I need to pass both AZ-104 and AI-200 by the end of this month because of an employer requirement. I know that is an aggressive timeline, especially since I work about 10 hours a day and have other personal commitments, but I need to make the best use of the time available. I recently took AZ-104 after only four days of preparation, studying for less than four hours daily, and scored 557. I used some practice questions but clearly need a more structured approach. Which Microsoft Learn paths, hands-on labs, practice tests, and topic areas should I prioritize? Is it better to prepare for the exams one at a time, and how would you organize a realistic two- or three-week crash plan? I would especially appreciate recent advice about the important AZ-104 and AI-200 topics, along with guidance on whether passing both while working full-time is realistic.
3 Answers
I would not prepare for both exams simultaneously if you can avoid it. They require different types of preparation, and switching constantly will waste limited study time. Spend the first block of time repairing your AZ-104 weaknesses, take it again when your practice results are consistently strong, and then move to AI-200. Microsoft Learn is useful enough as a foundation, while John Savill's Azure videos can help explain difficult AZ-104 concepts. Use reputable practice exams, such as Tutorial Dojo, to identify gaps rather than memorizing answers.
With only two or three weeks, be strict about prioritization. Begin with a diagnostic practice test, list every missed objective, and spend most of your study time on those areas. Use short Microsoft Learn sessions during breaks, then reserve your longer sessions for labs involving the Azure portal, CLI, networking, storage, identity, containers, and monitoring. Video searches can fill specific knowledge gaps, but broad, unfocused browsing will not be enough. Passing both while working long hours is possible for someone with strong existing Azure experience, but it is a very tight target if you are starting from scratch.
Start with the official Microsoft Learn skills outlines and use them as your checklist. For AZ-104, focus heavily on identity and governance, storage, compute, networking, and monitoring, and make sure you actually practice tasks in an Azure environment rather than only watching videos. For AI-200, follow the current skills-measured list closely; the material overlaps with Azure developer concepts and adds areas such as containers, messaging, KQL, and vector search. Since there is not much official practice material for AI-200 yet, the skills outline is especially important.
That makes sense. I was hoping to study both together, but focusing on one exam at a time may be more manageable with my schedule.