---
article_id: KB0394538
article_type: FAQ
component_ids:
  - BNS-ARI-PUR-PO
component_descriptions:
  - Purchasing > Purchase Orders
products:
  - SAP Ariba Procurement, cloud edition
personas:
  - Admin
  - Buyer
language: en
created: 2025-12-09
updated: 2025-12-09
source: Knowledge Base
url: https://support.ariba.com/item/view/KB0394538
connect_url: https://support.ariba.com/item/view/KB0394538?min=1
sap_for_me_url: https://me.sap.com/notes/KB0394538
---

# What is the difference between Mark Ordered and Force Order?

## Symptom

What is the difference between **Mark Ordered** and **Force Order**? Which permissions/groups can perform these actions?

## Environment

SAP Ariba Buying & Invoicing

## Resolution

The key difference is that **Mark Ordered** is part of the workflow which moves the purchase order (PO) to **Ordered** state while **Force Order** means to abruptly terminate the workflow as there is no way forward with the PO.

**Mark Ordered:**

- When a purchase requisition (PR) is created containing items from a supplier that is not registered on SAP Business Network, the PO to that supplier must be handled manually.
- For this case, when the PR is approved, the PO remains in **Ordering** status until a **Purchasing Agent** opens the order and clicks **Mark Ordered**.
- The **Purchasing Agent** must then manually submit the PO to the supplier (for example, via email, fax, or messenger service).
- If the order uses a purchasing card (Pcard), the PCard information must be communicated to the supplier by a representative of the company placing the PO.
- Groups allowed to perform this task:
  - **Purchasing Agent**
  - **Purchasing Manager**
  - **Procurement Agent**
  - **Procurement Manager**
- Manual order processing can be extended to more users. Please check: [KB0395216: Which users can process Manual Orders?](https://support.ariba.com/item/view/164244)

**Force Order:**

- The **Force Order** option is used to manually change the PO status in Ariba Procurement when there is a discrepancy in the ordering flow and there is no other way to resolve the problem.
- Groups allowed to perform this task:
  - **Purchasing Manager**
  - **Receiving Manager**
  - **PCard Manager**
  - **Procurement Manager**

To learn more about when to use the **Force Order** option on a PO, please check the document [KB0402869: When should I force process a document?](https://support.ariba.com/item/view/188778)

## Keywords

Manual Orders, Mark Ordered, Force Order, Force Order not working, Manual Orders stuck in Ordering status