365 Cannabis, Now a Part of Innovia Consulting
Ask a cannabis operator what it costs to produce one jar of flower, and you'll usually get one of three answers.
Some provide a number immediately. Dig a little deeper, and that number turns out to be a target, last year's average, or a figure calculated in a spreadsheet that hasn't been updated in months.
Some provide a range. A wide one.
And some simply admit they don't know.
That doesn't mean they're running a poor operation. Many operators can tell you their yield per light, track every strain in every room, and maintain tight control over cultivation and production. Yet they still struggle to answer a basic costing question because the information needed to calculate it isn't readily available.
This isn't a record-keeping problem. It's a systems problem, and it's common throughout the cannabis industry.
Most cannabis operators run their operations in one system and their financials in another.
The operational side is often managed in a cannabis-specific platform built for compliance, cultivation, manufacturing, and inventory management. The accounting side lives in QuickBooks, Sage, or another ERP system.
Between those systems is usually a manual process.
Every month, someone exports data, reorganizes it in spreadsheets, creates import files, and loads journal entries. If everything goes according to plan, the numbers balance. But as data moves from one system to another, important details are often lost.
The operational system may know a specific crew spent six hours working in a specific room. The accounting system records a monthly labor expense.
The operational system may know exactly which nutrient lot was used in a batch. The accounting system records an expense total.
The operational details required to understand product costs become increasingly difficult to trace as information is summarized and transferred between systems.
The issue isn't that the data was never tracked. It's that it was tracked in one place, valued in another, and never fully connected. The Cost of Not Knowing
There isn't a line on your income statement called "cost of not knowing," but the impact shows up in plenty of other places.
It appears:
Those costs are real, even if they don't appear as a separate line item in your financial statements.
To help operators understand where they stand, we built a simple assessment consisting of twenty-two questions.
There are no pricing calculations, software demonstrations, or product comparisons. The goal is simply to evaluate how easily important business information can be accessed.
Each question asks a variation of the same thing:
Could you produce this number today without having to reconstruct it?
The assessment covers metrics such as:
Most operators find there are more gaps than they expected.
Not because they're careless, but because many of these figures exist somewhere between operational systems and accounting systems. They're tracked, but they aren't always easy to access, validate, or report on.
The final score isn't the most important outcome. The real value comes from identifying the questions that are difficult to answer today and understanding how those gaps affect business decisions.
The cannabis industry does have unique requirements, particularly around compliance and regulatory reporting.
But when you look beyond compliance, many cannabis operations face the same challenges as other process manufacturers.
Extraction involves multi-level bills of materials, co-products, by-products, variable yields, and lot traceability.
Cultivation requires production planning against long growing cycles.
Packaging is assembly work.
Distribution is still distribution.
These are challenges that industries such as food production, brewing, dairy, and specialty manufacturing have been managing for decades.
The solutions are also familiar:
Understanding this matters because it changes how businesses approach technology decisions.
When cannabis is treated as completely unique, organizations often end up with tools that handle compliance extremely well but provide limited capabilities for costing, manufacturing, and financial management.
Years later, operators still find themselves asking the same question:
What does a jar actually cost?
The goal isn't to reinvent how a cannabis business operates. It's to combine industryspecific compliance requirements with proven manufacturing and financial management practices.
It's worth being clear about what software can and cannot do.
We're not going to claim an ERP system will automatically reduce your days sales outstanding. Payment cycles are influenced by factors far beyond software.
We're not going to assign a specific ROI value to better reporting. Better information helps organizations make better decisions, but the value of those decisions is difficult to quantify honestly.
And we're not going to say a system improves cultivation yields.
What a system can do is provide visibility into what happened, where variations occurred, and how those results compare to expectations.
Improving performance remains the responsibility of the business.
What the right system delivers is a complete, accurate, and defensible record of operational and financial activity without relying on disconnected spreadsheets and manual workarounds.
That foundation is what makes meaningful analysis and decision-making possible.
If you'd like the assessment, we'll send it. There's nothing in it that requires talking to us, and the answers stay yours.
