It’s no secret METRC changes every operators’ workflows. However, new METRC users are unaware of the depth of these impacts until they are in the thick of implementation. This article breaks down the most common mistakes for each license type and recommended best practices on how to solve the compliance risk that can lead to violations.
CULTIVATION
COMPLICATIONS DURING HARVEST BATCH CREATION
Harvest Batches entered into METRC should always be verified within 48 hours from registering in METRC. A grower needs to consider the additional costs of entry error mistakes, such as additional labor and supplies. Rework means using more plant tags, time away from other work, and more labor to correct issues.
To avoid these mistakes with potential infractions:
1. Verify the accuracy of all harvest actions recorded in METRC.
2. Validate the accuracy of green waste recorded in METRC.
3. Calculate moisture loss percentage.
DISTRIBUTION
BOTTLENECKS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN ARE OCCURRING BECAUSE THE TRANSFERS API ROUTE IS INACCESSIBLE.
The lack of an open Transfers API route within METRC will affect every single licensee in the supply-chain. At California’s scale and volume of transactions, this API route must open up for the California market’s success on METRC.
MANUFACTURING
CONVERSIONS ARE NOT EASY
Unfortunately, there are no safeguards anywhere in METRC, including converting from trim to hash to edibles. Keep in mind that METRC is designed for tracking only, not to prevent you from accidentally inputting incorrect data. Converting assemblies improperly can lead to “Ghost Weight” (an RMCC term that means virtual records in METRC that are physically not on the licensed premise), unit of measure discrepancies, and even an improper category selection can lead to costly tax issues.
RETAILERS
MAYBE YOU’VE EXPERIENCED POINT OF SALE COMPANIES OVERSELLING BY TELLING YOU THEY WILL AUTOMATE ALL OF METRC FOR YOU.
Please be warned; this is a huge compliance risk. It is crucial as a dispensary owner you understanding how your POS impacts and interacts with METRC.
It’s often the bad data entry into the Point-of-Sale causes the discrepancy in METRC, and no Point-of-Sale will save you from your own mistakes.
Maybe you’ve experienced some of these entry errors yourself:
Incorrect unit of measure leading to conversion errors
Missed or duplicated sales due to an API error
Receiving an error when trying to submit a consumer return resulting in a lack of seed-to-sale tracking
Misplaced decimal point leading to overselling or Ghost Weight in METRC
To avoid compliance risks:
Verify all the actions you’ve done in METRC.
Conduct a daily scrub of METRC transactions vs. POS transactions.
Keep up with physical cycle counts.
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