MS-721 vs MS-700: Which Teams Certification Should You Choose?
Both are Microsoft Teams Associate certifications. They are not interchangeable. Here's the clear comparison and the right sequencing.
Quick Answer
Take MS-700 first. It is the broad Teams Administrator credential and establishes the foundation MS-721 assumes — governance, security, lifecycle, basic Teams Phone, troubleshooting.
Add MS-721 if you specialize in Teams voice or Rooms. Direct Routing, Operator Connect, Location-Based Routing, Teams Rooms (Windows + AOSP), Pro Management portal, certified IP phones. The voice specialist credential.
The Core Difference in One Paragraph
MS-700 is the breadth credential — it validates that you can run Teams across governance, security and compliance, meetings, basic Teams Phone, devices at survey level, and troubleshooting. The exam covers a broad slice of the Teams admin role without going deep on any one area.
MS-721 is the depth credential — it validates that you can architect and operate Teams voice and Rooms infrastructure. The exam goes deep on Direct Routing SBC configuration, voice routing with regex patterns, Location-Based Routing, advanced auto attendant and call queue scenarios, emergency call routing for Direct Routing, Teams Rooms on Windows vs. AOSP, the Pro Management portal, certified IP phones, and compliance recording. It assumes you already have MS-700-level admin foundation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | MS-700 | MS-721 |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Managing Microsoft Teams | Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer |
| Level | Associate | Associate |
| Focus | Broad Teams administration | Voice and Rooms specialization |
| Governance / lifecycle | Deep | Survey |
| Security / compliance for Teams | Deep | Survey |
| Teams Phone — Calling Plans, Operator Connect | Survey | Deep |
| Teams Phone — Direct Routing | Survey (mentioned only) | Deep — SBC, voice routing, LBR, media bypass |
| Voice routing regex patterns | Not tested | Tested at depth |
| Location-Based Routing | Not tested | Tested in detail |
| Emergency call routing for Direct Routing | Survey | Deep |
| Auto attendants and call queues | Basic scenarios | Advanced scenarios with conference mode, multi-tier |
| Teams Rooms | Survey (devices basics) | Deep — Windows vs. AOSP, Pro Management, Panels |
| Call Quality Dashboard | Deep | Survey |
| Compliance recording | Not tested | Tested |
| SIP Gateway for third-party phones | Not tested | Tested |
| Time limit | 65 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 40–60 | 40–60 |
| Cost | $165 USD | $165 USD |
| Typical prep time | 6–10 weeks | 8–12 weeks (after MS-700) |
| Best for | Teams Admins, Collaboration Ops | Voice Engineers, UC Architects, Collaboration Engineers |
Decision Framework
Take MS-700 first if you are:
- • A Teams administrator responsible for day-to-day Teams operations
- • An MS-102 holder adding Teams specialization
- • A help desk lead moving into Teams admin roles
- • An IT generalist focused on collaboration platforms
- • Planning to add MS-721 later for voice specialization
Take MS-721 first only if you are:
- • An experienced Teams voice engineer with hands-on Direct Routing deployments
- • A Unified Communications administrator migrating from legacy PBX to Teams Phone
- • A network engineer enabling Direct Routing with an SBC
- • Confident you already have MS-700-level Teams admin foundation from experience
Take both (most senior Teams collaboration engineers do):
- • You manage Teams broadly AND specialize in voice or Rooms
- • You are positioning for senior Collaboration Engineer or UC Architect roles
- • You want the strongest signal for Teams-focused career growth
- • Sequence: MS-700 first (6–10 weeks), then MS-721 (8–12 weeks). 4–5 months total
Common Scenarios
"I administer Teams day-to-day with some voice work"
Take MS-700 first. It maps to your broader role. Add MS-721 later if voice becomes a larger share of your work.
"I am a Cisco/Avaya voice engineer migrating to Teams Phone"
Take MS-721 first. Your voice background transfers directly to Direct Routing depth, and you do not need MS-700's broader governance content for a voice-focused role. Plan extra time on Microsoft-specific governance topics later.
"I deploy Teams Rooms across an enterprise"
Take MS-721. It is the only Microsoft credential that tests Teams Rooms depth — Windows vs. AOSP, Pro Management portal, Panels, certified peripherals. MS-700 only mentions Rooms at survey level.
"I want senior Teams Architect roles"
Take both. Senior Collaboration Architect and UC Architect roles expect both breadth (MS-700) and depth (MS-721). The combined credential signals you can both run Teams and design voice infrastructure.
"I already have MS-700 and now manage Direct Routing"
Take MS-721. MS-700 covers Direct Routing only at survey level — MS-721 is where the SBC, voice routing, and LBR depth lives. Plan 8–12 weeks with strong focus on Direct Routing (Domain 3 is 30–35%).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between MS-721 and MS-700?
