Why Use Seed-to-Sale Software If You Use Mandated Track-&-Trace Software?
Because every state market is different, it can be difficult to figure out which business software is best for your needs. State-mandated traceability platforms can make it even more complicated. In this article we clarify how seed-to-sale software makes traceability compliance easier for business operators.
When starting a licensed operation, finding intuitive, streamlined business software that fits your needs can make or break your success. Some states require the use of third-party traceability software to maintain legal compliance, but these track-and-trace systems rarely offer any business management tools. This is where integrated seed-to-sale software solutions comes in.
If your state uses a regulatory traceability system, why is it important for licensed operators to use seed-to-sale software as well?
The short answer is that seed-to-sale software makes traceability easier. Seed-to-sale software like Cultivera fills in the gaps that most traceability systems leave behind. This includes workflows and insights dealing with customer relationships, sales, invoicing, business management, order fulfilment, inventory auditing, business analytics, and beyond.
S2S V. T&T: What’s The Difference?
The long answer is that they are two different kinds of software, and do very different things.
Though you may occasionally hear the terms “seed-to-sale,” and “traceability,” a.k.a. “track-and-trace,” used interchangeably, they’re not quite the same thing.
Seed-to-sale refers to the life and sales cycle of a given plant product, while Traceability, referred to in some states as “Track-and-Trace,” is the continued tracking of a product through its seed-to-sale life cycle.
Traceability software allows regulators to track, and view information on, products throughout the seed-to-sale cycle. On the other hand, seed-to-sale software allows operators to track and manage plants and products throughout that cycle, including integrating with regulatory track-and-trace platforms for seamless compliance. We explore this difference between traceability and seed-to-sale a little more in the previous Seed-to-Sale Success article.
Track-&-Trace Limitations
Many state regulatory departments use third-party traceability software to track their legal market, such as Metrc, LeafData, or BioTrack. These track-and-trace companies create traceability and reporting systems used by regulatory bodies to monitor product and sales in a given state.
But regulatory track-and-trace platforms are not business management systems, and only offer superficial visibility into the supply chain. Typically these systems do not go beyond the “who, what, when, where, and why” dimensions of traceability.
This means that these reporting systems come with natural limitations and gaps in services that keep them from being useful to individual business operators. Because in the end, these platforms are built to serve cannabis regulators and state agencies, not the businesses who are required to use them.
This is why it’s critical for cannabis operators to use a seed-to-sale software system that integrates with their state’s required traceability platform. This integration allows for seamless legal compliance with track-and-trace systems from seed to sale.
Why Use Both?
Because, in the end, traceability platforms like Metrc are not business management systems, and do not go beyond the “who, what, when, where, and why” dimensions of traceability. Traceability software typically only includes the tracking, tracing, and reporting of plants and products, with no further services or features.
Business operators looking to view and utilize their own data, for traceability purposes and beyond, have to look outside the required reporting systems. That’s where we come in.
In contrast to mandated regulatory platforms, Cultivera seed-to-sale software is built to serve licensed operators. This is why our seamless integrations have so much to offer cannabis businesses. Our vertical platform simplifies cannabis compliance by filling in those gaps from seed to sale.
Cultivera is unique in many legal markets across the nation. This is because we offer seed-to-sale business management solutions that automatically sync to regulatory traceability platforms. From seed sales and cultivation, to cloning, transfers, distribution, and inventory management, through wholesale orders, B2B markets, reporting, and the final retail point of sale.
Navigating the complexities of local compliance from seed to sale can be overwhelming and time-consuming without a strong technology provider. Cultivera’s team has had experience navigating these quickly-changing regulatory landscapes across the country. This collective knowledge allows us to offer in-depth support dealing with any system issues, changes, and outages, as they arise. This way, your business is never alone, making compliance easier than ever.
To learn more about the Cultivera seed-to-sale ecosystem, book a live demonstration with an expert. We’ll help you find the best way to solving your biggest pain points.
