Cannabis businesses, both recreational and medical, often rely on several software systems to keep their operations compliant and efficient. There are two main systems that cannabis operators use: seed-to-sale and track-and-trace. These software solutions are often confused with one another but it is important to know the difference between the two. Essentially, Seed-to-Sale is more comprehensive due to covering more touchpoints and fully following the path of the product from the soil to the end user. This gives both overseeing authorities as well as operators the power to identify any issues, inconsistencies, etc. to identify issues if they arise.
Cannabis operators are often required by states or municipalities to enter their compliance data into their specific state regulatory system, also known as track-and-trace, and provides government regulators with an overview of aggregated data from all licensed cannabis business owners in their region to ensure compliance with regulatory mandates. Seed-to-sale software goes beyond simply capturing compliance data and is designed to provide full 360 visibility into each point in the supply chain, giving operators insights into their business. By using this data, operators are able to make fully informed decisions to improve efficiencies and maximize their outcomes. They can also identify any pain points that may arise with testing or product quality. The top seed-to-sale software vendors take it one step further, integrating directly with state track-and-trace solutions so operators can enter their data into a single system, eliminating the need for double entry. These seed-to-sale software partners are invaluable in terms of both optimizing productivity and positioning themselves as powerhouses in the cannabis industry.
What is Track-and-Trace Software?
Track-and-trace cannabis software is exactly as its name implies: it’s a system that tracks the movement of cannabis inventory through the supply chain. Data entered into track-and-trace systems by licensed cannabis businesses is aggregated by states in an attempt to get a holistic view of the cannabis industry within their borders. There are several track-and-trace systems on the market, and states will usually, but not always, mandate one specific system for their region. Choosing a single system for cannabis businesses to use within a certain state or area eliminates the risk of confusing or conflicting data interpretation when it’s pooled together from a number of different sources.
However, a track-and-trace system isn’t designed to help cannabis business owners with business management. While the track-and-trace software can help them gather their compliance data, it cannot provide the detailed insights needed to run an efficient cannabis business. State systems were created primarily for government regulators, after all.
For this reason, it is key that cannabis operators incorporate a seed-to-sale solution into their already-established track-and-trace software.
The Difference Seed-to-Sale Software Makes
Seed-to-sale cannabis software duplicates some of the functionality of trace-and-track, eliminating the need for operators to duplicate their compliance data into two disparate systems. However, seed-to-sale software was created specifically for cannabis businesses to easily enable operators to manage their day-to-day business while still maintaining regulatory compliance. Instead of monitoring only the basics of a cannabis business’s batches and inventory, seed-to-sale can be customized to go as granular—or as big picture—as the organization needs. This level of insight includes functionality like:
- The ability to track multiple cultivation variables, like electricity and water usage, nutrient and pesticide usage, temperature and humidity, growth benchmarks, plant health, and more.
- The ability for operators to see when their product was harvested and visibility into how that product moves through the supply chain, enabling easy recall of contaminated or faulty products.
- Batch tracking that shows not only what’s in the batch, but also when and where it was originally procured.
- An easy way to keep tabs on how much your supply and labor is costing your business.
- Controls that prevent budtenders from overselling.
From a compliance standpoint, seed-to-sale software also enables advanced tagging capabilities, which diminishes the risk of counterfeit labels and tags. Even though cannabis is now a regulated industry, it still competes with the illicit market where bogus and dangerous imitations run rampant, so this capability is key for any modern cannabis organization. Additionally, the ability to recall any products that make customers sick prevents the spread of illness and irreparable damage to an organization’s reputation. The oversight provided by full-scope seed-to-sale software brings cannabis operations to a level of maturity that is standard in other industries and marks the continued evolution of the cannabis industry into a thriving, legal enterprise.
The main distinction between seed-to-sale and track-and-trace is that seed-to-sale software enables producers to track various production and business variables. In contrast, track-and-trace systems are more focused on a specific realm of regulatory reporting. Track-and-trace systems can offer businesses some benefits, but the full potential for success may remain out of reach without incorporating a seed-to-sale system as well. By choosing to utilize both track-and-trace and seed-to-sale software, businesses are able to boost efficiency, transparency, and continued compliance.
Curious about incorporating industry-leading seed-to-sale software into your business processes? CLICK HERE to schedule a demo to see MJ Platform at work.
