This repository contains instructor materials for the O'Reilly Live Learning session on AB-900, plus an embedded GitHub Copilot study companion that generates exam-realistic practice questions, scenario walkthroughs, and personalized study plans.

Currency: Aligned to the Skills measured as of July 22, 2026 version of the AB-900 study guide. Content last reviewed July 26, 2026 for the July 28, 2026 live delivery.

---

Quick Links

AB-900 Certification

• AB-900 certification page -- the credential
• AB-900 exam page -- schedule and exam details
• AB-900 study guide (skills measured as of July 22, 2026) -- the authoritative scope document
• Exam sandbox (try the question types)

Register, Pay, and Save

• Pearson VUE Microsoft page -- schedule at a test center or online
• Microsoft certification exam offers and deals -- discounts and vouchers
• Online (proctored) exam requirements -- system and room rules before you book

Policies and FAQ

• Certification exam policies and FAQ
• Exam duration and exam experience
• Exam scoring and score reports -- 700 or greater passes
• Exam retake policy -- 24 hours before a first retake
• Certification renewal -- Fundamentals certifications do NOT expire, so AB-900 needs no renewal

Practice Assessments

• Free official Microsoft practice assessment -- start here; Microsoft notes practice questions are not exam questions and do not reflect exam length
• MeasureUp (search results for AB-900) -- paid, third party
• Whizlabs AB-900 -- paid, third party

Third-party practice tests are not endorsed by Microsoft and their answers are not authoritative. When a third-party answer disagrees with the study guide or Microsoft Learn, Microsoft Learn wins.

Trials and Tenants

• Microsoft 365 E5 trial signup -- the fastest path to a lab tenant with Purview and Defender
• Microsoft 365 Developer Program -- sandbox tenant with sample data
• Copilot Studio trial -- sign in and start a trial to build agents
• See docs/tenant-setup-guide.md for the full lab build

Product Documentation Roots

One root per product family the exam covers.

Product	Docs root	Exam domain
Microsoft 365 admin	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin	1 and 3
Exchange	learn.microsoft.com/exchange	1
SharePoint	learn.microsoft.com/sharepoint	1 and 2
Microsoft Teams	learn.microsoft.com/microsoftteams	1
Microsoft Entra	learn.microsoft.com/entra	1
Microsoft Defender XDR	learn.microsoft.com/defender-xdr	1
Microsoft 365 security	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/security	1
Microsoft Purview	learn.microsoft.com/purview	2 (heaviest)
Microsoft 365 Copilot	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilot	3
Copilot service description	Copilot service description	3 (licensing)
Microsoft Copilot Studio	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-copilot-studio	3
Power Platform admin	learn.microsoft.com/power-platform/admin	3
Viva Insights (Copilot Dashboard)	learn.microsoft.com/viva/insights	3
Microsoft 365 Apps	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365-apps	1

Official Training

• Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot administration (learning path)
• Manage agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot (module)

Microsoft 365 Portals

• Outlook
• Teams
• SharePoint
• Excel
• Word

Admin and AI Portals

• Microsoft 365 admin center
• Microsoft Purview portal
• Microsoft Entra admin center
• Microsoft Defender portal
• SharePoint admin center
• Teams admin center
• Exchange admin center
• Power Platform admin center
• Copilot Studio
• Microsoft 365 Apps admin center

---

Certification at a Glance

Attribute	Value
Exam code	AB-900
Full title	Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals
Status	Generally available. The exam is NO longer in beta, so scores are reported immediately.
Skills measured version	July 22, 2026
Level	Beginner
Role	Administrator
Exam duration	45 minutes (block roughly 65 minutes of seat time for instructions and the candidate agreement)
Question count	Microsoft does NOT publish an AB-900-specific count. Microsoft states most exams typically contain 40-60 questions.
Passing score	700 or greater on a scale where 1000 is the maximum
Languages	English only
Delivery	Proctored through Pearson VUE, or through Certiport for students and educators. Price varies by country or region.
Retake	24 hours after a first failed attempt. Wait times increase for later retakes.
Renewal	NONE required. Microsoft states that Fundamentals certifications do not expire.
Learn access during the exam	NOT available. The in-exam Microsoft Learn resource is offered on role-based exams only.
Exam page	https://learn.microsoft.com/credentials/certifications/copilot-and-agent-administration-fundamentals/
Study guide	https://learn.microsoft.com/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/ab-900

Most questions cover features that are generally available. The exam may include questions on preview features when those features are commonly used.