If you score high, you already have strong visibility into your operation. Whatever decisions come next, you'll be making them with reliable information. That's a good position to be in, and it's less common than it should be.
If you score low, you're in the same place as many operators across the industry. The next step isn't necessarily buying new software or changing processes overnight. It's taking a closer look at the questions you couldn't answer and understanding why.
In many cases, the information exists somewhere in the business. It's just difficult to access, difficult to connect, or difficult to trust.
And that's often where the real opportunity starts.
Order fulfillment is one of the most visible parts of a cannabis operation. It directly impacts customer satisfaction, revenue, and overall efficiency. When fulfillment runs smoothly, customers receive their orders on time and operations stay on track. When it breaks down, the effects are felt immediately.
As cannabis businesses grow, fulfillment becomes more complex. More products, more orders, and more distribution channels all increase the pressure on teams to move quickly and accurately. Without the right systems in place, this can turn fulfillment into a bottleneck rather than a strength.
The challenge is not just moving products, it is doing so with speed, accuracy, and consistency.
Fulfillment problems often begin with a lack of visibility. When inventory data is not accurate or up to date, teams may not know exactly what is available to ship. This can lead to delays, partial orders, or last minute adjustments that slow everything down.
Disconnected systems also play a role. Orders may be managed in one platform while inventory is tracked in another, requiring manual coordination between teams. This increases the risk of errors and makes it harder to maintain a smooth workflow.
Communication gaps can make things worse. Without a centralized system, teams may not have a clear understanding of order status, leading to confusion and missed expectations.
Over time, these issues impact both efficiency and customer experience.
Efficient order fulfillment starts with accurate, real time inventory data. Teams need to know exactly what is available, what is allocated, and what is in progress at any given moment.
It also requires streamlined workflows. Orders should move through the system in a clear and consistent way, from entry to picking, packing, and shipping. When processes are standardized, teams can work more efficiently and reduce errors.
Visibility is key. Everyone involved in fulfillment should have access to the same information, ensuring that orders are handled correctly and customers are kept informed.
With the right systems in place, fulfillment becomes a predictable and scalable process.
365 Cannabis connects inventory, sales, and operations within a single platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. This integration provides real time visibility into inventory levels and order status, making it easier to manage fulfillment from start to finish.
With accurate inventory data, teams can confidently commit to orders and reduce the risk of stockouts or delays. Tools like Available to Promise help ensure that sales align with actual inventory and production capacity.
Because orders, inventory, and financial data are all managed within the same system, workflows become more streamlined. Teams can process orders more efficiently, with fewer manual steps and less risk of error.
The result is a faster, more reliable fulfillment process that supports both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
When fulfillment improves, customers notice. Orders are delivered on time, expectations are met, and trust in the business grows. This leads to stronger relationships and repeat business.
Internally, teams benefit from reduced stress and fewer last minute issues. With better visibility and more efficient processes, fulfillment becomes easier to manage even as order volume increases.
This combination of efficiency and reliability creates a stronger overall operation.
As cannabis operators grow, fulfillment becomes an increasingly important part of their success. Without the right systems, it can become a source of friction that limits growth and impacts customer satisfaction.
By moving to a unified ERP platform, operators can create a more efficient and scalable fulfillment process. For teams looking to improve order accuracy, reduce delays, and deliver a better customer experience, exploring a solution like 365 Cannabis is a practical step toward building a stronger operation.
Inventory management in cannabis is not just about knowing what is in stock. It requires tracking products across multiple stages, from cultivation and processing to distribution and retail, all while staying aligned with strict compliance requirements. Every movement matters, and even small discrepancies can create larger issues down the line.
Many operators still rely on a combination of spreadsheets and disconnected systems to manage inventory. While this may work in the early stages, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain accuracy as the business grows. Inventory counts fall out of sync, data gets duplicated, and teams spend more time reconciling numbers than actually managing operations.
The challenge is not just visibility, it is timing. When inventory data is delayed, decisions are made based on outdated information.
