Minnesota Metrc Beginning Inventory Guide

This bulletin applies to Metrc (Minnesota) and explains how newly credentialed cannabis businesses should tag and report beginning inventory so Metrc inventory matches what you physically have on hand. It covers ordering and receiving Metrc tags, completing required Admin setup (strains, items, locations), and correctly bringing seeds and plants into Metrc using the state-approved beginning inventory workflows.

Bulletin overview (MN_IB_001)

Bulletin Number: MN_IB_001
Distribution Date: 03/12/2026
Effective Date: Ongoing
Subject: Beginning Inventory Guidelines

Metrc’s intent is to standardize how Minnesota operators establish their starting point in the system. The bulletin also clarifies that the external transfer steps described are only for beginning inventory and are not necessarily the same steps you’ll use for routine, ongoing inventory tracking after you are live in Metrc.

How Metrc tracks inventory: plants vs. packages

Metrc recognizes two tagged inventory types:

• Plants: All plants must enter Metrc as immature plant batches first. If plants meet the threshold for individual tagging (noted in this bulletin as eight inches or taller), they must be individually tagged when moved into the next growth phase.
• Packages: Seeds come into Metrc as packages. Packages can also be created from immature plants, harvest batches, or other packages depending on your activity and license type.

Operationally, this means your beginning inventory work is about correctly creating the initial plant batches and packages so every unit on your shelves, in your vault, or in your cultivation rooms has a compliant “digital twin” in Metrc.

Ordering Metrc tags in Minnesota (and why timing matters)

After your facility is credentialed in Metrc, the bulletin directs facilities to order tags immediately so you can begin entering inventory without delays. Cultivation licenses can order plant tags and package tags. Non-cultivation facilities typically only order package tags.

Tags are shipped via UPS with a stated standard shipping time of 5–7 days. Because tags are required to create and track inventory in Metrc, running short can slow down daily operations like planting, packaging, transfers, and sales.

Where to place a tag order in Metrc

In Metrc, go to Admin and select Tag Orders, then create a New Tag Order and submit it after verifying the details.

If you need expedited shipping, the bulletin instructs you to contact Metrc Support after placing the order and provide your order number and payment method to request expedited shipping.

Receiving tag orders (do not receive early)

Once the tags physically arrive, return to Admin > Tag Orders for the relevant facility license and use the Receive function to populate the tag numbers in Metrc.

The bulletin emphasizes: do not receive tags in Metrc before they physically arrive. Receiving digitally is an acknowledgement that the tags are in your facility’s possession, which is a compliance-sensitive statement.

One-time-use rule and correction expectations

Metrc tags are one-time use only. The bulletin outlines practical correction paths operators should expect to use:

• Plant tag error: If a mistake is made when assigning a plant tag (for example, during a growth phase change), the plant’s tag must be corrected using Metrc’s Replace Tag function.
• Package tag error: If a mistake is made when assigning a package tag, the package must be discontinued. Discontinuing returns the quantity to the source (the originating package or harvest) so a new, correct package can be created.

Day-to-day implication: assign tag numbers carefully and train staff on correction workflows, because tag mistakes typically create extra work (and audit attention) even when corrected properly.

Admin setup required before entering beginning inventory

After ordering tags, Metrc Admin users should set up core reference data in Metrc for their license. The bulletin calls out three Admin areas that must be built before beginning inventory entry works smoothly:

• Strains
• Items (product “Item Names”)
• Locations

You can add more strains, items, and locations later. However, the bulletin notes a key limitation: items can only be updated if the item has not been used previously. Operationally, this means you should spend time getting item names, categories, and units of measure correct upfront, because once transactions occur, edits may be restricted.

Creating strains for beginning inventory

To create strains, go to Admin > Strains and add the strains you plan to cultivate or are bringing in as beginning inventory. The bulletin indicates that if exact potency or Indica/Sativa designation is unknown, you may enter estimated values and adjust later if needed.

Practical implication: don’t stall your beginning inventory entry because you’re waiting for perfect strain metadata. Build the strain records so you can begin tagging and tracking, then refine attributes as your SOPs and testing data mature.

Creating items (including seeds) and API availability

Items are created under Admin > Items. Items must include an item name, category, default unit of measure, and any other category-driven required fields. The bulletin’s example shows creating a seed item such as “Seeds – Blue Dream” to reflect a seed package being brought into Metrc.

The bulletin also notes this workflow is available through the Metrc API. If you use integrated software, your third-party provider can advise whether item creation and synchronization can be automated to reduce manual data entry.

