C_ARSUM Ariba Supplier Management Practice Question
A supplier has been disqualified in Ariba. What is the immediate, system-wide effect on pending purchase orders for this supplier?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mistake is assuming that disqualifying a supplier in the system automatically cancels or deletes all of their currently active purchase orders.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The supplier is blocked from receiving new orders, but existing POs remain active.
Disqualification changes the supplier status but does not automatically cancel existing, active purchase orders. The procurement team must manually review and address open POs to avoid business disruption. This design ensures that organizations have control over the transition period, allowing them to complete pending transactions or redirect them to other suppliers without causing system-level errors or inadvertent data loss in the ERP integration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
All pending purchase orders are automatically cancelled.
Why it's wrong here
Ariba does not automatically cancel POs upon disqualification because that could lead to significant financial and operational issues. Purchase orders represent legal contracts, and the system is designed to allow procurement officers to manage the lifecycle of existing orders manually rather than forcing a system-wide deletion of transactions.
- ✓
The supplier is blocked from receiving new orders, but existing POs remain active.
Why this is correct
Disqualification prevents the creation of new orders but leaves existing ones untouched to allow for completion. This status transition is intended to stop new business engagement while protecting the integrity of ongoing contractual obligations, ensuring that procurement teams retain oversight of their current purchasing pipeline and financial commitments.
- ✗
All pending purchase orders are automatically moved to 'On Hold' status.
Why it's wrong here
While 'On Hold' is a status, the system does not automatically perform this action during disqualification. Procurement users must manually update the status of individual purchase orders. This ensures that the organization consciously decides the fate of every outstanding order based on their specific procurement and legal requirements.
- ✗
The supplier is immediately deleted from the database to prevent risk.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting a supplier would cause data integrity issues for historic transactions and reporting. The system uses status flags like 'Disqualified' to prevent future business while retaining the supplier's record for audit and historical reporting purposes. Deletion is not a standard lifecycle feature in SAP Ariba Supplier Management.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official SAP exam blueprint
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