in the next calendar year is not allowed to take the previous year's exam. If your first attempt falls late in the year, your retake may be on the updated version.

Training is optional and priced separately. On 13 October 2026, the page for AAPC's CEMC online training course listed two options:

• Course only: $249 for members, $299 for non-members
• Complete bundle: $749.99 for members, $897.90 for non-members. It includes the course, a study guide, one 50-question online practice exam and the two-attempt exam voucher.

The course is self-paced. AAPC gives the average time to finish as two months or less, with twelve months of access to the materials.

What score do you need to pass the CEMC?

You need an overall score of 70%. On a 100-question exam that means at least 70 correct answers. Miss more than 30 and you do not pass.

Two details help with planning:

• AAPC tells candidates to answer every question, because a best guess is better than no answer.
• If you do not pass, AAPC reports the categories where your sub-score was 65% or less, so a second attempt can be aimed at those.

Results appear online in your AAPC account under My Exams, normally within 7 to 10 business days. After a pass, the certificate arrives by mail.

How should you pace 100 questions in four hours?

Four hours for 100 questions works out to about 2.4 minutes each. That is AAPC's own figure, and in seconds it is 144.

The short video below is from MedicoExam's YouTube channel. It was made for the CPC exam, not the CEMC, but it describes the same format: 100 questions, four hours, 144 seconds each. Its argument is that coders lose this kind of exam on pacing, and that timed mock exams are the fix.

AAPC gives two pacing tips of its own: read the answer choices before you read the question, and save the harder questions for last.

One way to apply that is to cut the exam into four blocks of 25 questions and give each block an hour (our suggestion):

• Question 25 by the end of hour one
• Question 50 by the end of hour two
• Question 75 by the end of hour three

If you are behind at a checkpoint, mark the question you are stuck on, choose your best answer and move on. One long E/M note can take far more than its share of the clock.

What does it take to keep the CEMC?

Passing is not the end of the bill. To maintain the CEMC, AAPC requires two things:

• current AAPC annual membership
• 36 continuing education units (CEUs) every two years, 8 of which must be E/M specific

Spread evenly, that is 18 CEUs a year, 4 of them on E/M (our arithmetic).

AAPC explains its reasoning on the page about life after the CEMC exam: codes, guidelines and federal regulations change every year, so it asks for continuing education and not a repeat exam.

Two cost notes belong here. First, AAPC says events must be specifically pre-approved for specialty credentials before they count, so check the approval before you pay for a webinar. Second, the FAQ that AAPC shows on its CEMC pages puts an individual renewal membership at $229, plus tax where it applies.

How can you prepare for the CEMC without overspending?

Start from your own gaps, not from a product list. Four steps cover most of it:

1. Go through AAPC's four areas line by line. Mark each line "daily", "sometimes" or "never" for how often you do that work. The "never" lines are your study list.
2. Get this year's three code books early and work in them. Notes that relate to daily coding are allowed in printed books, so the notes you make at your desk can come with you.
3. Sit one full run of 100 questions against a four-hour clock before you book a date. It will show whether your problem is knowledge or speed.
4. Review your misses by area, not question by question. A cluster in one area tells you more than any single wrong answer.

For step 3 you need questions you have not seen before. MedicoExam's CEMC practice exam with timed mock tests has more than 195 questions and a Result Book that tracks each attempt, which helps with the review in step 4.

If you are an experienced E/M coder with gaps in one or two areas, the exam voucher, your code books and AAPC membership may be all you have to pay for. If most of the list is new to you, AAPC's own advice applies: get the two years of experience first.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the CEMC exam open book?

Yes. AAPC lists the CEMC as an open code book exam. You may use AMA's CPT Professional Edition, an ICD-10-CM book and a HCPCS Level II book, one copy of each, in print or as eBooks supplied through the exam platform.

2. How many questions are on the CEMC exam?

The CEMC exam has 100 multiple-choice questions, taken in one four-hour sitting. AAPC says most of them are presented as coding scenarios or cases.

3. What is the CEMC exam fee?

AAPC lists the CEMC exam at $325 for one attempt or $399 for two attempts, as read on 13 October 2026. Exam fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and you have one year from the purchase date to take the exam.

4. Do you need a CPC before taking the CEMC?

No. AAPC says its specialty credentials are stand-alone certifications with no requirement to hold a CPC. You do need current AAPC membership, and AAPC strongly recommends at least two years of experience in the specialty.

5. How do you keep the CEMC certification active?

You keep the CEMC active by maintaining your AAPC annual membership and earning 36 CEUs every two years, 8 of which must be E/M specific.

Written by the team behind MedicoExam, an independent exam-prep site that is not affiliated with AAPC. Facts were checked against AAPC's CEMC pages on 13 October 2026.