When inventory is not updated in real time, issues start to surface across the business. Production teams may not have an accurate view of available materials, leading to delays or overproduction. Sales teams may commit to inventory that is no longer available, creating fulfillment challenges and customer frustration.
Compliance also becomes more difficult to manage. Cannabis operators are required to report inventory movements accurately, often in alignment with systems like Metrc. When internal records do not match compliance data, it increases the risk of discrepancies and audit issues.
These problems are often not caused by a lack of effort, but by systems that are not designed to keep up with the pace of operations.
Real time inventory tracking means that every movement, adjustment, and transaction is recorded as it happens. Instead of relying on delayed updates or manual reconciliation, the system reflects the current state of the business at all times.
This level of visibility allows teams to make better decisions. Production can be planned based on accurate material availability, sales can operate with confidence, and compliance reporting becomes more straightforward because the data is already aligned.
It also reduces the need for manual corrections. When inventory is tracked continuously, discrepancies are easier to catch and resolve before they become larger issues.
365 Cannabis uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to provide real time inventory tracking across cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution. By centralizing data in a single system, it ensures that every department is working from the same, up to date information.
Inventory updates automatically as production activities occur, whether that is harvesting plants, processing batches, or fulfilling orders. This removes the need for manual updates and reduces the risk of inconsistencies.
The system also integrates with compliance platforms like Metrc, helping operators maintain alignment between internal records and regulatory reporting. Because data flows directly between systems, teams can spend less time reconciling information and more time focusing on operations.
With built in lot and batch tracking, operators can trace products throughout their lifecycle, providing a clear and accurate view of inventory at every stage.
When inventory is tracked in real time, the benefits are felt immediately across the business. Teams no longer need to pause operations to verify counts or correct discrepancies. Instead, they can trust the system to reflect what is actually happening.
This improves coordination between departments, reduces delays, and allows for more efficient use of resources. Managers gain better visibility into inventory levels, making it easier to plan production and manage supply.
Over time, this level of accuracy leads to stronger compliance, fewer errors, and more predictable operations.
As cannabis businesses grow, inventory management becomes more complex. More products, more locations, and more regulatory requirements all increase the need for accurate and timely data.
Without real time tracking, these complexities can slow down operations and create risk. With the right system in place, operators can scale with confidence, knowing that their inventory processes are built to support growth.
Labor is one of the largest expenses in any cannabis operation, especially across cultivation and manufacturing. Teams are handling everything from planting and harvesting to processing, packaging, and compliance reporting. On paper, staffing levels may seem reasonable, but the way work is structured often tells a different story.
A significant portion of labor hours is spent on tasks that do not directly contribute to production. Manual data entry, inventory reconciliation, and compliance tracking all take time away from the work that actually drives revenue. These inefficiencies are easy to overlook at first, but they compound quickly as operations grow.
As more processes are added and more systems are introduced, teams end up doing more work just to keep everything aligned.
Many cannabis operators rely on a mix of software tools, spreadsheets, and manual processes to manage their business. While each tool may serve a specific purpose, the lack of integration creates additional work for employees.
Information has to be entered multiple times across different systems, which increases both the time required and the likelihood of errors. Teams often spend hours reconciling inventory, updating records, and verifying data instead of focusing on production or process improvements.
This fragmentation also creates communication gaps between departments. Cultivation, manufacturing, and finance teams may all be working with slightly different versions of the same data, which leads to delays and confusion.
Over time, these inefficiencies translate directly into higher labor costs without improving output.
Reducing labor costs is not just about cutting staff. It is about improving the way work gets done so that teams can accomplish more with the same or fewer resources.
In a more efficient operation, data is captured once and flows automatically across the system. Inventory updates as production happens, compliance reporting is built into workflows, and financial data reflects real time activity.
This reduces the need for manual input and eliminates many of the repetitive tasks that consume valuable time. Employees can focus on production, quality, and process optimization rather than administrative work.
Efficiency at this level creates a measurable impact on both cost and output.
365 Cannabis is designed to reduce the manual work that drives up labor costs by bringing key business functions into a single, connected system. Instead of relying on multiple tools, operators can manage cultivation, manufacturing, inventory, compliance, and finance within one platform.