Exam Domains

Domain	Weight
1 -- Identify the core features and objects of Microsoft 365 services	30-35%
2 -- Understand data protection and governance tasks for Microsoft 365 and Copilot	35-40% (highest weight)
3 -- Perform basic administrative tasks for Copilot and agents	25-30%

What Changed on July 22, 2026

The Microsoft change log records three Minor revisions and ZERO Major revisions. Domain weights did not move.

Subsection	Change
Identify the core objects of Microsoft 365 services	Minor
Identify the core security features of Microsoft 365 services	Minor
Identify and monitor oversharing in SharePoint in Microsoft 365	Minor

Wording shifts worth memorizing, because they are the likely substance of those Minor edits:

Older wording	July 22, 2026 wording
Exchange Online admin center, distribution lists	Exchange admin center, distribution groups
SharePoint in Microsoft 365 admin center	SharePoint admin center (the service is still "SharePoint in Microsoft 365")
SharePoint Advanced Management, restricted site access	SharePoint Advanced Management, restricted access control
Microsoft Purview Content explorer	Microsoft Purview Data Explorer
Content search as a standalone solution	Content search in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Microsoft 365 Defender	Microsoft Defender XDR
Copilot pay-as-you-go, generic	Monthly license model compared to pay-as-you-go, including SharePoint

---

Quick Start: AB-900 Cert Buddy

The cert buddy is a GitHub Copilot agent that runs inside VS Code. It requires no installation beyond cloning this repo and having GitHub Copilot access.

Setup (5 minutes)

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/timothywarner-org/ab900.git
   cd ab900
   

2. Open the folder in VS Code:

   code .
   

3. When prompted, install the recommended extensions (GitHub Copilot + GitHub Copilot Chat).

4. VS Code will prompt for a Context7 API key the first time a cert buddy command runs. Get a free key at https://context7.com and paste it when prompted. This enables version-specific M365 admin PowerShell and Graph API syntax lookups.

5. Open GitHub Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I / Cmd+Alt+I).

Two Ways to Interact

Option A -- Slash commands (guided input form):

/ab900-practice-questions
/ab900-scenario-walkthrough
/ab900-study-planner

These open a guided form that collects inputs (domain, difficulty, confidence ratings, etc.) before generating content.

Option B -- Direct agent mention (free-form):

@ab900-cert-buddy-agent Give me a Domain 2 question about DSPM for AI at Apply level, medium difficulty.
@ab900-cert-buddy-agent Contrast restricted access control with restricted content discovery in SharePoint.
@ab900-cert-buddy-agent Walk me through approving an agent submission in the M365 admin center.
@ab900-cert-buddy-agent Build me a study plan. I am weak on Domain 2 and moderate on the others.

---

Cert Buddy Features

Practice Questions

Questions use a two-phase interactive delivery that mirrors the real exam experience.

Phase 1 -- The agent presents a workplace scenario and four answer choices (A-D), then stops and waits for your reply.

Phase 2 -- After you answer, the agent reveals the correct answer, a 2-sentence rationale for every choice, and Microsoft Learn references.

Special commands during Phase 1:

Command	Effect
hint	Eliminates one distractor
skip	Reveals the answer and moves to rationale
A / B / C / D	Your answer -- triggers Phase 2

After a set of questions the agent reports score, percent correct, and domains to review.

Scenario Walkthroughs

Walkthroughs simulate the admin center experience without requiring a live tenant. Each walkthrough:

• Sets a realistic admin scenario (for example: "Contoso needs to see what sensitive data Copilot has been accessing")
• Walks through 5-10 numbered steps with exact portal URL, navigation path, and correct setting
• Flags the AB-900 exam objective each step covers
• Notes the most common wrong answers (wrong portal, wrong nav path, wrong role)

Available scenario types:

• Copilot licensing and pay-as-you-go billing configuration, including SharePoint agents
• Agent approval workflow (Microsoft 365 admin center + Power Platform admin center)
• DSPM for AI dashboard review
• SharePoint oversharing identification and remediation, including data access governance reports
• Sensitivity label creation and policy assignment
• DLP policy review and alert response
• PIM role activation and Conditional Access policy review

Study Planner

1. The agent presents the three AB-900 domains with exam weights.
2. You rate your confidence in each: Strong / Moderate / Weak / Unknown.
3. The agent generates a prioritized study plan -- weakest first, Domain 2 flagged as highest weight.
4. Each domain entry includes estimated study hours, 2-3 Microsoft Learn module links, and key objectives.
5. The agent offers to start generating practice questions on your first priority domain.

