METRC Data
How to Properly Preserve Your Data
There are two types of METRC tags you use:
- 1. Production TagsA tag used at any stage during the production process, marking items used in cultivation, processing, or WIP/MIP.
- 2. Sales TagsA tag assigned to finished goods before manifesting them for sale, specifically for items leaving your facility.
Why Re-Tagging Finished Goods Matters
When you send out product, are you transferring valuable internal data along with it? Sending a production tag out the door means that all the data associated with that tag—such as production steps and testing results—becomes accessible to whomever receives it. This risks exposing sensitive information to customers or competitors.
To prevent this, convert your production tags into new sales tags before products leave your facility. This practice keeps your production data safely within your METRC account, preserving traceability and insights.
If you’re not following this process, you’re potentially compromising your company’s data integrity and handing over more information than intended.
Benefits of Preserving Your Data
- 1. Data Privacy Protects sensitive production data from being accessed by external customers or competitors.
- 2. Internal Traceability Sales TagsMaintains a clear and complete history of production, from initial harvest to finished goods, within METRC.
- 3. Easier ReportingSimplifies state reporting by keeping all production tags visible in your system, ensuring no data is lost when items are transferred out.
How to Retag
Before manifesting, create a new sales tag by converting your finished goods into a “mirror” finished goods item with a new tag. This ensures all production data remains internal.
When to Retag
As soon as a product is ready for sale and you’re preparing it for manifest, have your team assign a sales tag.
Who Should Retag
This task typically falls to your order fulfillment or inventory team after they pull items for sale. Alternatively, if products are sold in set batches, your production team can handle retagging as a final step.
What Can You do with The Data
The more data you preserve, the more visibility your company has. Using this data you can track your production, BOM, fill out required state reports and audit production processes with more clarity.
Considerations
Retagging may require more METRC tags and add a small amount of time to your process, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. Safeguarding your data, improving reporting accuracy, and protecting your competitive edge are well worth the minor additional expense and effort.
Learn More
The cannabis industry is at a crossroads when it comes to data tracking. By overcoming the barriers to effective data management with High Cloud, companies can gain the insights they need to thrive in a competitive market. Embracing a data-driven approach is essential for long-term success and growth in this rapidly evolving industry.
For more information on how you can save money and avoid implementing an ERP, go to www.highcloudinsights.com.
