Meadow's All-Inclusive Purchase Order and Metrc Guide

Here's the full workflow at a glance:

A purchase order is a record of what you bought, what it cost, and how it entered your inventory. It's also how Meadow connects Metrc packages to your products — so every unit you sell traces back to a compliant source.

Tip: New to this workflow? Meadow Mastery has a free training course on products and purchasing.

Before anything shows up in Meadow, you need to receive the transfer in Metrc first. This is the only step that happens outside Meadow.

1. Log into Metrc and receive the transfer. Go to Metrc > Transfers, find your incoming transfer, and confirm quantities match what you physically received. Hit "Receive." The packages flow into Meadow within minutes.

2. Find the transfer in Meadow. Go to the Metrc tab in Meadow Admin and select Incoming Transfers. Find your transfer by manifest number or by recognizing the packages.

Tip: Transfer taking a while? Click Sync Transfers at the top of the page to pull the latest data from Metrc.

3. Packages move to "Ready" - Once received in Metrc, packages appear in Meadow's Ready tab. They're waiting to be brought into your inventory through a purchase order.

Important: Never manually adjust anything in Metrc's Sales or Packages tabs. Meadow handles that automatically. Manual changes in Metrc create discrepancies that are hard to fix.

A purchase order (PO) is how you bring Metrc packages into Meadow. It connects each package to a product and records the cost — so your inventory, financials, and compliance data all stay in sync.

You can create a PO ahead of time or when the product arrives. Either way — create all your products in Meadow before you start.

Create a new product | View incoming transfers

Before you start: verify your products

Use your distributor's invoice as a checklist. For each line item:

This prevents duplicates — a common mistake that leads to inventory confusion. Don't copy existing products to make new ones. Always search first.

1. Start the PO. Two ways to do this:

2. Match packages to products. For each Metrc package, select the corresponding Meadow product. The selector auto-suggests matches by brand and product name. Take your time here — a wrong match links the physical product to the wrong digital inventory.

3. Enter pricing. Fill in the cost per unit for each line based on your distributor's invoice.

Important: Your PO total must match the invoice total. This is your primary check that costs are right. Distributors don't always list cost per unit — you may need to calculate it. If totals don't match, check: cost/unit pricing, quantities (pulled from the Metrc manifest), and whether accessories need to be added manually.

4. Upload your invoice. Attach a copy of the distributor's invoice to the PO. Keeps everything in one place for accounting and audits.

6. Create the purchase order. Click Create Purchase Order. Done — now move to the Receptions tab.

The Receptions tab is where packages officially enter your inventory. This is your last chance to confirm everything's correct — once you receive a package, that line item locks on Order Details.

1. Match line items to packages. On the Receptions tab, match each line item to the correct Metrc package. Double-check the match — verify it again here even though you matched during PO creation.

2. Set the details. For each package:

Tip: Receive new inventory into a "Processing" location instead of directly to the sales floor. This isolates new stock so it doesn't accidentally sell before you've priced it, labeled it, and verified it. Move it to the floor when it's ready.

3. Receive/ Click to receive. The product is now in your Meadow inventory.

4. Activate your products. New products won't show on your menu until you toggle them to Active in the Products tab. This gives you time to set pricing, print labels, and do final prep before customers can see them.

Important: If you catch a mistake after receiving, delete the reception by clicking the red X — but only while the PO is still open and the package hasn't been sold or transferred to another location. Continue reading to learn more about common PO questions or fixes.

Meadow tracks who paid what, when, and how — so you always know where you stand with distributors.

1. Open the Payments tab. On any purchase order, click the Payments tab.

2. Add a payment. Enter the amount, select the payment type, add any notes. Click Add Payment. Meadow records who submitted it and the date.

3. Pay in full or partial

Important: Once a PO is fully paid, you can't add more payments. Delete the last payment first if you need to adjust.

Tip: Close a PO once all products are received and you're done making changes. You can always come back to add payments — closing doesn't lock the Payments tab.

Accessories — lighters, rolling papers, grinders, merch — don't go through Metrc. They need different settings in Meadow.

1. Create the product. Go to Products > New and build the profile like any other item. Under Unit, select Item.

2. Set compliance to "No Tracking"

3. Assign the right category. Put accessories in a category with Cannabis Type set to None in Product Category Settings. This keeps them out of cannabis-specific reports.

