Professional Certification vs Product Specialist Certification

A professional certification and a product specialist certification are both types of certifications that can be awarded to individuals. However, they differ in scope and purpose.

A professional certification is a broader certification that focuses on an individual's knowledge, skills, and experience in a specific field or profession. The purpose of a professional certification is to demonstrate an individual's competence and commitment to the field, and to provide assurance to employers and clients that the individual has the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their job effectively.

A product specialist certification, on the other hand, is a narrow and specific certification that focuses on an individual's knowledge and expertise in a particular product or product category. The purpose of a product specialist certification is to recognize an individual's expertise in the product and to demonstrate their ability to optimize features and troubleshoot issues related to the product.

At ADP (Automatic Data Processing) we offer Product Specialist Certifications to our existing clients for proficiency and proven expertise in our products.  We also are growing a Professional Certifications Program for professional skills important to Human Capital Management that can be accessed by anyone wanting to develop in the domains of human capital management. 

Our professional course programs are offered publicly through the Coursera platform where you will get a certificate of completion. We offer the ADP certification and exam prep for our programs here on this site for serious learners that want to showcase their achievements. These include project intensives, instructor led training, exam prep, and a final exam hosted on ADP's education site.  The Professional Certifications we offer are our Leading Standout out Teams Leadership Certification and the Accountant Connect Professional Certification. entry Level Payroll Specialist, Entry Level Compensation and Benefits Analyst, and Entry Level Recruiter with be live in 2024.  

Leading Standout out Teams Leadership Certification is designed for professionals wanting to learn how to lead and coach others using the strengths-based leadership philosophy.

Accountant Connect was created to provide accountants with ADP clients tools and strategies to manage their clients and their practice more efficiently. ​

 

General Registration Information:

You can register through Coursera for the learning path . One the learning path is complete you will receive a link to register and pay for the certification exam.

 

Professional Certification Policies

Completion of the learning plan and activities on Coursera is a pre-requisite to taking the certification exam.

Refund and Cancellation Policy​

There are no refunds for the access fees to the learning path on Coursera.

ADP provides a flexible refund and cancellation policy. Refunds and cancellations must be requested within 7 business days to receive 100% reimbursement, and are subject to specific conditions, as outlined in the table below.​

Days from purchase ​ Refund % Final Certification Exam
7 business days 100% ​ Not accessed or completed
8 or more business days ​ 0% ​​ N/A ​​

To be eligible for a refund, you must not have:

  • Accessed or completed any exams.

Additional information regarding refunds and cancellations

  • Refunds will not be granted for failure to complete study materials on Coursera​

 

How to request a refund

To request a refund, send an email to enterpriselearningsupport@adp.com within 7 days of purchasing the ADP Certification Exam. Once your refund request is received, we will send you an email acknowledging receipt of this request. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund. If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment.​

Late or missing refunds (if applicable)​

If you haven’t received a refund after 14 days, first check your bank or credit card account again.​

Then contact your bank/credit card company. It may take some time before your refund is officially posted (up to 30 days). There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.

If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at enterpriselearningsupport@adp.com.​

 

ADPs refund policy is subject to change.​

 

Exam and Extension Policy​

Exam Retake​

ADPs Professional Certification exam should be taken within 30 days after successfully registering and enrolling.​

ADP offers one free exam retake with an extra 1 week to review content on Coursera prior to using the exam retake. ​

Exam Extension​

A formal exam extension can be purchased if additional time beyond the original course access period is required. Students can choose to purchase a 30-day extension. The extension can be purchased in the ‘Available Products’ section of education.adp.com or through the Product Specialist Certification Program in myLearning at ADP. The extension must be purchased within 3 days before the program expiration date (if the exam has not been attempted) or within 3 days before the retake expiration.

  • The formal 30-day extension is available for purchase at a cost of $50 per extension.
  • Only one extension can be applied at a time.​
  • When an extension is applied, the extension period will always commence 48hrs (2 days) after the most recent expiration date of the relevant exam.
    • Example:
      • Standout Team Certified Leader original expiration date was Mar 24, 2023
        • Extension request must be submitted by midnight EST on Mar 21, 2023​
        • The extension will have a start date of Mar 26, 2023
        • The extension will expire 30 days later, on April 25, 2023​
  • Students are notified in writing once an extension has been applied. 
  • For formal Extension requests, the extension fee must be paid before the extension is applied, these can be purchased in the ‘Available Products’ section of this site or through the Product Specialist Certification Program in myLearning at ADP.
  • Only 2 formal 30-day extensions are allowed. After 2 extensions it will be necessary to repurchase the exam at full price.

 

Important information about your extension:​

Please review the online extension terms and conditions before ordering.​

  • Please allow up to 2 business days to process your extension.
  • Pre-purchased extensions are non-refundable.

 

Accessibility Policy​

Please refer to the ADP accessibility policy here: https://www.adp.com/web-accessibility-statement.aspx​

Accessibility Support​

We are dedicated to meeting your accessibility needs. Our content has been created to be compatible with accessibility technology tools. If you have any questions relating to the accessibility of our courses, please review our FAQ. If you need further explanation, please contact enterpriselearningsupport@adp.com.​

What is a Reasonable Accommodation?​

A reasonable accommodation is defined as modifications of programs, policies, practices, and procedures that enable learners with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to benefit from and have access to the ADP Certification programs. Reasonable accommodations do not include providing accessibility tools such as screen readers or training on how to use accessibility tools. Please contact your employer for any accessibility tools and associated training per your company’s policies. ​