Hi LAL3,

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

It would be best if we can have this check with our Support team. That way, they can use a screen-sharing tool to see your setup and take screenshots for documentation and to investigate this further.

1. Click on Help and type something like PAP Certification.
2. Type something again like need human.
3. Click any from the suggestions and click on I still need a human.
4. Choose Contact Us and select Chat or Get a Callback. These options are available on weekdays from 6 AM to 6 PM PST.

You can always go back to this thread if you have other questions in mind.

I'm just stupefied by taking the first QBO exam and failing.  I'm a CPA, but am retiring, but thought I would take on clients as a QB Pro.  I passed the CPA exam in one attempt.  I've taken this exam 3 times and failed, even after reviewing my answers and going back to the course work. I actually went through the coursework the before I took the exam the first time.  On the 3rd attempt, I failed one section.  Really poor courses and exams.  I've decided to give the 1 star review on their course work, since it obviously doesn't prepare you for the exam.  

After retaking this certification test 3 times, I have failed to pass section 5 on the 3rd and also am locked out.  There seems to be questions that pertain to previous versions of QBO that were not covered on the training tutorials.  Very frustrating.  The answers did not pertain to the sample company as you walk through the question steps.  Has anyone been successful trying to figure out which answers they answered incorrectly and have had them reviewed to ensure that the questions and answers are actually correct?

Nope. I am on my second round after waiting 60 days being unable to pass section 5 for the proadvisor certification. I passed all other sections with high scores but can’t seem to pass section 5. I have one more attempt before I get locked out again for 69 days for the second time. 

I see you’ve been through a lot trying to get things how they should be, @Jkrnsav.

Being able to pass the ProAdvisor Certification program is important. Rest assured I've got the details you need about the exam. 

As you're already aware, the test is difficult. It is designed that way so you have to study hard and only the people that put in the time and effort pass.

Here's the list of resources you can find as your reference for your certification exam:

• Training & Certification
• Training Events
• A Firm of the Future

One important tip is you can take screenshots of your answers to take the test. Doing this will help you refer back to those when you already answered with an incorrect one.

This may not be an easy process for you. But, let me take you to our ProAdvisor Team so they can provide the resources needed for your exam.

To contact them, feel free to visit this page, then refer to the phone number at the top right of the page: Quickbooks Online Accountant Support. Or visit the Frequently Asked Questions about the ProAdvisor Certification page to get answers to commonly asked questions about the exam.

Don't hesitate to post again if there's anything else you need with QuickBooks. The Community is always open to help you.

Based on my experience with quickbooks in the last 7 years, and knowing what it was 15 years ago, I think they

are just  trying to make money and they want the $$ for the certification, but they don't really want you to pass because they make money off the bookkeepers they have working for them.  I see too many of the same posts and I am experiencing the same thing now.  I think QB can be really great and it's also a scam in ways.

I'm starting to think clients shouldn't use it.  I am tired of losing money because clients don't want to pay me to troubleshoot for hours, days, sometimes weeks with quickbooks, being told different wrong things.  And now I am stuck not even 1/4 of the way through the beginning of training or certification and can't get past a question and have no resources to look up an answer - just stuck.  From reading others reviews it sounds like a waste of money and time.  It's ridiculous and unprofessional.  

Completely agree.  Giant waste of time at the expense of test takers  There are questions on the exam that (1) are NEVER covered in any of the material and (2) there are questions that are deceptive and have NO answer.  Plus Quickbooks doesn't provide answers.  Here is an example of a question NEVER covered in the material with unclear correct answer.  

Liz has set up a new employee with Standard user access but has unchecked the Payroll access box.
Which part of QuickBooks Online will the new employee not have access to?
•
• Bank register
•
• Employees tab
•
• Contractors tab
•
• Report Center

Agree.  I passed both the CPA and CFA exams on first sittings and this certification is flawed for 3 reason: (1) there are questions & answers on the test NEVER covered in any of the material; (2) the answers provided are nebulous with no true correct answer; (3) Quickbooks doesn't provide the answers because they know the problems in (1) and (2) above would be highlighted.  I feel like I've wasted so much time that I would recommend clients NOT use Quickbooks online.  It's just too aggravating. 

I think the QBO test is a complete waste of time.  Items on the exam are NOT covered in the material.  The example questions are very easy while the exam questions are very tricky sometimes have NO correct answer, which is likely why Quickbooks doesn't provide details on what specific questions one missed.

It's not you, it's QBO making the test unpassable so they keep the number of advisers low

After going through the certification training and test and seeing complaints similar to my own experience, I think the QBO Pro-Adviser certification is a complete scam where the test is structured so only a certain % of people pass, irrespective of the answers provided on the test.  That would explain why: (1) there are questions / answers on the exam that are NEVER covered in any of the preparation material; (2) multiple choice answers are nebulously drafted so they could be true AND false because of the poorly structured wording of the question; (3) sample questions on the preparation material are very easy while the exam questions very hard; (4) QBO will not provide details on which questions were missed.  I've spent over 100 hours on this certification and for what?