4. Add inventory. Add stock through a new purchase order, an existing PO, or a reconciliation. Set excise tax to $0 for accessories.

Troubleshooting: Receptions tab asking for a Metrc Package ID on an accessory? The product was set to compliant by mistake. Fix it: open the PO, remove the accessory line (red X), go to the product's Inventory settings, change Compliance Status to No Tracking, then re-add it.

Sometimes you need to adjust, split, combine, or void a package. Here's when to use each — and how.

Use before creating a PO, when the quantity on a "Ready" package doesn't match what you received.

When to Adjust Initial Amount: A distributor invoiced you for 32 units, but one product arrived damaged. The Metrc transfer was already received for 32 units, so before creating your purchase order in Meadow, you can use Adjust Initial Amount to update the package quantity to 31.

When not to use Adjust Initial Amount: If the discrepancy is significant, it’s often better to return the entire package to the distributor so they can correct it on their end. Using Adjust Initial Amount functions like an inventory reconciliation or adjustment, which may count toward your inventory variance.

Use when one Meadow product needs two packages. For example, splitting a large package into smaller ones.

When to Split a Package: Use Split Package when you need to separate inventory from the same Metrc package for compliance purposes — not to create new product listings. For example, you purchased 100 units of slow-moving inventory, and the distributor will issue a credit if you return 50 units. Since you have your own Metrc tags, you can split the package in Meadow, creating two packages under the same product — one to keep in inventory and one to send back through a return transfer in Metrc.

When not to Split a Package: Don’t split a package if your goal is to place inventory into different product profiles in Meadow. Instead, use Create Package, which avoids extra steps and keeps your workflow cleaner.

Tip: No package tags available? Order them in Metrc: go to Admin > Tags > Available, enter the max quantity allowed, add your shipping address, and click Place Order.

Use when you need to separate a package between two different Meadow products (not the same product — that's a split).

Merge two packages into one.

Use to fix a PO mistake or remove a package from Meadow entirely.

Use Void Package when you need to remove or reset a package in Meadow due to an operational or data issue — not to adjust inventory quantities.

Void — Recreate as Ready: No
Choose this when you want to remove the package from Meadow entirely while leaving it active in Metrc. This does not adjust inventory to zero in either system; it simply removes Meadow’s association with that package.

Void — Recreate as Ready: Yes
Use this when you need to correct a workflow mistake or realign Meadow with Metrc. Common examples include:

Important notes:

Important: Voiding can't be undone. You also can't void a package that's on an unreported order or an open PO — close the PO or remove the package from the order first.

When a package hits 0 units, Meadow finishes it automatically overnight in both Meadow and Metrc. You rarely need to do this manually.

To unfinish a package (for example, to reconcile inventory back in):

Matched a Metrc package to the wrong Meadow product? It happens. Here's how to fix it — three options depending on how far the mistake went.

Option 1: Cancel the reception (easiest)

Works if the PO is still open and the package hasn't been sold or moved.

Option 2: Wrong package, right product

You matched the right product but selected the wrong package tag.

Option 3: Void and re-receive

Use this when you get an error saying "there have been inventory transactions" — meaning the package has already been sold or transferred.

Important: Once a voided package is recreated, received, and sold, the associated PO becomes permanent. Plan accordingly.

When you change a package quantity — through a reconciliation (inventory correction), cycle count, or initial amount adjustment — Metrc requires a reason. Here are the most common ones:

The full list depends on your license type and what state you operate in. For accessories and other non-compliant products, the reason doesn't matter — they're not reported to Metrc.

Need to send product back to a distributor? This happens directly in Metrc — not in Meadow.

1. Create the transfer in Metrc

Log into ca.metrc.com and create the outgoing transfer.

2. Track it in Meadow

Once you send the transfer, the package status updates in Meadow automatically:

View outgoing transfers at admin.getmeadow.com/compliance/packages/outgoing.

When you create a return transfer in Metrc, the package status in Meadow will update to Shipped, and the package will no longer appear as active inventory inside Meadow. However, you may still see the quantity reflected in certain inventory reports. This is expected — you remain responsible for the inventory while the transfer is in transit, so it continues to count toward reporting until the distributor accepts the transfer in Metrc.

Once the distributor receives and accepts the return transfer, the inventory responsibility shifts off your license, and the quantity will update to 0 across your inventory reporting.

