How to prepare for ACA-900

[Param Kelkar]

Hello Community, I have recently been suggested to give ACA-900 before attempting ACP-120 from some very good and skillful people in this community and i found that suggestion to be very useful and relevant also. So can somebody guide me regarding the preparation for ACA-900 and also i must accept that before this suggestion i had already given ACP-120 but unfortunately i could clear that so I'm less confident regarding the question paper style and the questions also therefore I need guidance on that as well for ACA-900.
Thanks.

[Walter Buggenhout]

Hi @Param Kelkar,

The best starting point for all you can do and engage with to prepare for ACA-900 is in this study / prep guide.

The page offers a mix of online courses, access to guided training sessions and links to Community groups (like this one).

I would recommend working through the course material, using the tools hands on so you practice everything in a working Jira environment and ask targeted questions over here when you are not sure about certain things you run into during your prep work.

The more targeted your question, the easier and most likely you are to get a good response.

All the best and success with your exam!  

[Tomislav Tobijas]

Hey @Param Kelkar ,

On top of what Walter said, you could check the following questions/discussions:

• Jira Software Essentials ACA-900 material
• February 2026 ACA-900 Jira Essentials
• Experience with ACA-900 Certification?
• Hello, are there any practice exams for the ACA-900 Jira Software Essentials certification?
• Passed the ACA-900 certification, Jira Essentials certification

From my point of view, you could do ACA-900, ACP-620 and then ACP-120. I would maybe say that 620 is a bit easier than 120 (from admin perspective) and it kinda makes sense to go on that route.
But that's, of course, if you have resources to do both of them. 

Anyway, good luck with the exam!

Cheers,
Tobi

[Germán Morales _ Hiera]

Hi @Param Kelkar,

@Walter Buggenhout 's answer is a good starting point. I would just add one important distinction: ACA-900 should not be prepared in the same way as ACP-120.

ACP-120 is more focused on Jira Cloud administration. ACA-900 is more focused on practical Jira Software usage: navigation, basic concepts, work item lifecycle, workflows, boards, and working with issues/work items.

My suggestion would be:

1. Start with the official Jira Essentials certification prep path:
https://community.atlassian.com/learning/collection/certification-prep/jira-software-essentials-prep

2. Review the exam details/objectives before studying, so you know which areas are actually covered.

3. Practice in a real or free Jira site. Do not rely only on videos. Create a project, work with issues, move items through statuses, use boards, filters, backlog, sprints, and the basic Jira views.

4. If you already prepared for ACP-120, do not assume that it fully covers ACA-900. It will help with some concepts, but ACA-900 can ask from a user/team perspective, not only from an admin perspective.

5. Avoid unofficial question banks. The safest route is Atlassian Learning plus hands-on practice.

I am also taking ACP-120 in a few days, so I have recently prepared my own study outline for that exam. If it helps, I would be happy to share it with you, although I would still treat ACA-900 and ACP-120 as different exams with different preparation focus.

In short: for ACA-900, I would focus less on advanced admin configuration and more on how Jira Software is used correctly day to day.