We don’t care how passionate you are about legalized weed—“bud bureaucracy” can be a real pain in the, um, “bud.”
Even the most enthusiastic cannabusiness owners don’t enjoy the hassle of tagging and tracking their plants.
However, if marijuana is ever going to go mainstream, it must be traceable. Anyone who loves legal weed needs to take an interest in seed-to-sale tracking.
Thankfully, many hi-tech companies are putting out software solutions to make canna-compliance as straightforward as possible. In addition to tracking location in real-time, most seed-to-sale systems monitor critical metrics like inventory, weight, transportation, packaging, and sales. This software’s primary goal is to provide state regulators with up-to-date info on all your plants.
Since cannabis law is continually changing, companies need reliable seed-to-sale vendors that stay on top of compliance issues.
No matter how small your cannabis operation is, a seed-to-sale system can save you serious legal headaches as you tend to your business.
What Makes Cannabis Compliant? – The Marijuana “METRC System”
The primary purpose behind seed-to-sale software is simple: help cannabis companies comply with their state’s laws. So, what exactly makes cannabis “compliant?”
Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy question to answer.
Heck, there are now dozens of attorneys who devote their entire legal practice to understanding cannabis law.
While there are many nuances in cannabis compliance law, the central issue is the disconnect between state and federal restrictions. Because weed remains illegal at the federal level, there’s no national standard for compliance. Hence, every state has to come up with its own legal framework for cannabis tracking.
Although there are differences in every state’s cannabis regulations, the one “metric” most seed-to-sale systems use is “METRC.”
Short for “Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance,” METRC is by far the most widely used reporting system across the USA. This system works by using radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track every cannabis plant’s life cycle.
An important feature to note about METRC is that it’s not designed to make your business more efficient. In fact, working with METRC alone can be downright annoying. Despite all of your hard work, you won’t gain any business insights from METRC’s platform. All that METRC cares about is providing the state with a traceable record for your marijuana products.
However, since METRC is an essential part of cannabis compliance, cannabis operators have to stay on top of their data entry without stalling business operations. Hence the growing demand for third-party seed-to-sale software that automatically integrates with METRC and other official tracking systems.
Instead of wasting precious time inputting data into METRC’s system, you can use a third party seed-to-sale software to send and record essential data. Not only does seed-to-sale software keep your business compliant, it often has other features that help your business grow, such as forecasting yield, managing workflows, and analyzing financial data.
How Should You Choose A Seed-To-Sale Software?
As with any other business expense, choosing the right seed-to-sale software depends on your needs.
Before you begin researching different software providers, you must clearly understand why you want this system. Do you simply want to comply with your state’s laws, or do you want this software to provide the most up-to-date business analytics imaginable?
Another consideration worth investigating is how user-friendly your software is. How much extra time (and money) are you going to spend re-training employees? Is this system better suited for IT departments, or could non-specialists figure it out?
Also, how reliable is your vendor’s customer service department—because, trust us, you’re going to experience a few hiccups in the initial stages!
It’s also essential to review how often your seed-to-sale system updates.
As you already know, the cannabis industry is in a rapid state of flux. State laws for proper tracking are always getting revised, which means you need to work with a team that constantly monitors these changes. Whatever seed-to-sale system you’re researching, be sure to test the company’s legal knowledge and ask how it intends to alert you to compliance reforms.
Lastly, you must figure out how easy it is to leave your chosen seed-to-sale software.
Even if you have a great gut feeling about your software, you never know when things might not work out. Be sure you know how much you’ll need to pay to get out of your company’s contract.
FYI: there are a few cannabis consulting groups springing up across North America. These firms could provide you with an objective, third-party opinion on what seed-to-sale system works best for your business strategy, goals, and budget. It might be worth your while visiting one of these consulting firms for more personalized assistance.
Where To Find The Best Seed-To-Sale Software — Besides Google!
Although we’ll share five of the best seed-to-sale companies below, please don’t take our word for it!
Whether you’re a cultivator, manufacturer, or distributor, you must do your due diligence when evaluating all the seed-to-sale vendors on the market.
Unfortunately, it can still be challenging to find reliable info on cannabis seed-to-sale vendors online. If you’re struggling to find a seed-to-sale software using standard search engines, you might want to join a few professional cannabis groups on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Many industry experts also recommend networking with legal cannabis businesses at live events and trade shows.
Although the Internet has many virtues, nothing beats tried-and-true “word of mouth.” In a rapidly changing industry like cannabis, it pays to stay as well-connected as possible. Networking with others in the field could clue you in on new compliance laws and hot seed-to-sale systems.
