When you’re running a cultivation, manufacturing, or distribution operation, your focus is on the product, not data entry. But cannabis compliance hinges on accurate METRC data. Small data entry mistakes can easily slip through the cracks, and during an audit, those small mistakes can turn into big, expensive problems.
Here are five of the most common issues we see in METRC accounts, and a simple way you can check for them to maintain your METRC data integrity.
1. Stagnant Harvests That Need Finishing
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The Problem: A harvest is complete and packaged, but it’s never marked as “Finished” in the system. To an auditor, this looks like a “phantom” harvest, a serious discrepancy that throws off your entire inventory reconciliation.
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How to Check: In your METRC account, go to the “Harvests” section and view the “Active” tab. Sort the list by the “Harvest Date.” If you see old harvests from months ago, you need to finish the METRC harvest to clean up your records.
2. Incorrect Plant Counts
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The Problem: Plants that are destroyed are not recorded properly in the system. This leads to a mismatch between your physical plant count and what’s reported in METRC—a major red flag for any inspector.
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How to Check: Perform a physical plant count in one of your flower rooms. Then, go to the “Plants” section in METRC and filter by that same location. If the numbers don’t line up, you’ll need to fix METRC errors by accounting for any destroyed plants.
3. “Ghost” Packages with Zero Quantity
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The Problem: A package is sold or used, its quantity hits zero, but it’s left “Active” in the system. Over time, this clutters your active inventory with hundreds of empty packages.
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How to Check: In the “Packages” section, view the “Active” tab and sort by “Quantity.” If you see packages with a “0” quantity, you need to finish them to keep your active inventory accurate.
4. Unaccepted or Rejected METRC Transfers
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The Problem: You send a transfer, but the recipient never accepts it, or they reject a package within it. The product is now in compliance limbo, creating issues for your manifests and inventory.
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How to Check: Regularly review the “Outgoing” tab in the “Transfers” section. Look for any unaccepted transfers that are more than a few days old. A good METRC transfer management tool would also show you any rejected packages that require action.
5. Inconsistent Waste Reporting
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The Problem: Forgetting to log waste within the required timeframe or using inconsistent units of measure is a common issue. Accurate waste reporting is a key part of compliance in any METRC state.
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How to Check: Review your “Waste” section monthly. Does it accurately reflect what was destroyed? Are the units of measure consistent?
An Easier Way to Stay on Top of It
Doing these manual checks is a constant chore. It’s easy to let things slide when you’re busy.
That’s why we built the Mello Pocket Advisor. It’s a METRC companion tool that connects to your account and automatically watches for all these issues. Instead of you hunting for problems, you get simple METRC discrepancy alerts in one easy-to-read Action Center. You see what needs attention, right away.
If you’re looking for a better way to manage your cannabis compliance software tasks, see how Mello works.