---

Repository Structure

ab900/
├── .github/
│   ├── agents/
│   │   └── ab900-cert-buddy-agent.agent.md    # Main Copilot agent
│   ├── skills/
│   │   ├── ab900-item-creator/SKILL.md         # Practice question generation
│   │   ├── ab900-scenario-walkthrough/SKILL.md # Admin scenario walkthroughs
│   │   └── ab900-study-planner/SKILL.md        # Personalized study plans
│   ├── prompts/
│   │   ├── ab900-practice-questions.prompt.md  # /ab900-practice-questions command
│   │   ├── ab900-scenario-walkthrough.prompt.md # /ab900-scenario-walkthrough command
│   │   └── ab900-study-planner.prompt.md       # /ab900-study-planner command
│   ├── copilot-instructions.md                 # Workspace Copilot grounding rules
│   └── workflows/
│       └── validate.yml                        # CI: terminology + link validation
├── .vscode/
│   ├── mcp.json                                # MCP server config (3 servers, auto-loads)
│   ├── extensions.json                         # Recommended extensions
│   └── settings.json                           # Workspace settings
├── references/
│   ├── ab900-objectives.md                     # Official exam objectives (all 3 domains)
│   ├── fictional-companies.md                  # Microsoft fictional companies for scenarios
│   └── style-guide.md                          # Microsoft Writing Style Guide extract
├── course-plan-july-2026.md                    # Live session plan (4 x 50 min on ON24)
├── docs/
│   ├── module-01-security-foundations.md        # Module 1 CliffsNotes
│   ├── module-02-core-services-admin.md        # Module 2 CliffsNotes
│   ├── module-03-data-protection-governance.md  # Module 3 CliffsNotes
│   ├── module-04-copilot-and-agents.md         # Module 4 CliffsNotes
│   ├── module-05-copilot-admin-tasks.md        # Module 5 CliffsNotes
│   ├── module-06-agent-admin-tasks.md          # Module 6 CliffsNotes
│   ├── session-agenda.md                       # Instructor delivery guide (4 x 50 min)
│   ├── demo-scripts.md                         # Click-by-click scripts for all 14 demos
│   ├── tenant-setup-guide.md                   # Learner tenant setup before the session
│   ├── new-features-deep-dive.md               # DSPM, Researcher, Analyst, Copilot Credits
│   └── exam-traps-cheatsheet.md                # One-page last-minute cheat sheet
├── shared-resources/
│   ├── references/
│   │   ├── AB-900-EXAM-GUIDE.md                # Complete exam reference
│   │   ├── AB-900-SKILLS-BREAKDOWN.md          # Per-objective study notes
│   │   └── AB-900-PRACTICE-QUESTIONS.md        # 15 practice questions (5 per domain)
│   ├── scripts/                                # PowerShell helpers (license assign, usage report)
│   └── templates/                              # Deployment checklist, DLP policy template
├── slides/workspace/                           # Deck build tooling and background assets
├── warner-ab900-July-2026.pptx                 # Current session deck
└── segment-0{1-4}-*/                           # Per-segment demos, labs, slides, resources

---

MCP Servers

Three MCP servers are configured in .vscode/mcp.json and load automatically on clone.

Server ID	Purpose
ab900buddy-context7	Version-specific M365 admin PowerShell, Graph API, and CLI syntax
ab900buddy-markitdown	Convert your own PDFs and Word docs to markdown for the agent to analyze
ab900buddy-mslearn	Search and fetch official Microsoft Learn documentation (microsoft_docs_search, microsoft_docs_fetch)

The Microsoft Learn MCP server (ab900buddy-mslearn) is the primary source of truth for all generated questions and walkthroughs. It provides grounding in official Microsoft documentation directly from the workspace configuration.

---

O'Reilly Live Learning Session

Duration: 4 segments x 50 minutes, with 10-minute breaks. Delivered on ON24.

The teaching order deliberately does NOT follow exam domain order. It leads with Copilot because that is the draw, then agents, then the heaviest domain, then identity and security with exam prep. Full timing is in course-plan-july-2026.md.