Minnesota beginning inventory rules: what must be entered and how

Beginning inventory must be entered so your electronic Metrc inventory matches physical inventory. The bulletin provides specific guidance for how different starting materials must be introduced:

• Seeds: Must be brought in through an external transfer and exist as packages in Metrc.
• Immature plants: Must be brought in through creation of plantings (resulting in immature plant batches).
• Plants eight inches or taller: Must be brought in through plantings and then individually tagged using a change growth phase workflow.

The 30-day clock for newly credentialed licenses (effective after Jan 2, 2026)

The bulletin states that after January 2, 2026, newly credentialed licenses have 30 days to input beginning inventory. After that window, the ability to create immature plantings without a source will be disabled.

Practical implication: if your team delays initial setup, you may lose flexibility and be forced into more formal sourcing workflows. If you acquire new genetics after that 30-day period, the bulletin directs operators to use the state’s New Genetics Workflow guidance to bring seeds into Metrc correctly.

Cultivation workflows: planting seeds, clones, and immature plants

For cultivation licenses, the bulletin describes how seeds, clones, and immature plants should be planted in Metrc once they exist as packages in your account. It also highlights a policy shift: after January 2, 2026, starting plants from unauthorized sources will not be allowed, and seeds/immature plants must be planted from packages.

If you are storing seeds and not planting them yet, the bulletin indicates they should remain in package form rather than being converted into plantings prematurely.

Creating immature plant batches from packages (Create Plantings)

When seeds or immature plants are already represented as packages, you create immature plant batches by selecting the relevant package in the Packages area and using Create Plantings. This converts packaged starting material into an immature plant batch tracked in the Plants section.

The bulletin recommends using a consistent group naming convention. Metrc’s best practice is to include the strain name and the date of planting (for example, appending a “Beginning Inventory” notation). This supports clearer audits, smoother staff handoffs, and easier reconciliation.

Creating plantings directly in the Plants section (immature)

The bulletin also describes creating plantings directly by going to Plants, choosing the Immature tab, and using Create Plantings. Use the date of entry as the planting date when entering beginning inventory, and ensure the referenced strains and locations already exist in Admin for selection.

Individually tagging plants via Change Growth Phase

For plants that must be individually tagged (including the bulletin’s reference point of plants eight inches or taller), the workflow described is to select the relevant immature plant batch and use Change Growth Phase, which prompts the action window used to transition and tag plants as they move into the next growth stage.

Testing status note for packaged beginning inventory

The bulletin notes that when you bring beginning inventory into Metrc as packaged product, it will come in with a testing status of Not Submitted. Operationally, this affects downstream actions that may require a particular testing status before transfer, sale, or manufacturing steps, depending on Minnesota rules and your license privileges.

Day-to-day operational implications for Minnesota operators

While the bulletin is framed as beginning inventory guidance, it has direct operational consequences that impact daily compliance:

• Tag availability drives throughput: Ordering early and maintaining a buffer of plant and package tags prevents slowdowns in planting, packaging, and fulfillment.
• Data governance matters: Because item updates are restricted after use, consistent naming and correct category/unit selection help avoid long-term reporting problems.
• Source discipline becomes mandatory: After the stated policy change, teams need SOPs ensuring seeds and immature plants are always introduced via approved sources and packages, not informal “starts.”
• Error correction is part of compliance: Staff should know when to replace a plant tag versus discontinue and recreate a package, and document corrections consistently to reduce audit risk.

Labeling and Metrc Retail ID compliance (tools that help)

Accurate Metrc inventory is only part of staying compliant through sale. Packaging and retail labels must also align with what’s in Metrc, including identifiers used at retail.

DistruLabels is a 100% free tool for creating compliant cannabis packaging and retail labels. It helps operators generate consistent labels that support Metrc Retail ID compliance by keeping label data aligned with inventory records and retail-facing identifiers.

For larger, multi-department operations that need deeper coordination across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and sales, DistruERP is Distru’s comprehensive Cannabis ERP platform designed for end-to-end supply chain management, including stronger operational controls around inventory and compliance processes that feed Metrc accuracy.

Metrc support and training resources

If you need help implementing the workflows described in the bulletin, Metrc provides multiple support and learning options:

• Metrc Support portal: Submit and track support requests at https://support.metrc.com. The bulletin notes first-time access requires your state selection, facility license number, and an email to set credentials.
• Metrc Learn: Training courses and role-based learning paths are available at https://learn.metrc.com.
• In-app resources: Within Metrc, use the Support dropdown for guides, manuals, and educational materials.

For Minnesota operators, the safest approach is to treat beginning inventory as a controlled project: complete Admin setup first, receive tags only after they arrive, and enter all beginning inventory promptly so your physical-to-digital reconciliation is clean from day one.