C_ARSUM Ariba Supplier Management Practice Question
A supplier has completed all required registration fields, but the supplier manager notices the supplier cannot yet be invited to a sourcing event. The registration record shows a status indicating the submission is awaiting internal review. What is the most likely cause of the supplier being unable to participate in sourcing?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming completed fields equal approved status, when approval requires the internal review to finish before downstream sourcing access is granted.
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 registration submission is pending internal approval and has not yet been approved.
The pending internal review status means the registration has not been approved, and sourcing invitations depend on an approved supplier state. Preferred status, risk scoring, and performance evaluations are separate concerns that do not gate a first sourcing invitation for a newly registered supplier awaiting approval.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The registration submission is pending internal approval and has not yet been approved.
Why this is correct
When a registration submission is awaiting internal review, the supplier has not yet reached an approved state, and downstream activities such as sourcing invitations depend on that approval. The status the manager observed directly indicates the submission is pending, which explains why the supplier cannot yet be invited. Completing fields alone does not grant approved status; internal review must conclude.
- ✗
The supplier has not been assigned a preferred status.
Why it's wrong here
Preferred status is a designation used to favor suppliers in sourcing decisions; it is not a prerequisite for being invited to a sourcing event. A non-preferred supplier can still be invited if it is otherwise approved and qualified. The blocker described is an internal review that has not concluded, not the absence of a preference flag.
- ✗
The supplier has not completed a performance evaluation.
Why it's wrong here
Performance evaluations occur after a supplier has transacted and are used to assess ongoing relationship quality. They are not a prerequisite for a new supplier to be invited to sourcing. A newly registered supplier would not have performance history, so requiring one before sourcing would make onboarding impossible.
- ✗
The supplier's risk exposure score has not yet been calculated.
Why it's wrong here
Risk exposure scores are informational signals used in risk evaluation and do not gate sourcing invitations in the way an unapproved registration does. Even an unscored supplier can typically be invited if it is approved. The observed pending-review status points to the approval gate, not to a missing risk score.
About these practice questions
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JA
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
This C_ARSUM practice question is part of Courseiva's free SAP certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the C_ARSUM exam.