This integration allows data to flow automatically between departments, eliminating the need for duplicate entry and reducing the risk of errors. Tasks that once required multiple steps can be completed in a fraction of the time.
Features like real time inventory tracking and touchless workflows during processes like harvest help teams move faster without sacrificing accuracy. Because the system integrates with compliance platforms like Metrc, reporting is handled as part of daily operations rather than as a separate task.
The result is a more streamlined workflow that reduces the overall time required to manage operations.
When manual processes are reduced and systems are connected, labor efficiency improves across the entire organization. Teams are able to handle higher volumes of work without needing to scale headcount at the same rate.
This creates a direct reduction in labor costs while also improving productivity. Employees spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on work that supports growth and quality.
For operators, this means better margins, more predictable operations, and a stronger foundation for scaling the business.
As cannabis businesses expand, the ability to manage labor effectively becomes increasingly important. Without the right systems in place, growth often leads to higher costs and more complexity.
By investing in a unified ERP platform, operators can create a more efficient environment where teams are supported by technology rather than slowed down by it. This allows businesses to grow without losing control of their costs or processes.
If your team is spending too much time on manual tasks and disconnected workflows, there is a better way to operate.
Schedule a demo with 365 Cannabis to see how a unified ERP system can help reduce labor costs and improve efficiency across cultivation and manufacturing.
Harvest time should be about operations, not endless data entry. Cultivators already juggle tags, weights, compliance, tracking, and timelines — the last thing you need is another screen to update.
That’s why 365 Cannabis built the Touchless Harvest feature: a simplified harvest workflow inside your ERP that gets rid of repetitive manual updates so teams can focus on what matters — harvesting.
Watch how it works below:
Touchless Harvest is an automated harvest workflow inside the 365 Cannabis cultivation module that:
In short, it speeds up harvest processes while reducing manual data entry, which means fewer errors, less labor time, and cleaner compliance records.
Harvest workflows are heavy on repetitive work:
That takes time — and time during harvest equals labor cost and risk of mistakes.
Touchless Harvest eliminates that friction by combining scanning and automated weight capture, letting your team:
Cultivation tech scans the plant tag with a barcode or RFID reader.
The system captures weight automatically with your connected scale.
No manual field updates, no copy/paste — just accurate harvest data flowing into 365 Cannabis.
This workflow is especially powerful for large-scale cultivators who process hundreds or thousands of plants per session.
Here’s what teams see right away:
Touchless scanning and weight capture means teams move through harvest lines quicker.
Fewer fields to type, fewer screens to navigate, fewer mistakes to correct.
Accurate weights and timestamps update directly into the system so compliance reporting is ready when regulators ask.
Your harvest crew spends less time on screens and more time in the canopy.
Cultivation is fast and data heavy. The last thing your team wants is to slow down during a peak harvest window to update screens.
Touchless Harvest helps teams:
When harvest is running smoothly, operations look better — and that matters for productivity, labor cost, and audit readiness.
Watch the walkthrough and see how effortless harvest workflows become with touchless scanning and weight updates.
Schedule a live demo with a 365 Cannabis expert
Still have questions about how Touchless Harvest works in real cultivation workflows? Here are the most common questions cannabis operators ask when looking to reduce harvest labor, speed up weight capture, and improve compliance tracking.
Touchless Harvest is a feature within the 365 Cannabis cultivation module that streamlines the harvest workflow by reducing manual data entry. It allows teams to scan plant tags and record weights faster with fewer clicks.
Touchless Harvest works by letting cultivation staff scan plant tags and capture weight data quickly, without needing to manually update each plant record. The system updates harvest tracking in the ERP automatically, making the process faster and cleaner.
Yes. Touchless Harvest is designed specifically to eliminate repetitive manual updates during harvest. It speeds up weight entry and reduces the amount of typing and clicking required.
Touchless Harvest is especially useful for large scale cultivators harvesting high volumes of plants. It helps teams move faster, reduce labor time, and keep harvest data organized.
