In certain circumstances, Greenbits may need to manually "sync" your inventory quantities with Metrc. In this article we'll go over what exactly a Metrc sync is, how and when to request one, and what to expect afterward.

What is a sync?

A Metrc sync is an automated process that updates package quantities in Greenbits so that they match those in Metrc.This is not necessary in normal circumstances because Greenbits automatically reports all sales and inventory adjustments to Metrc so that both systems show identical sales and inventory. However, if Greenbits and Metrc do get out of sync (for various reasons), Greenbits Support can sync specific packages, or sync your entire inventory, depending on the circumstances.

A sync does not affect Metrc in any way. This process identifies all discrepancies in Package quantities between the two systems. Then, Greenbits quantities are adjusted to match those in Metrc. This process will not affect Packages without discrepancies.

A sync is strictly one-way. If your Greenbits inventory is accurate but your Metrc inventory is inaccurate, a sync will not resolve the issue. In this scenario a sync would change all Greenbits quantities to match the inaccurate quantities in Metrc.

If your Greenbits inventory is accurate but your Metrc inventory is inaccurate, contact Greenbits Support. Support will evaluate your situation to determine the issue and will resolve it as soon as possible.

Can I sync inventory quantities on my own?

No. Only Greenbits Support can do this on your behalf. This is because sometimes a sync may cause more problems than it solves, or there may be a better way to correct your particular inventory problem. Our support agents will evaluate your situation to determine the best solution.

What causes Greenbits to get out of sync with Metrc?

Keep in mind that the integration between Greenbits and Metrc is not necessarily a two-way street. Greenbits reports all actions to Metrc, but Metrc only reports certain actions back to Greenbits, namely accepting and transferring packages.

The most common reasons why the two systems can get out of sync include, but are not limited to:

  • Package adjustments done in Metrc
  • Sales manually uploaded to Metrc
  • Voids or returns done in Metrc
  • Editing sales receipts in Metrc
  • Creating a Package from an existing Package in Metrc (this should be done in Greenbits using the Split for Return or Transfer or Merge Packages features)
    • In this scenario, the new Package you created in Metrc appear in Incoming in Greenbits, but the quantity of the original Package will not be automatically updated.
    • For example, if Package A and Package B have 50 units each, and they're merged into a new Package C in Metrc instead of in Greenbits, Package C will appear in Greenbits Incoming with 100 units, but your original Packages A and B will still show 50 units each in Greenbits, even though they are now 0 units and "finished" in Metrc.

If I have a discrepancy on a single package, can't I just fix it by making an adjustment?

No. If you find a discrepancy between Greenbits and Metrc, you should contact Greenbits Support so they can determine the cause of the discrepancy and advise you on a solution.

Making an adjustment in Greenbits will not resolve a discrepancy with Metrc because:

  • There is no way to make an adjustment in Greenbits without reporting the same adjustment to Metrc. The integration between Greenbits and Metrc is "all or nothing" - we cannot report actions on some packages but not others, or deliberately block a particular action from being reported to Metrc.
  • Greenbits reports adjustments BY an amount, not TO an amount. For example, if a package shows 2 units in Greenbits but 1 unit in Metrc, and you adjust Greenbits to 1 unit, Greenbits then reports an adjustment of minus 1 to Metrc. Metrc will then show 0 units, and the original 1-unit discrepancy will persist. In other words, when you adjust in Greenbits, you're not telling Metrc what the correct quantity is. Instead, you're telling Metrc how much to add or subtract.

In most cases, you should also avoid making any adjustments in Metrc. These adjustments do not report back to Greenbits. 

How do I request a sync?

Contact Greenbits Support. There are a few standard pieces of information we'll ask of you:

  1. Which store location(s) need a sync?
  2. A description of why you're requesting a sync, including:
    • What discrepancy you're seeing.
    • Specific Barcodes (SKUs) or package ID(s).
    • An export or screenshot from Metrc showing the package history.
    • Any action(s) that you've already done in Metrc.
    • The correct quantity on hand.
    • The quantity in Metrc.

What happens next?

A Greenbits Support agent will determine if a sync is the best course of action, and may ask additional questions.

If it's determined that a sync is not the best course of action, Greenbits Support will explain why and provide next steps.

