Microsoft Office Specialist professionals must have passed an exam in one of the component applications of Microsoft Office. These include Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access. The certifications are designed for people with careers as administrative professionals, clerical workers and business analysts.

A Microsoft Office Specialist can have many careers. Unlike other certification programs, the Microsoft Office Specialist program is not just for people in computer careers; it is also for people in a variety of professions who simply use computers for daily tasks.

Microsoft offers three different certification programs for Microsoft Office Specialists professionals. The programs cover different editions of Microsoft Office, allowing people to choose the best program for their profession or employer. As of January 2014, the three specializations were in Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft Office 2013.

Becoming a Microsoft Office Specialist includes passing one or more exams offered by Microsoft. You can prepare for these exams by studying the literature provided by Microsoft and other companies. Some schools and companies offer courses to prepare you for the tests. Exams are taken at authorized testing centers around the country.