Touchless Harvest helps improve compliance by capturing plant tag and weight data more accurately and consistently. Since fewer steps are manual, there is less risk of missing or incorrect harvest records.
Yes. By streamlining harvest workflows and cutting down on manual data entry, Touchless Harvest helps teams complete harvest faster, which can reduce labor hours and improve productivity.
Yes. Touchless Harvest is built directly into the 365 Cannabis cultivation module, so harvest data flows directly into your ERP system without needing separate tools or manual reconciliation.
You can watch the Touchless Harvest walkthrough video on YouTube, or reach out to your account manager to see how it works in your environment and how much time it could save your cultivation team.
We just returned from MJ Unpacked in St. Louis, Missouri, held September 3 – 5 at the historic Union Station Hotel. MJ Unpacked bills itself as a platform “curated for licensed operators, researchers, and investors to elevate their businesses and ignite new opportunities.” If you’ve attended before, you know that promise is delivered, and this show doesn’t miss. Here are a few highlights from our time at MJ Unpacked St. Louis.
The best celebrations are not quiet. MJ Unpacked has a gong that is accessible during show hours. Close a deal? Bang the gong. It tells everyone in the event space that one, you just closed a deal (congrats!) and two, this event works. The echoing sound of success rings throughout the day, reaffirming attendees that attending this show delivers results. Yes, you can bang the gong just for fun, but frankly it feels better to earn it.
There was clear thoughtfulness about who was encouraged to attend MJ Unpacked in St. Louis, and Missouri’s microbusinesses showed up in force. We met with so many operators eager to ensure their craft cannabis found an audience. MoCannTrade also hosted meetups and had a booth on the expo floor, adding even more resources and visibility for Missouri’s growing cannabis market.
MJ Unpacked has a way of platforming its people in accessible ways, and one of my favorites was the slam series. Throughout the expo hours, there were opportunities where thought leaders would get three minutes on the slam stage to speak to attendees. These slams ranged from focusing on brands to tech to budtender voices. We may be biased as 365 Cannabis got time during the tech slam to talk all things ERP, but we also loved the budtender slam. Seeing budtenders talk earnestly about what products speak to them was an energizing reminder of the front-line customer experience.
MJ Unpacked did one of the best attendee-facing experiences ever committed to a convention floor, and that’s the puppy zone. St. Louis’s own APA adoption center set up two pens with adoptable puppies and kittens; the perfect de-stress destination. The staff were all kind and gentle with animals and attendees alike. Occasionally staff would take the dogs through the aisles so they could get a short walk in and meet the expo attendees. And while the puppies didn’t ask us about ERP software, we’re pretty sure they’d approve of streamlined operations.
MJ Unpacked St. Louis once again proved why it’s one of the most valuable events in the cannabis industry. From celebrating wins at the gong to connecting with Missouri microbusinesses, learning from budtenders, and even pausing to pet puppies, the show delivered on every front. For us at 365 Cannabis, it was also an opportunity to show how a purpose-built ERP can support operators of all sizes. Whether you’re a startup microbusiness or a multi-state operator, our platform is designed to simplify compliance, strengthen operations, and help you scale with confidence.
If you missed us at MJ Unpacked, we’d love to connect. Learn more about how 365 Cannabis can power your growth here.
Missouri is one of the fastest growing cannabis markets in the United States. As of 2025, Missouri is sitting at 4.6% growth year over year (per Headset). The adult-use market is relatively newer; their recreational market opened in February 2023 but sales have been steady since launch. There are 67 active cultivation licenses in Missouri currently that are all fighting for shelf space and market share, and that's not including the microbusinesses or the licenses yet to be issued. Missouri operators need the right tools to secure a top spot in this fast-moving industry.
Missouri’s state compliance system is Metrc, the leading state cannabis compliance system in the United States. There are many operators who rely on manual entry for tracking plants and products, however manual entry leaves a lot of room for risk. The compliance fees and fines significantly outweigh the cost of trustworthy compliance software. Competitive operators in Missouri are actively looking for cannabis software with an automated metrc integration to avoid manual entry errors. The leading cannabis ERP systems, like 365 Cannabis, are designed with compliance guardrails to ensure users stay within regulations at every step, something we pride ourselves on.
