Urgent: CSA Exam - Xanadu to Yokohama Release Transition Concerns (Need Prep Guidance)

[gagan930]

Hello ServiceNow Community,

I'm currently preparing for my Certified System Administrator (CSA) exam and have an urgent concern regarding the upcoming release transition.

I've extensively studied for the CSA exam using materials aligned with the Xanadu release (specifically, I've thoroughly read the SNAF book).

My exam is currently scheduled for July 23rd, 2025. I've recently become aware that the last date to take the CSA exam on the Xanadu version is July 15th, 2025. After this date, only the Yokohama release exam will be available.

I cannot reschedule my exam to July 15th or before, as I need this full time to adequately revise all the core concepts. I understand I have the option to reschedule my exam further out if absolutely necessary, but my current plan is to take it on July 23rd. Therefore, I will definitely be taking the Yokohama release version of the exam.

My main question is: How should I best and most efficiently prepare for the Yokohama release version of the CSA exam, given that my primary study has been on Xanadu and I have limited time until July 23rd?

I understand that the core concepts remain largely the same, but I'm looking for specific guidance on:

• What are the most critical new features or enhancements in Yokohama that a CSA candidate absolutely must know?

• Are there specific areas (e.g., UI, Now Assist/AI features, platform capabilities, security changes) where the Yokohama changes are most impactful for the CSA exam?

• What's the most efficient way to bridge this knowledge gap in the remaining time?

Any advice, tips, or recommended resources (beyond just reading the full release notes, which I plan to do) from those who have successfully transitioned between releases or have insights into the Yokohama CSA exam content would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help and understanding!

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 Nothing to worry about — only around 20–30 questions might change, and this is based on my experience. So don’t stress, your preparation is good enough.

[Nikhil Bajaj9 · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 ,

Dont worry, not many questions will change. Only few questions related to Yokohama release willbe there, else you will find rest of the admin concepts as same. Go through the release note of the Yokohama and see what new features are there, read about those and be prepare for exam. good luck.

Regards,

Nikhil Bajaj

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 

However, with 60 questions on the exam, 20-30 potential changes still feel like a significant portion to me, especially since those could be new concepts I haven't specifically studied yet.

Atul: You're assuming 20–30 questions is a big number, but in my 10 years in the ServiceNow ecosystem, I've rarely seen more than 2–3 questions get changed. Also, I feel you're worrying unnecessarily. Just focus on preparing well. The eBook is the single source of truth and your best resource. So, the best thing you can do is prepare thoroughly and go for the exam. The more you overthink, the more you'll stress.

[gagan930]

You're right to press for more specific numbers, especially when the passing score is a significant factor. "A few" can be subjective.

Here's a concise and direct reply asking for clarification on the number of questions, building on your previous responses:

---

Hi Sir,

Thanks for the quick reply and the encouragement! It's good to hear most admin concepts stay the same.

However, since the CSA exam has 60 questions , even a "few" changed questions can make a big difference.

Could you clarify what you mean by "few" in terms of actual numbers? For example, is it typically 3-5, 5-10, or more? This would help me immensely in prioritizing my Yokohama-specific study.

Thanks again for your insights!

[Nikhil Bajaj9 · Accepted solution]

Hi @gagan930 ,

Although no one can tell you exact numbe rof changes in the question but my few means - 5-6 Questions only, as per my experience so no major change. No worries and prepare well.

Regards,

Nikhil Bajaj

[VenkataKriA]

Hi Nikhil,

Thanks for the update! Could you please let me know where I can find the release notes for the Yokohama update? Also, is there any specific material you would recommend following to get a better understanding of the new features?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,

A V Krishna Sai

[VandanaBoya]

Hi Gagan,

Thanks a lot for sharing your situation — I'm actually in the same boat, with my CSA exam scheduled shortly after the release switch to Yokohama.

Since you've likely taken the exam already, could you please share your experience?

• Did the exam still feel familiar based on what you studied for Xanadu?

• Were most of the questions still aligned with the core concepts, or did you notice many new ones?

• Were there major changes in the phrasing or type of questions compared to what you had seen during your preparation?

Any insights on how different the Yokohama version felt compared to Xanadu-based preparation would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance, and I hope your exam went well!

[VandanaBoya]

Hi Gagan

Thanks for sharing your situation I am also scheduled to take the CSA exam after the switch to the Yokohama release and I have prepared using Xanadu based material

Since you might have taken the exam already can you please share your experience

Did the exam still feel familiar to what you studied for Xanadu

Were most of the questions similar or did you notice a lot of new ones

Any quick suggestions on what to focus on in the remaining days would be very helpful

Thanks in advance and hope your exam went well