The 6 Best Cannabis Seed-To-Sale Tracking Systems
1. Canix
Despite opening in 2019, Canix is already one of North America’s most successful seed-to-sale providers. In fact, this Bay Area-based company is so popular that it clinched the top spot in TechCrunch’s competitive “Disrupt 2020” challenge.
So, what is it that makes Canix’s system stand apart? For starters, Canix provides all of its clients with RFID scanners that can recognize barcodes up to 10 feet away. After scanning your plant, you could easily access relevant info on Canix’s intuitive app, which also has Bluetooth compatibility. As a bonus, you don’t need an Internet connection to access Canix’s user-friendly app on any device.
Currently, Canix is compliant with METRC in ten US states and has successfully tracked over 2 million plants. The company also boasts its forecasting technology could help cultivators plan at least 90-days in advance. To help clients get the most out of their system, Canix also offers reliable live phone support and on-site training.
2. Trellis
Trellis is a Canadian-based seed-to-sale provider that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. In fact, most people only became aware of this company after Snoop Dogg’s Casa Verde fund gave Trellis an eye-popping $2 million.
Now a part of Akerna, Trellis is most concerned with helping cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors manage their inventory. Trellis designed their system to be as user-friendly as possible. With its easy-to-remember icons and linear tracking system, even non-tech-savvy users shouldn’t have issues using Terllis’s interface.
Trellis claims to have over six decades of combined experience and is always available for questions via phone. The company also offers a compliant employee training program to help your team grasp the essentials of cannabis compliance law.
Although headquartered in Toronto, Trellis has become an international business in recent years. Today, companies in the USA, Australia, and Jamaica rely on Trellis to comply with seed-to-sale laws.
3. Viridian Sciences
Thanks to its partnership with the multinational SAP SE, Viridian Sciences is one of the largest seed-to-sale operators in the global cannabis space.
Indeed, this company now claims to offer clients a combined 200 years of development services experience. So, if it’s a robust data pool you’re interested in, you’d better start your search with Viridian.
Thanks to its superior scale, Viridian Sciences can offer a thorough ERP experience. In addition to the supply side, Viridian Sciences also offers dispensary POS software for those who are interested. Currently, Viridian Sciences is compliant with both METRC and BioTrack.
Although you can’t use Viridian Sciences while offline, the company does claim to be “software agnostic.” This means you could operate on any Internet-connected device at any time. For convenience, all of Viridian Sciences’ services are compatible with Excel and SQL. The company also allows clients to work remotely on mobile devices.
4. MJ Platform
MJ Platform is one of the oldest seed-to-sale firms in the USA.
First opened in 2010, this Colorado-based business has been a leader in developing cannabis compliance software, and it currently works with about 30 percent of legal cannabis operators.
With its proprietary algorithms and Akerna-backed software, MJ Platform helps clients understand past trends, set reminders, and manage current data in real-time. This system is now offered to cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, dispensaries, and delivery services.
Plus, MJ Platform also offers a robust consulting program that’s excellent for people new to the cannabis industry. With over 30 years of combined experience in the marijuana space, MJ Platform claims to help new businesses better define their goals and develop a successful strategy.
5. Helix BioTrack
Like MJ Platform, BioTrack launched its seed-to-sale software about a decade ago. However, it wasn’t until 2013—when BioTrack became Washington State’s first official seed-to-sale system—that most people heard about this company.
To date, BioTrack has processed over $20 billion worth of cannabis in hundreds of locations. This company also holds nine government contracts in eight US states and Puerto Rico.
Now integrated with Helix TCS, Inc., Helix BioTrack offers a suite of software solutions for cultivators, processors, manufacturers, and dispensary owners. In addition to BioTrack compliance, Helix BioTrack is fully-equipped to integrate with METRC or Leaf Data Systems. This company will also send a representative on-site to help fully incorporate its technology into your business.
Although headquartered in Florida, Helix BioTrack has already worked with thousands of clients in 25 US states. Anyone interested in working with one of the most respected seed-to-sale systems can’t ignore Helix BioTrack’s offerings.
6. Distru
Distru is a powerful and comprehensive platform for cannabis entrepeneurs. A newer player, but a company that is quickly becoming the talk of the town.
Users love the robust analytics feature set. In addition, Distru is a breath of relief in that it centralizes several functionalities into one platform. You’ve got access to a CRM, inventory management, order fulfillment, as well as compliance with METRC.
Study Seed-To-Sale Seriously Before Buying!
While all of the seed-to-sale vendors listed above are highly rated, we encourage you to take your time evaluating all of your options. The software you work with will play a vital role in keeping your business afloat both legally and financially. Therefore, it pays to take your time screening all of these choices.
Please don’t be shy about asking any of these companies for detailed info on how they will track and store your data. The more info you get upfront, the more confident you’ll feel about choosing the right seed-to-sale system for your business’s needs.