This article explains Metrc (Minnesota) Support Bulletin MN_IB_001, “Beginning Inventory Guidelines,” including how to order and receive Metrc tags, complete required Admin setup (strains, items, locations), and correctly enter beginning inventory—especially seeds, immature plants, and plant batches—so your digital inventory matches what you physically have on hand.
What this Metrc Minnesota bulletin covers
Metrc tracks cannabis inventory in two core ways: Plants and Packages. The bulletin’s goal is to prevent common “starting inventory” mistakes by clarifying how operators should tag and report inventory when first going live in Metrc.
Plants in Metrc: All plants must enter Metrc as immature plant batches before they can become individually tagged plants (for example, when moved to a later growth phase that requires individual tags).
Packages in Metrc: Seeds are brought into Metrc as packages, and packages are also used for harvested material or manufactured/processed products. Packages can be created from immature plants, harvest batches, or other packages.
Important context: The bulletin describes “external transfer” steps that are intended for bringing in beginning inventory; they are not the same as the ongoing workflows you will use once you are operating normally in Metrc.
Ordering Metrc tags in Minnesota (and why timing matters)
Once your facility is credentialed, ordering tags is the first operational dependency for getting beginning inventory entered on time.
Who can order plant tags: Cultivation licenses can order plant tags and package tags.
Who can only order package tags: Non-cultivation facility types typically only have access to package tags.
Shipping expectation: Tags are printed and shipped via UPS, with a typical delivery time of about 5–7 days. Operationally, this means you should order early enough to avoid delays in entering beginning inventory and to maintain adequate tag stock for ongoing activity.
Where to order in Metrc: In the Metrc user interface, go to Admin on the main navigation and select Tag Orders, then create a new tag order and submit it.
Expedited shipping: If you need expedited shipping, the bulletin directs you to contact Metrc Support after placing the order and provide the order number and payment method.
Receiving tags: only after they physically arrive
When your tags arrive at the facility, you must “receive” the order in Metrc to populate those tag IDs into your account.
Compliance implication: Do not receive tags digitally before they arrive. Receiving tags is an acknowledgement that the tags are in the facility’s physical possession, which matters in audits and investigations.
Metrc tags are one-time use
Metrc tags cannot be reused. The bulletin highlights two high-frequency correction paths that operators should understand to avoid inventory inaccuracies.
If a plant tag is assigned incorrectly: Use the Metrc Replace Tag function for the plant when moving plants into a phase that requires individual tagging.
If a package tag is assigned incorrectly: The package must be discontinued. Once discontinued, the quantity returns to the source (the source package or harvest), and you then create a new package with the correct information.
Day-to-day impact: This is why teams should slow down on tag application during beginning inventory. A single typo can cascade into extra adjustments, discontinued packages, and time-consuming reconciliation between physical counts and Metrc.
Admin setup required before entering beginning inventory
After ordering tags, the bulletin directs licensee admins to build foundational “master data” in Metrc so inventory can be entered correctly and consistently.
Strains: Create the strains you plan to cultivate or have on hand as beginning inventory. If you do not know potency or Indica/Sativa genetics at go-live, the bulletin notes you can estimate and edit later.
Items: Create item names for the products you will track (for example, a seed item such as “Seeds – Blue Dream”), including the proper category and default unit of measure. The bulletin notes that adding items is often the most time-consuming part of setup, so start early.
Locations: Create the rooms/areas where plants and inventory will be stored or cultivated so you can assign accurate locations during entry and movement.
Operational note: Items can only be updated if the item has not been used previously, so naming conventions and category selection should be reviewed internally before teams start creating packages from those items.
API availability: The bulletin indicates the item workflow is also available through the Metrc API, which may be relevant if your operation uses a connected system.
Beginning inventory reporting requirements in Metrc Minnesota
The bulletin’s core compliance requirement is straightforward: your Metrc electronic inventory must match your facility’s physical inventory.
30-day deadline for newly credentialed licenses (after Jan 2, 2026): Newly credentialed licenses have 30 days to input beginning inventory. After that window, Metrc will disable the ability to create immature plantings without a source.