As a company grows, so do their assets and that includes every seed, every gram, every gummy. Having instant access to all products across cultivation, manufacturing, and retail is a non-negotiable for the leading Missouri cannabis operators. Real-time inventory control gives operators instant visibility into every SKU, eliminating blind spots and costly write-offs. The right cannabis software will track take account of everything within the supply chain and production schedule and be able to deliver Available-to-Purchase (ATP) data for sales (and here’s why that's important).
Missouri’s cannabis community is booming and that means more money to manage for operators. Many businesses, cannabis or not, use QuickBooks. That’s a fair tool for some businesses, but it’s not designed or optimized at all for cannabis operators. Cannabis has unique challenges as a federally illegal, state legal, Schedule I substance subject to 280E. Outside of the QuickBooks limitations, due to cannabis being federally illegal, they do reserve the right to not support any cannabis enterprises, even fully legal and licensed ones. We’ve seen reported issues with QuickBooks as early as 2015 of entire financial recording software locked overnight. While QuickBooks does often turn a blind eye, they overall do not serve the needs of the cannabis community. ERP platforms have financial systems built into place that serve two functions- eliminating the need for third party financials like QuickBooks and integrating all efforts to ensure financial data is accurate. The 365 Cannabis financial module for example pulls financial data in from all sales, all purchases, all invoices, everywhere that touches the business to ensure every penny is accounted for. Native financial functions reduce the opportunity for human error and ensure every spend and every sale is accounted for.
Missouri’s cannabis market is still relatively young, which means consumer behavior is evolving quickly. Operators who rely only on historic sales data risk missing major shifts in category demand. Advanced analytics provide real-time visibility into product performance, costs, and margins, helping operators pivot quickly and stay ahead of competitors. Dashboards powered by tools like Microsoft’s Power BI allow businesses to identify growth categories, spot inefficiencies, and make data-driven decisions with confidence. In a fast-moving market, analytics are the difference between reacting to trends and leading them.
Missouri cannabis operators are competing in one of the most dynamic markets in the country. Success in Missouri’s cannabis market demands excellence in compliance, product visibility, accuracy, finance, and control across the entire business. ERP built for cannabis, like 365 Cannabis, combines compliance, inventory, financials, and analytics into one platform designed for growth.
If you’re ready to scale your Missouri cannabis operation, schedule a demo with 365 Cannabis and see how ERP can help you lead the market.
California cannabis operators are facing a major compliance update with the launch of Metrc’s direct to consumer recall tool. This new feature was announced on Wednesday, August 20th and changes how cannabis product recalls are managed in California. The tool shifts responsibility from dispensaries to a system driven notification that alerts consumers directly. For operators, the Metrc California recall system represents both an opportunity to build trust and a challenge to manage increased compliance pressure.
Metrc is the state system for California’s cannabis industry. In California, Metrc is used to monitor cannabis from cultivation through retail sale. Historically, product recalls were communicated through dispensaries and regulators, with operators relying on store staff or email chains to notify customers. Metrc is utilizing their partnership with Retail ID to communicate product information. This creates a direct channel straight to consumers from Metrc themselves. By streamlining middle steps, California regulators can deliver faster and more reliable alerts when a product is identified as unsafe or mislabeled.
An interesting side effect of this movement will be the direct visibility users have when interacting with brands and products. Dispensaries have reached varying levels of effectiveness when relaying product updates to customers. Some can be very effective or proactive with recalls while others may slap a sign up on the show floor and call it a day. This initiative thankfully reduces the workload from dispensaries and refocuses the recall discussion to the products and brands. Here are some high-level benefits we anticipate from this pivot:
On the flip side of this initiative, brands can anticipate an increased level of visibility with any potential recalls. Brands that have recurring recalls will be repeatedly brought to the forefront of the conversation which may (and should) impact their brand affinity and even market share. The Metrc California recall tool makes transparency unavoidable, meaning operators must be prepared to respond quickly and clearly to prevent brand damage.