Segment	Topic	Domain
1	Microsoft 365 Copilot	Domain 3
2	Copilot agents and Copilot Studio	Domain 3
3	Data protection and governance	Domain 2 (heaviest weight)
4	Microsoft 365 admin, identity, and security	Domain 1, plus exam prep

The segment-0{1-4}-* folder names reflect the exam domain grouping rather than the delivery order, so segment folder numbers and live segment numbers are intentionally different.

For Learners

Before the session:

1. Follow the Tenant Setup Guide to get a working M365 admin tenant.
2. Clone this repo and open it in VS Code.
3. Set up the cert buddy (see Quick Start above).

Key resources:

• Exam Traps Cheat Sheet -- print or bookmark before the session
• New Features Deep Dive -- DSPM, Researcher, Analyst, Copilot Credits billing
• Practice Questions -- 15 scenario-based questions
• Free official practice assessment -- Microsoft notes that practice questions are not exam questions and do not reflect exam length

For the Instructor

• Course Plan -- segment-by-segment plan for the July 2026 delivery
• Session Agenda -- full timing breakdown with cut guidance
• Demo Scripts -- click-by-click scripts for all 14 demos
• Tenant Setup Guide -- what learners need before arriving

---

Prerequisites

• Basic familiarity with Microsoft 365 services (email, SharePoint, Teams)
• Access to a Microsoft 365 tenant with administrative rights -- see Tenant Setup Guide
• VS Code with GitHub Copilot for the cert buddy features
• No Azure infrastructure or data science experience required

Microsoft classifies Global Administrator as a highly privileged role and recommends limiting it to emergency scenarios where a lower-privileged role cannot be used. For AB-900 lab work, prefer the least-privileged role that completes the task: AI Administrator for Copilot and agent governance, Billing Administrator for pay-as-you-go setup, SharePoint Administrator for oversharing reports, and Compliance Administrator for Microsoft Purview.

---

Key Admin Portal URLs

Portal	URL
Microsoft 365 admin center	https://admin.microsoft.com
Microsoft Purview portal	https://purview.microsoft.com
Microsoft Entra admin center	https://entra.microsoft.com
Microsoft Defender portal	https://security.microsoft.com
SharePoint admin center	https://admin.microsoft.com/sharepoint
Teams admin center	https://admin.teams.microsoft.com
Exchange admin center	https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com
Power Platform admin center	https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com
Copilot Studio	https://copilotstudio.microsoft.com
Copilot Dashboard	Opened from the Viva Insights app in Microsoft Teams or the Viva Insights web app, NOT from a standalone admin URL

Two portals are retired and must NEVER be used in demos or answers. The Microsoft Purview compliance portal is superseded by the Microsoft Purview portal at purview.microsoft.com. The Office 365 Security and Compliance Center is split across the Microsoft Defender portal, the Microsoft Purview portal, and the Exchange admin center. The retired compliance host still initiates a sign-in redirect, so do not claim on stage that the old URL fails to load. Claim that it is retired and superseded.

Navigation Paths Worth Memorizing

Task	Current path
Copilot pay-as-you-go billing	admin.microsoft.com > Copilot > Billing & usage
Agent approval queue	admin.microsoft.com > Agents > All agents > Requests
Agent inventory	admin.microsoft.com > Agents > All agents > Registry
Copilot usage report	admin.microsoft.com > Reports > Usage > Microsoft 365 Copilot > Copilot
Copilot Credits report	admin.microsoft.com > Reports > Usage > Microsoft 365 Copilot > Credits
Agent usage report	admin.microsoft.com > Reports > Usage > Microsoft 365 Copilot > Agents
DSPM for AI (the label the exam uses)	purview.microsoft.com > Solutions > DSPM for AI (classic)
DSPM (the new unified solution, GA May 2026)	purview.microsoft.com > Solutions > DSPM
Content search	purview.microsoft.com > Solutions > eDiscovery > Content Search
Data explorer	purview.microsoft.com > Solutions > Information Protection > Explorers > Data explorer
Data access governance reports	SharePoint admin center > Reports > Data access governance

---

About the Instructor

Timothy Warner is a Microsoft MVP and technology educator specializing in Microsoft 365, Azure, and AI.

License

MIT License. See LICENSE.

Support

Open an issue in this repository for questions about course materials.