The MO-100 certification exam is designed for individuals who can demonstrate proficiency in using the core features of Microsoft Word 2019. It validates the ability to create, format, and manage a variety of professional documents using Word’s essential tools and functionalities. Successful candidates will be capable of producing and maintaining high-quality documents, including:

• Professional Reports – Structuring and formatting reports with consistency and clarity.
• Multicolumn Newsletters – Designing visually engaging newsletters using advanced layout tools.
• Résumés – Creating well-organized and visually appealing résumés tailored to various industries.
• Business Correspondence – Composing formal letters, memos, and other workplace communications.

– Candidate Profile

Those preparing for this exam are expected to:

• Have completed approximately 150 hours of instruction and practical experience using Microsoft Word 2019.
• Possess industry-level associate proficiency, showcasing the ability to work independently with Word.
• Be prepared to enter the workforce, applying their skills in real-world professional environments.

Exam Details

Exam MO-100: Microsoft Word (Office 2019) is an intermediate-level certification tailored for business users aiming to validate their proficiency in Microsoft Word. Candidates will have 50 minutes to complete the exam, which is proctored and not open book. The assessment may include interactive components that require hands-on task completion using Word 2019.

The exam is accessible to a global audience and is available in multiple languages, including English, English (Malaysia), German, Indonesian (Indonesia), Korean, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Russian, French, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Polish, Greek (Greece), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Arabic (Saudi Arabia), and Vietnamese (Vietnam).

Course Outline

The exam covers the following topics:

1. Understand about managing documents (20-25%)

Navigating within documents

• Search for text (Microsoft Documentation: Find text in a document)
• Link to locations within documents (Microsoft Documentation: Add hyperlinks to a location within the same document)
• Move to specific locations and objects in documents (Microsoft Documentation: Move a text box, WordArt, or shape)
• Show and hide formatting symbols and hidden text (Microsoft Documentation: Show or hide tab marks in Word)

Formatting documents

• Set up document pages (Microsoft Documentation: Create a document in Word)
• Apply style sets (Microsoft Documentation: Customize or create new styles)
• Insert and modify headers and footers (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a header or footer)
• Configure page background elements (Microsoft Documentation: Add, change, or delete the background color in Word)

Saving and sharing documents

• Save documents in alternative file formats (Microsoft Documentation: Save, back up, and recover a file in Microsoft Office)
• Modify basic document properties (Microsoft Documentation: Change document properties)
• Modify print settings (Microsoft Documentation: Print a document in Word)
• Share documents electronically (Microsoft Documentation: Share a document)

Inspecting documents for issues

• Locate and remove hidden properties and personal information (Microsoft Documentation: Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents, presentations, or workbooks)
• Locate and correct accessibility issues (Microsoft Documentation: Inspect files for accessibility issues)
• Locate and correct compatibility issues (Microsoft Documentation: Inspect files for compatibility issues)

2. Inserting and formatting text, paragraphs, and sections (20-25%)

Inserting text and paragraphs

• Find and replace text (Microsoft Documentation: Find and replace text)
• Insert symbols and special characters (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a symbol in Word)

Formatting text and paragraphs

• Apply text effects (Microsoft Documentation: Add or remove text effects)
• Apply formatting by using Format Painter (Microsoft Documentation: Use the Format Painter)
• Set line and paragraph spacing and indentation (Microsoft Documentation: Adjust indents and spacing in Word)
• Apply built-in styles to text (Microsoft Documentation: Apply styles)
• Clear formatting (Microsoft Documentation: Clear all text formatting)

Creating and configuring document sections

• Format text in multiple columns
• Insert page, section, and column breaks (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a section break, Insert a column break)
• Change page setup options for a section (Microsoft Documentation: Change a section break)

3. Learn how to manage tables and lists (15-20%)

Creating tables

• Convert text to tables (Microsoft Documentation: Convert text to a table or a table to text)
• Convert tables to text (Microsoft Documentation: Convert text to a table or a table to text)
• Create tables by specifying rows and columns (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a table)

Modifying tables

• Sort table data (Microsoft Documentation: Sort the contents of a table)
• Configure cell margins and spacing
• Merge and split cells
• Resize tables, rows, and columns (Microsoft Documentation: Resize a table, column, or row)
• Split tables
• Configure a repeating row header (Microsoft Documentation: Repeat table header on subsequent pages)

Creating and modifying lists

• Format paragraphs as numbered and bulleted lists (Microsoft Documentation: Change the color, size, or format of bullets or numbers in a list)
• Change bullet characters and number formats (Microsoft Documentation: Change the color, size, or format of bullets or numbers in a list)
• Define custom bullet characters and number formats (Microsoft Documentation: Define new bullets, numbers, and multilevel lists)
• Increase and decrease list levels
• Restart and continue list numbering (Microsoft Documentation: Change the numbering in a numbered list)
• Set starting number values

4. Creating and managing references (5-10%)

Creating and managing reference elements

• Insert footnotes and endnotes (Microsoft Documentation: Insert footnotes and endnotes)
• Modify footnote and endnote properties (Microsoft Documentation: Change footnote to endnote)
• Create and modify bibliography citation sources (Microsoft Documentation: Add citations in a Word document)
• Insert citations for bibliographies

Creating and managing reference tables

• Insert tables of contents (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a table of contents)
• Customize tables of contents (Microsoft Documentation: Format or customize a table of contents)
• Insert bibliographies (Microsoft Documentation: Create a bibliography, citations, and references)