Operators with increased concerns about Metrc California’s recall tool need to zoom out and bring compliance to the forefront. There are a few options but optimizing compliance tools is essential. Many Seed-to-Sale software options focus on solely connecting to Metrc as a safeguard. A full suite ERP, however, goes past the Seed-to-Sale compliance and delivers compliance safeguard across every element of the business. A software tracker that brings in all departments into one source of truth can be leveraged for accurate inventory, batch tracking, and stopping issues before they arise.
Being proactive is the best defense against the potential disruption of a recall.
365 Cannabis helps operators manage recalls seamlessly by combining compliance, finance, and operations in one ERP system. With centralized inventory and batch tracking, compliance integrated reporting, and financial impact visibility, 365 Cannabis equips operators to handle recalls quickly and effectively. Instead of scrambling during a recall event, operators using 365 Cannabis can act with confidence, minimize losses, and protect their brand.
The new Metrc California recall system raises the stakes for cannabis operators across the state. Businesses that rely on spreadsheets or disconnected software will struggle to keep up with the speed and transparency regulators now demand. With 365 Cannabis, operators gain a trusted ERP partner that ensures recalls are managed with accuracy, efficiency, and accountability.
Learn how 365 Cannabis supports California operators here.
Cannabis operators are familiar with the need for seed-to-sale software- it's an essential platform for compliance with METRC or BioTrack. Many plug and play their software and call it a day, however its only use in many cases is compliance when it could be doing more. Cannabis businesses looking to scale, boost profitability, and streamline operations across cultivation, manufacturing, finance, and distribution, simply need more support. That’s where the key difference between a seed-to-sale software and an ERP for cannabis operators comes in. A cannabis ERP becomes a nucleus for the operation, bringing in compliance, finance, and operations together to deliver business-critical data for immediate decision making at every turn. There is some miscommunication and confusion around what an ERP is in cannabis, and this guide delivers the key differences between cannabis ERP and seed-to-sale software.
ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning, and is a platform that streamlines a company’s operations, efficiency, data, and finance. The ERP becomes the internal hub for all moves made within the buisness. Major companies utilize ERP to ensure that every aspect of their organization across all locations are connected, tracked, and accounted for. Massive corporations like Ford, Under Armour and Coca-Cola all utilize ERP systems, and specifically use Microsoft-based ERP systems. The biggest draw for companies to implement an ERP is scalability- ERP systems are built for long term growth.
A cannabis ERP has all the same functionionality that large scale organizations utlize, but also includes features for compliance. The ERP connects cultivation, production, manufacturing, distribution, and retail along with the most important aspect of cannabis- compliance. Any self-respecting cannabis ERP removes the need for QuickBooks or other standalone finance platforms because ERP inherently includes financal support. Metrc and BioTrack intergrations are also embedded within cannabis ERPs to ensure compliance at every step of the plant life’s process from planting the seed to hitting the customer’s exit bag.
Seed-to-Sale is a term that gets used a lot in the cannabis space and may appear interchangable with POS, or even ERP, at times. Seed-to-Sale is typically used as a compliance system and POS to organize and hold all the operator’s information. This is helpful however, Seed-to-Sale does not integrate finance platforms forcing users to utilize QuickBooks or other finance platforms. While some Seed-to-Sale software programs may be more robust than others, overall they are limited by:
A Seed-to-Sale software focuses on regulatory compliance, but doesn’t offer the resources for scalability.
Seed-to-Sale is a regulatory platform for compliance and limited reporting. It works for dispensaries as far as inventory and retail sales tying into state regulatory platforms. ERP is a data powerhouse that connects every aspect of an operation, vertically integrated or not, across all locations and becomes the central source of truth for business decisions. A Seed-to-Sale delivers a summary of what happened, while an ERP delivers context of why things happen and what to plan for in the future.
Seed-to-Sale is a great option for single location retailers. A standalone dispensary needs a compliance tool to ensure they’re in line with Metrc, BioTrack, or whatever regulations in their area are needed.
