I am Microsoft Certified since 2006, Technology Specialist in SQL 2005 and Business Management Solution Specialist in Microsoft Dynamics. Thus, I already own an Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) ID  that allows me to access Microsoft Certified Professional program.This program basically gives you access to review your certifications and the progress on your certification path. It also enables you to prove that you actually have those certifications.

As example, you can find mine by following the link: https://mcp.microsoft.com/authenticate/validatemcp.aspx and insert Transcript ID: 770644 and Access Code: radupoenaru.

New exam, new MCP ID

I recently took a Microsoft Certification exam. I passed it and now I’m Certified Technology Specialist in .Net 3.5. As a parenthesis, Microsoft, in its attempt to save the nature and thus paper, give  the paper certificate only upon request. And because in my staying in Germany, I started appreciating more and more the nature, so I don’t believe that I’ll request it.

But more than this, the Certification center sent me a link to activate my Microsoft Certified Professional program. This also implies that you’ll get a new MCP ID. So I am in the position of having 2 separate places to show to my possible employers that I own the certifications.

How can one merge its 2 MCP IDs?

In the mail, received after my certification exam, there were 3 pieces of important information:

• Microsoft Certification ID
• Access code
• Microsoft Learning Assisted Support – where I found a number for Microsoft help center in Germany –  (0800) 7563210* (toll-free number). Business hours are : Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 17:00 (8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M) in Coordinated Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time).

*(please check their website again before you call) 

The information that you need when calling there are:

1. your MCP ID found by following these few easy steps:

• on https://mcp.microsoft.com/mcp – you need to login with your Live ID that is attached to the ID,
• then from the left menu click on View my … menu item.
• From the new page that opens, click on the Transcript link, just under the big, central picture
• then scroll down to the Microsoft Certified Professional Transcript section and just beneath you’re address you’ll find the Microsoft Certified Professional ID: xxxxxxx . It has 7 digits in my case.

2. the Access code from the mail

3. your home’s Address with which you’re registered on the MCP site (for extra verification I suppose)

I called and after selecting  1 –  For Microsoft certifications I was redirected to a nice lady who helped me consolidate my accounts. The help was prompt and very useful.

At the final, she’ll ask you if you want to keep the old MCP ID or the new one, generated with the latest certification. I choose to keep the old one, as I have it on my website and also in my profiles on LinkedIn or Xing.

Still, beware of the fact that this modifications usually happen in a 5 Business days time span, so it is better not to have any exam in this window of time or you’ll have to call the center again

What’s next?

I asked also what should-I do at my next certifications exams in order to receive all my certifications in one place. The answer is as you register for a certification to mention that you already have a MCP ID and thus your new certificates will be added under it.

That’s it, folks! Another cool experience with a very Happy User Experience from Microsoft.