I took screen shots of all of my answers, but what good are screen shots when you don't tell the exam taker which questions they missed and what the correct answer is?

yes it's a waste of time and yes, it's unprofessional

I wish I could make it better, @certification exam.

We do not wish to give you this experience while working with the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program to complete your certification exam. Thus, I'd recommend sharing your thought directly by sending feedback.

This way, our team who are in charge of the preparation of the examination and learning materials can determine how to improve our program. You can send one by following the steps below:

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Under YOUR COMPANY, select Feedback.
3. Enter a few words describing your experience with the certification program.
4. Click Next.

On top of that, you also consider reading through this article and learn more about your certification: Make success even sweeter - QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program.

You can always leave a comment below if you have follow-up questions with this or start a new thread if you have any other questions. I'll be here to lend a hand. Stay safe!

I completely agree!! Other than my sophomore Geometry test, I have never failed a test before now. Not even in college. I have taken a Life Insurance Licensing exam and passed that the first time. And that was difficult. But this online certification is ridiculously hard. I am now on my 6th attempt and don't know how to pass it. I have studied and taken serious notes, but I can't seem to pass this even though I'm certain of my answers every time. This doesn't even give us a state license for anything. It shouldn't be this difficult! 

Hello,

I am about to retake the QB certification test and was wondering if I have to take the whole thing over or just the section I failed?

Hi there, tc3storm.

I can provide some details about retaking the ProAdvisor Certification examination.

When retaking the ProAdvisor Certification examination, you will need to retake the entire test including the ones you have already passed. Once you begin the exam, you must finish it in one sitting. You cannot stop and resume at a later time.

We also offer certification training so the examines can prepare for the exam. To learn more about the process, you can check this guide: Training & Certification.

I've also added these references that have detailed information and tips when taking the QuickBooks Online Advanced Certification:

• Exam Guide.
• Frequently Asked Questions about ProAdvisor Certification.

I'm just a post-away if you have other concerns about the examination. I've got your back!

Hi, I was able to pass the QBO ProAdvisor Certification recently, and the advice you've received from the QBO rep here is not accurate. Here's how it works (this is not for the Advanced Certification). There are 6 sections. You take them all individually, and submit each one as you finish it (you will not receive a score yet). Each section must be completed in a single sitting - just that section. Unsure if it times out, I did see comments that it might be limited to 2 hours so I made sure I submitted before the 2 hour mark.

Once you complete all 6 sections, submit. That's your first attempt. If you do not pass all 6 sections, you will be offered 2 additional attempts to pass only those you failed.

If you do not pass those with the 2 additional attempts, you will be locked out for 60 days and must start all over. I first passed 2 and 4, then on the second attempt passed 1 and 6, and on the final try before lockout, I was able to pass 3 and 5. Each attempt the questions may be worded differently or may be different questions altogether. Read very carefully.

GOOD LUCK and I recommend either screen shots of your work or copy/paste, so that with the scores you receive you can probably back into which questions you are unsure of (or are sure you answered incorrectly) and research them further. Section 5 is the toughest.

Oh, and I also submitted some fairly scathing feedback on the terrible/misleading wording. Clearly those who created/designed this exam are not accountants nor bookkeepers.

I just want to thank you, I just failed the exam there was not but two questions I recognized from all of my so called training. The questions were down right disallowed meaning they didn't make sense. I scored 548 and I needed 700, since I was loss I just winged it. So I need help ASAP

I just took the advanced test and failed 3 times. Passed two sections and failed three. I saved each test and print and compare with previous test.  I have copied and pasted all notes into word to find the answers.  I was assuming if you get the same answer again it meant that answer was correct and not need to revisit. That does not seem to be the case. Since there is no way of knowing what questions you get wrong, I don't' know how you are supposed to pass this thing.  I was confident in most of my answers only to fail.  Quickbooks needs to at least tell you what you got wrong.

I've taken over 50 college classes with two degrees, countless occupational certificates.  Spent the last twenty years as a professional student.  These are by far the worst written tests I have ever seen.  The questions are convoluted, the answers are sometimes identical and often two are equally as correct.  There are several options of study material which do not discuss what the questions on the tests actually ask.  I'm very disappointed in Intuit and this sad excuse to try and help us learn more about their system.

I hear you, @ptak.

Know that this is not the kind of service we want you to experience. I'll assure you that I'll help you today.

I recommend sending your feedback directly to the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program so that they are aware of your experience with the service you received.

You can click this link to submit feedback: Give Us Feedback.

I'll also add an article that had information that might be useful in learning more about QuickBooks ProAdvisor:  Make success even sweeter - QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program.

Keep me posted if you have more questions about QuickBooks ProAdvisor certifications. I'll be happy to lend a hand. Keep safe.