MS-700 (Managing Microsoft Teams) is the broad Teams administrator credential covering governance, security, lifecycle, basic Teams Phone, and troubleshooting. MS-721 (Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer) is the specialized voice and devices credential — deep Direct Routing, Operator Connect, advanced voice routing, Location-Based Routing, Teams Rooms (Windows and AOSP), and certified IP phones. MS-700 is broader; MS-721 is deeper on voice and Rooms.
Which is harder, MS-721 or MS-700?
MS-721 is significantly harder. It requires deep technical knowledge of SIP, voice routing regex, SBC configuration, Direct Routing certificates, Location-Based Routing, and Teams Rooms operating modes — none of which MS-700 tests at depth. MS-700 covers a broader range of Teams admin topics but tests each at a more approachable level. Most candidates pass MS-700 in 6–10 weeks; MS-721 typically requires 8–12 weeks even with MS-700 already in hand.
Should I take MS-700 or MS-721 first?
Take MS-700 first for most candidates. MS-700 establishes the broad Teams administration foundation that MS-721 assumes — governance, security, basic Teams Phone, troubleshooting. Without that base, MS-721 voice depth is harder to absorb. The typical sequence is MS-700 first (6–10 weeks), then MS-721 (8–12 weeks). Experienced voice engineers can skip MS-700 and go directly to MS-721 but should plan extra time to fill general Teams admin gaps.
Do MS-721 and MS-700 overlap?
Yes, roughly 25–30% overlap. Both cover Teams Phone basics (Calling Plans, Operator Connect mention, basic auto attendants and call queues), meeting policies, external collaboration, and Microsoft Entra ID role basics for Teams. MS-721 dives much deeper on voice infrastructure (Direct Routing, SBC, LBR, advanced call queue scenarios) and Teams Rooms, while MS-700 covers governance, sensitivity labels, information barriers, lifecycle, and CQD that MS-721 does not test at depth.
What does MS-721 cover that MS-700 does not?
MS-721 covers Direct Routing in full depth (SBC pairing, certificates, voice routing regex, media bypass, Local Media Optimization, Location-Based Routing), Operator Connect operator setup, advanced auto attendant and call queue scenarios, emergency call routing for Direct Routing through dedicated SBCs, Teams Rooms deep dive (Windows vs. AOSP, Pro Management portal, Teams Panels, certified IP phones, SIP Gateway), and compliance recording integration. MS-700 covers none of these at depth.
What does MS-700 cover that MS-721 does not?
MS-700 covers Teams governance deeply (team templates, naming policies, expiration), security and compliance for Teams content (sensitivity labels, information barriers, DLP, retention), lifecycle management (archiving, restoring, deletion), app management (permission policies, setup policies, custom app deployment), and Call Quality Dashboard troubleshooting at depth. MS-721 does not test any of these in depth.
Can I take both MS-721 and MS-700?
Yes — and many senior Teams collaboration engineers do. The combined credentials signal both broad Teams administration (MS-700) and voice specialization (MS-721). Typical sequencing: MS-700 first (6–10 weeks), then MS-721 (8–12 weeks). Together, plan 4–5 months for both. The combined credential is valuable for senior Collaboration Engineer, Teams Voice Architect, and UC roles.
Which certification has higher salary potential?
MS-721 typically supports slightly higher salaries because voice engineering is a more specialized skill set. Teams Voice Engineers, UC Architects, and Collaboration Architects with MS-721 commonly earn $100K–$160K USD depending on region and experience. MS-700 holders in Teams Administrator and Collaboration Operations roles typically earn $80K–$140K. Both lead to strong career outcomes — MS-721 toward voice specialization, MS-700 toward broader Teams management.
Do I need MS-700 before taking MS-721?
Microsoft does not impose a hard prerequisite, but MS-700-level knowledge is assumed by MS-721. Candidates who skip MS-700 typically add 2–4 weeks of general Teams administration study to their MS-721 prep to fill the gap. If you already work with Teams administration daily and have hands-on Teams Phone experience, you may pass MS-721 without taking MS-700. Otherwise, sequencing MS-700 first is more efficient.
How long does it take to earn both MS-700 and MS-721?
4–5 months realistic plan: MS-700 in weeks 1–10 (book and pass MS-700 in week 10), then MS-721 in weeks 11–22 (book and pass MS-721 in week 22). Experienced Teams admins with voice background can compress to 3 months. Candidates starting from scratch should plan 6+ months. The voice infrastructure depth in MS-721 (Direct Routing, voice routing regex, LBR) is the limiting factor for most candidates.
Going with MS-700?
500 practice questions covering Teams environment, governance, meetings, and troubleshooting.
Practice MS-700 FreeGoing with MS-721?
500 practice questions covering Direct Routing, voice routing, LBR, and Teams Rooms.
Practice MS-721 Free