ERP is a great option for vertically integrated companies, multi-location and multi-state groups, and companies primed to scale their operation. Cultivators, manufacturors, producers, and retailers are able to make use of an ERP to align their entire organization, including financials.
ERP users are able to replace multiple disconnected business tools like separate Seed-to-Sale, inventory platforms, manufacturing softrware, accounting software, and loose spreadsheets and pulls all data into one unified platform. ERP reduces human error by eliminating double entry across serveral touchpoints.
Not every operator needs an ERP to survive; many are viable candidates for a simple Seed-to-Sale software. The operators looking for growth, streamlined operations, and a single software partner to track every COG, every BOM, every invoice, every penny moved through the organization need to be looking at an ERP.
Ready to look into ERP software options for your cannabis business? We have a comprehensive guide for selecting the right cannabis ERP for your operation.
It was announced on August 5, 2025 that state regulatory systems, Metrc and BioTrack, would be strategically partnering on cannabis technological solutions. This acquisition between the two dominant state systems sees Metrc focusing on managing state regulations and BioTrack relinquishing their state regulatory contracts and focusing on their ERP and POS systems. This partnership has also spawned BT Government, which will oversee the government end of BioTrack’s existing state contracts.
Let’s look at what that means for cannabis operators.
BioTrack’s state partnerships are now wihtin the Metrc umbrella. Currently, BioTrack manages state compliance systems for:
Illinois was previously a BioTrack state, but began onboarding all operators to Metrc earlier in 2025, citing the desire to utilize Metrc’s “RFID technology that offers real-time visibility into product movement—from cultivation to sale.” They elaborated on the switch by stating that “this switch allows regulators and businesses alike to reduce manual data entry, track compliance more accurately, and respond faster to discrepancies or recalls.”
As of July 1, 2025, Illinois is officially a Metrc state.
As of the Metrc/BioTrack announcement, there are no public plans to move BioTrack states off of BioTrack and onto Metrc. These contracts, however, are owned by Metrc and the move from BioTrack to Metrc is a reasonable possibility.
To assist with the acquisition, BioTrack’s state regulation branch has been segmented into its own entity, BT Government. BT Government, as stated by Metrc, “will support the delivery of regulatory technology to state partners.” The BT Government division be overseen by BioTrack’s current Chief Operating Officer, Moe Afaneh, while still being connected to Metrc via the acquisition. In the interim, BT Government operating somewhat independently will allow Metrc and BioTrack to work together managing the existing BioTrack state regulatory contracts.
Within the Metrc press release it is stated that “BioTrack will expand its focus on commercial cannabis solutions, including ERP and POS platforms.” BioTrack currently operates the cannabis ERP system Alleaves and had acquired MJ Freeway in 2024. Interestingly, MJ Freeway has been the state regulatory system for Pennsylvania since 2017. Pennsylvania operators have expressed issues with the platform, which may lead to changes on the horizon especially as their adult-use bills get closer to realization.
New York is a unique situation because it was currently in the process of onboarding operators to BioTrack’s Seed-to-Sale system for operator regulation. In November 2024, New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) stated that they were preparing for the mandatory intergration of BioTrack for cannabis license holders. The original timeline saw all New York operators being fully integrated between August 1, 2025 to October 1, 2025.
On August 5, 2025, the same day the press release was issued by Metrc, the OCM announced that the BioTrack integration deadlines are paused. Their bulletin to all New York cannabis license holders stated that they “must evaluate systems implications for both the agency and licensees and determine the extent to which this development affects STS (Seed-to-Sale) integration in New York.”
Metrc currently operates in the following states:
Through the BioTrack acquisition, we do not anticipate these states experiencing any changes to their regulatory system or practices.
For now, this acquisition does not change any day to day operations for any cannabis license holders.
For our 365 Cannabis partners, our team is hyper-vigilant to all changes in the industry and are constantly ensuring that every step our partners take is within current compliance. No matter what turns the industry may take, 365 Cannabis customers always receive the best possible support to ensure their success.
To learn more about 365 Cannabis’s commitment to excellence in cannabis, please reach out to our team.