Practical implication: If you miss the window, your team may lose the “starting inventory” flexibility and be forced into different workflows to introduce new genetics or starting material, which can slow operations and create compliance exposure.
New genetics after the 30-day window: If you acquire new genetics beyond the 30-day period, the bulletin instructs operators to follow the New Genetics Workflow bulletin to bring seeds into Metrc properly.
Testing status note: Packaged products entered as beginning inventory will appear in Metrc with a testing status of Not Submitted until you complete required testing steps for the product type and jurisdictional rules.
Cultivation workflows: seeds, clones, and immature plants
For cultivation licenses, the bulletin distinguishes between how seeds and plants must be introduced, and it emphasizes that “unauthorized sources” will not be allowed for starting plants after January 2, 2026.
Seeds must enter as packages (via external transfer)
Seeds: The bulletin states seeds must be brought in through an external transfer as packages.
Storing seeds: If you are not planting seeds yet, keep them as packaged inventory in Metrc until you are ready to create plantings.
Creating immature plant batches from packages
Once seeds or immature plants exist as packages, you create immature plant batches by selecting the applicable package in the Metrc Packages area and using the Create Plantings action.
Group name best practice: Metrc recommends a naming convention that includes the strain name and the planting date. For beginning inventory, adding “Beginning Inventory” to the group name can make later audits and internal reviews significantly easier.
Planting date guidance: The bulletin instructs users to enter today’s date (the date of entry) as the planting date for this workflow.
Prerequisites: The strain and location must already exist in Admin so you can select them during planting creation.
Where you will see the result: After creation, the immature batch appears under the Immature tab in the Metrc Plants area.
Creating plantings directly in the Plants module
The bulletin also describes creating plantings from within the Plants area by navigating to the Immature tab and selecting Create Plantings. This results in a new immature plant batch that can later be transitioned as required.
When individual plant tags are required
The bulletin states that plants eight inches in height or taller must be brought in through plantings and then individually tagged by using the Change Growth Phase option.
Operational impact: This is a key staffing and scheduling detail. Beginning inventory often includes plants already in active cultivation; make sure you have enough plant tags on hand and enough trained labor available to apply individual tags and complete phase changes in Metrc without falling behind on daily tasks.
How this bulletin affects daily compliance operations
Inventory accuracy becomes your baseline: Beginning inventory is the foundation for every subsequent Metrc transaction. Errors here create downstream discrepancies in cultivation counts, package balances, transfers, sales, and required reporting.
Tag governance matters: Because tags are one-time use, facilities should treat tags like controlled supplies, with clear internal handling rules to prevent premature receiving, loss, or misassignment.
Master data drives clean transactions: Strains, items, and locations are not just setup steps; they are the “language” your operation uses inside Metrc. Consistent naming and correct categories reduce mistakes and speed up training.
Time-boxed go-live window: The 30-day rule after January 2, 2026 makes it operationally risky to delay beginning inventory entry. Plan for tag shipping time, admin setup time, and staff time for planting creation and growth phase changes.
Using Distru to support labeling and Retail ID readiness
While this bulletin focuses on beginning inventory entry, operators commonly run into downstream compliance issues when packages move toward transfer, retail, or consumer-facing sale—especially where accurate package identity and labeling intersect with Metrc requirements.
DistruLabels: DistruLabels is a 100% free tool for creating compliant packaging and retail labels. It helps teams produce consistent labels that align with Metrc package identifiers and supports smoother Metrc Retail ID compliance by reducing label-related errors at the point of packaging and sale.
DistruERP: For larger, multi-department operations that need end-to-end controls, DistruERP is Distru’s comprehensive Cannabis ERP platform designed for full supply chain management, helping operators coordinate inventory, manufacturing, distribution, sales, and compliance workflows at scale.
Metrc support and training resources referenced by the bulletin
Metrc Support portal: The bulletin directs users to Metrc’s Service Cloud support system at https://support.metrc.com. Access typically requires your state, facility license number, and an email to set a password if it is your first time using the portal.
Metrc Learn: The bulletin references Metrc Learn as the training platform for interactive education and facility-specific training programs, including New Business Training and advanced role-based courses.
In-app resources: Within the Metrc system, the Support dropdown also provides access to additional educational guides and manuals.
