Metrc rep stresses due diligence for ERP partners

Missouri medical marijuana facility operators took part in a mandatory meeting about their licenses, gaining further information regarding commencement and how to utilize the state’s seed-to-sale system, Metrc.  

David Eagleson, the Director of Program Management for Metrc, spoke to operators demonstrating and giving an overview focusing on the usage of the system and subjects including who can integrate with Metrc, how the integration works, and validated software providers. Eagleson’s presentation also heavily emphasized training and support.

“Our support team is our biggest organization within all of our departments,” Eagleson said. “They went from initially in Colorado as four people to now over 70. So, we are very heavy on support and supporting you all with the industry.”

Not only do Metrc’s numbers continue to grow internally, but Metrc states have also expanded from 7.5 billion to 8 billion transactions across different instances with hundreds of thousands of users nationally within Metrc’s system. 

“We are a compliance management solution. Our focus is ensuring that you will all have the ability to report all of your supply chain activity into our pool,” Eagleson explained. “There is no requirement in the system for any hardware on-site, no need for printers, no need for anything. If you guys can connect to the internet, that’s all that you’ll need to operate Metrc.”

Material requirement planning (MRP) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) programs are available separately from Metrc. Metrc only serves regulatory partners for state-based compliance solutions.  

Eagleson went on to differentiate what Metrc is versus what it is not, emphasizing their purpose as a regulatory tracking solution as opposed to an ERP or MRP solution. He continued, highlighting the importance of finding solutions to partner with in association with the regulatory system. However, potential partners would also depend on the size, scale, and reach of potential business and then adding on additional tools and resources.

“You guys need to do your due diligence on all of that and look through those companies because from our perspective Metrc operates out of that regulatory side of things, but we do not operate in that MRP or ERP space,” Eagleson said. “Employee management, input management, all of those things that you guys might need as multi-state operators. That need, that next level system to integrate into Metrc. There’s plenty of people that use Metrc and use Metrc solely because from their size and cost perspective it makes sense for them. They’re able to report into the tool, they’re compliant with the state of Missouri, and for them, that’s all they need.”

Addressing the two sides of Metrc, Eagleson acknowledged the break down in terms of users and browsers when it comes to both the industry and the regulatory side. However, he went on to speak on how the operators will only be focused on working through the industry side, detailing the three different ways someone can interact with the system.

Operators will find elements in Metrc they were already familiar with, such as plant cultivation, harvesting, process extraction, and how to transfer. With that in mind, the organization specifically decided to focus on the regulatory side of business. Eagleson stated that while Metrc is able to look over the input information, the system has no ability to alter, manipulate, or change any of the data that users enter into Metrc. 

“Everything that comes into Metrc is entered by you as a licensee and the employees that you guys give access to your system,” Eagleson said. “[The] same thing goes for Metrc, our support team will have access to look in and provide assistance where necessary but from our end, we also cannot alter, change, adulterate, or do anything to your data. Everything that’s being entered in is done by you guys and anything that’s been would have been by you.”

Eagleson went on to demonstrate that the functions within the system are completely user-controlled.

“One could either enter information through the interface itself by directly logging into Metrc,” Eagleson said. “We have CSV uploads for the majority of all of our functions in the system whether its harvest batches, sales, etc. on those fronts, where CSV uploads could apply and then we have the API. So, you’ll see that as our third-party…in the external system can connect into Metrc’s API to also report in.”

After the initial set up, Metrc allows its users to have total oversight over any data and other information.

“Once you get that credential into Metrc you’re setting up your business profile,” Eagleson said. “We’re going to be handing off an account to you, at that point that’s the sole interaction that you’ll need for Metrc support.”