If a sync is recommended, no further action is required from you. Greenbits will schedule the sync to occur outside of business hours, typically between 3am and 4am local time. The sync process usually takes just a few minutes, though this can vary depending on the size of your inventory and the number of discrepancies.

Can I request an immediate sync, or a sync at a specific time?

No. Syncs can only be performed outside of business hours.

Except where required by law, Greenbits does not report sales or inventory adjustments to Metrc in real time. Instead, Greenbits reports sales and inventory adjustments in batches approximately once per hour.

Because of this, during your business day quantities in Metrc may not be accurate up-to-the minute. If a sync occurs while you're actively making sales - especially during a busy time of day - this could potentially cause many more discrepancies across hundreds of packages.

The Greenbits API automatically verifies that all of the previous day's data has been successfully reported to Metrc before beginning the sync process. 

What should I expect after the sync?

After a sync, Greenbits and Metrc will reflect identical quantities for all packages. This does not necessarily mean that that two systems will accurately reflect your physical inventory. If there are still any discrepancies between Greenbits or Metrc and your physical quantity on hand, you should adjust the quantity in Greenbits. The adjustment will report to Metrc, and the two systems will remain in sync.

Converted Barcodes (SKUs) may need to be further adjusted in Greenbits. If the sync identifies a discrepancy on a given package, and that package has multiple associated Barcodes (SKUs) due to conversions in Greenbits, the sync will adjust the total package quantity to match that in Metrc. However, errors may occur in the distribution of that adjustment across multiple Barcodes (SKUs). 

For example, this package was originally bulk flower measured in grams. It was then converted into half-gram pre-rolls. Our remaining quantity is 33 pre-roll units at half a gram each, and 0 grams left in the original "INTAKE" Barcode (SKU), for a total of 16.5 grams.

During an inventory audit, an employee discovered that there are actually only 23 of these pre-rolls (11.5 grams) still in stock.

But, the employee forgot that this should be done in Greenbits, and instead made an adjustment of -5 grams (ten half-gram units) in Metrc. A manager recognized this mistake and requested a sync. 

After the sync, the quantities in Greenbits are as follows:

FAQ_metrc_sync_1.png

Note that the total quantity on hand of 11.5 grams is accurate, and matches what's in Metrc. But instead of keeping the "INTAKE" Barcode (SKU) at 0 and adjusting the half-gram pre-roll Barcode (SKU) down to 23 like you might have expected it to, the sync instead subtracted the 5 grams from the original "INTAKE" Barcode (SKU).

Due to technical limitations, all the sync process can do is: 

  1. discover that Metrc shows 5 fewer grams on this package than Greenbits does, and 
  2. subtract 5 grams from the total package quantity in Greenbits.

With packages that have multiple associated Barcodes (SKUs) due to conversions, the sync process cannot always determine how best to allocate an adjustment of the total package quantity. It simply adjusts the original Barcode (SKU), leaving any other associated Barcodes (SKUs) unchanged.

To fix this, go to Inventory > Packages, search the affected package ID, click Actions > Adjust Quantity, and correct the quantities of each Barcode (SKU) as necessary.

What happens when syncing with Places enabled?

When a Metrc sync is performed where a Metrc is accurate and where the quantity in Metrc is lesser than the quantity in Greenbits, then inventory will be adjusted from Places in a specific way. Inventory will be subtracted first from Back Stock, then Sales Floor, then Quarantine, and lastly from Archived. If there isn't  enough quantity left across all places (except the Delivery place), then we deplete all places and leave the remainder as a negative in the Archived place. 

Syncing and adjusting with Places example:

  1. There are 2 items in Metrc and 19 in Greenbits.
  2. Greenbits will be adjusted by -17. 
  3. This amount is subtracted from each Place and the negative quantity will be applied to the Archived place.
    A.png

How does a sync affect my reports?

Any and all quantity adjustments that result from a sync will be reflected in the Audit Log for any affected products, as well as on the Inventory Adjustment Report. 

These reports will show the amount of the adjustment and an automated note "Traceability sync requested by [the user name that generated your location's Metrc API key]".

Can I access records of when syncs were performed?

Yes. Your account's "super admin" user (the primary admin designated when you first set up your Greenbits account) can view completed syncs on the Tasks page in Back Office.