5. Understand about inserting and formatting graphic elements (15-20%)

Inserting illustrations and text boxes

• Insert shapes (Microsoft Documentation: Add shapes)
• Insert pictures (Microsoft Documentation: Insert pictures)
• Insert 3D models (Microsoft Documentation: Get creative with 3D models)
• Insert SmartArt graphics (Microsoft Documentation: Create a SmartArt graphic from scratch)
• Insert screenshots and screen clippings (Microsoft Documentation: Insert a screenshot or screen clipping)
• Insert text boxes (Microsoft Documentation: Add, copy, or remove a text box in Word)

Formatting illustrations and text boxes

• Apply artistic effects (Microsoft Documentation: Edit pictures)
• Apply picture effects and picture styles
• Remove picture backgrounds (Microsoft Documentation: Remove the background of a picture in Office)
• Format graphic elements
• Format SmartArt graphics (Microsoft Documentation: Create and change SmartArt)
• Format 3D models (Microsoft Documentation: 3D model formatting in Office)

Adding text to graphic elements

• Add and modify text in text boxes (Microsoft Documentation: Add, copy, or remove a text box in Word)
• Add and modify text in shapes (Microsoft Documentation: Wrap text inside a shape)
• Add and modify SmartArt graphic content

Modifying graphic elements

• Position objects (Microsoft Documentation: Align or arrange objects)
• Wrap text around objects (Microsoft Documentation: Wrap text around a picture in Word)
• Add alternative text to objects for accessibility (Microsoft Documentation: Improve accessibility with alt text)

6. Managing document collaboration (5-10%)

Adding and managing comments

• Add comments (Microsoft Documentation: Insert, delete, or change a comment)
• Review and reply to comments (Microsoft Documentation: Add and review comments)
• Resolve comments
• Delete comments Using (Microsoft Documentation: Modern Comments)

Managing change tracking

• Track changes (Microsoft Documentation: Track changes in Word)
• Review tracked changes
• Accept and reject tracked changes (Microsoft Documentation: Accept or reject tracked changes in Word)
• Lock and unlock change tracking

Microsoft MO-100 Exam FAQs

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Microsoft Certification Exam Policies and Guidelines

To preserve the integrity, credibility, and global recognition of its certification programs, Microsoft implements a comprehensive set of exam policies. These policies are designed to ensure a fair, secure, and standardized testing experience, whether the exam is taken online or at an authorized testing center. Compliance with these guidelines is essential to uphold the professional standing and value of Microsoft certifications.

MOS Exam Retake Policy

Candidates who do not pass a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exam must observe a 24-hour waiting period before attempting the exam again. If a second attempt is unsuccessful, the waiting period increases to 48 hours for subsequent retakes. There is no limit to the number of times a candidate may retake a MOS exam within a year. While candidates are permitted to retake exams they have already passed, it is typically unnecessary unless required by specific personal or organizational goals.

Rescheduling and Cancellation Policy

Microsoft allows candidates to reschedule or cancel exam appointments at no cost if the request is made at least six business days prior to the scheduled date. Changes made within five business days may incur a rescheduling fee. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the appointment or failure to attend the exam will result in the forfeiture of the exam fee. Exceptions may be considered in cases of emergencies or verified accessibility needs, provided that appropriate documentation is submitted and approved.

Microsoft MO-100 Exam Study Guide

Step 1: Understand the Exam Objectives

Begin your preparation by gaining a thorough understanding of the official exam objectives. Microsoft outlines specific skill areas assessed in the MO-100 exam, such as document creation, formatting text and paragraphs, managing tables and lists, and inserting graphics and references. Reviewing these objectives helps you identify which tasks and features of Word 2019 you need to focus on. It also provides a roadmap for your study plan, ensuring you cover each competency in depth rather than studying broadly without direction. Familiarizing yourself with the exam structure and expectations is the foundation of a successful preparation strategy.

Step 2: Use Official Microsoft Training Resources

Once you know the objectives, the next step is to leverage Microsoft’s official learning resources. Microsoft Learn and Certiport, the official exam provider, offer training materials tailored to the MO-100 exam. These resources often include video tutorials, hands-on labs, and practice tasks that simulate real-world scenarios. Since the MO-100 exam assesses the practical application of Word features, these official tools are invaluable in developing both your theoretical understanding and your ability to perform tasks efficiently in the Word 2019 environment. Prioritize these over unverified content to ensure alignment with the actual exam content.

Step 3: Join Study Groups or Online Forums

Connecting with other candidates or certified professionals through study groups and online communities can greatly enhance your learning experience. Platforms such as Reddit, LinkedIn, or certification-focused Discord channels allow you to exchange tips, clarify doubts, and share useful resources. Engaging in group discussions helps reinforce your understanding of key topics and can introduce you to study techniques or tools you might not discover on your own. Furthermore, explaining concepts to others is a great way to strengthen your own retention and confidence in the subject matter.

Step 4: Take MO-100 Exam Practice Tests

Practice exams are a critical part of your preparation. They not only simulate the actual testing environment but also help you identify areas where you may need additional review. By working through timed practice tests, you can improve your time management skills and reduce exam-day anxiety. After each test, review your incorrect answers to understand your mistakes and revisit those topics in your study materials. Look for high-quality practice tests that reflect the format and difficulty of the real MO-100 exam to get the most benefit.

Step 5: Reinforce Learning Through Hands-On Practice

In addition to studying and taking practice tests, spend ample time working directly in Word 2019. Try creating sample documents like resumes, reports, and newsletters using the tools and features you’ve studied. Apply formatting, insert graphics, use tables, and experiment with layout options. The more you practice in a real-world context, the more confident and efficient you’ll become. This hands-on experience is crucial, as the exam often includes tasks that test your ability to complete actions directly within Word.