Tip: For large quantity discrepancies, an outgoing transfer beats a reconciliation. Reconciliations count against your shop's variance — the gap between what Metrc says you have and what you actually have. High variance is a red flag for regulators. Send it back and ask the distributor to resend a corrected package instead.

Trade samples — Products shared from one licensee to another for evaluation. They can't be sold. If Metrc flags a package as a trade sample, that flag carries into Meadow. Remove them through a reconciliation or void — not a sale. View them by filtering on the Received packages tab.

Administrative hold — Packages placed on hold by the regulator, usually during product recalls or failed lab tests. Can't be sold — only reconciled or transferred in Metrc. Meadow flags these automatically.

Display samples — To record one: receive the package from Metrc, create a PO and receive it in Meadow, then reconcile it using the adjustment reason Display Sample.

Meadow gives you two ways to track purchasing data — one for quick lookups, one for deeper analysis.

By vendor: Go to Inventory > Vendors, select a vendor, and see their recent POs and outstanding balances at a glance. Use this when a distributor calls about a payment — you can pull up the answer in seconds.

By PO report: Go to Reports > Purchase Orders and download the spreadsheet. This report shows every PO with product costs, quantities, payment history, and outstanding balances (Column L). Sort by vendor to see who you owe, by date to track purchasing trends, or by highest balance to prioritize payments. Use this for end-of-month accounting and cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) calculations.

Delete a PO? No — but you've got workarounds:

Combine POs? No — but here's how to work around it:

Already completed both POs? Zero out one and follow these steps on the other.

What you received physically doesn't match what Metrc says? Here's how to handle it.

Small discrepancy: Use a reconciliation — an inventory correction in Meadow. But know that reconciliations add to your variance, which regulators watch.

Before creating a PO: Use Adjust Initial Amount on the Ready package in the Metrc tab. This corrects the quantity before it enters inventory — cleaner than fixing it after.

Large discrepancy: Send an outgoing transfer back to the distributor in Metrc. Ask them to resend a corrected package. This keeps your variance clean.

Use the Package Intake shortcut to quickly intake a product without starting or opening an existing purchase order.

When to use Intake Package:

What's the only thing I need to do in Metrc?

Receive incoming transfers or sending outgoing transfers. That's it. Sales, package updates, reconciliations, and delivery ledgers all sync automatically through Meadow's Metrc integration. Never ever manage packages directly in Metrc when they exist in Meadow.

Do I need to create products before making a purchase order?

Yes — every item on the invoice must already exist as a product in Meadow before you begin creating the purchase order. During the PO workflow, each Metrc package is matched to a Meadow product.

You can create products ahead of time at admin.getmeadow.com/products/new, or use the Create Product shortcut directly within the purchase order process if you need to add a product on the fly.

Can I edit a purchase order after receiving packages?

You can edit Order Details for line items that haven't been received yet. Once a package is received on the Receptions tab, that line locks. To fix it, delete the reception (red X) — but only while the PO is open and the package hasn't been sold or transferred.

What if I can't find a Metrc package ID?

Search by the last 4 digits in the Metrc tab. Check each status tab — Ready, Received, Finished — in case it's in a different status. You can also copy the full ID from Metrc: right-click the tag, select "Copy to clipboard," then "Tag."

How are accessories different on a purchase order?

Accessories use Compliance Status "No Tracking" and don't need Metrc package IDs. Set excise tax to $0. If the Receptions tab asks for a package ID on an accessory, the product was set up wrong — change Compliance Status to "No Tracking" in the product's Inventory settings.

What's the difference between splitting and creating a package?

Split when you want one product to have two packages. Create when you need to separate a package between two different products. Both sync to Metrc right away.

When should I void a package?

Void to fix a PO reception error or remove a package from Meadow entirely. Set Recreate as Ready to Yes if you need to re-receive it under a different product. Set it to No if you want it removed from Meadow (Still exists in Metrc). Voiding can't be undone.

What's variance and why does it matter?

Variance is the gap between what Metrc says you should have and what you actually have. High variance is a red flag for regulators. Reconciliations add to variance — so for large discrepancies, send an outgoing transfer instead.

Why is a product giving me errors on a purchase order?

Check the product's inventory tracking settings. If tracking was accidentally disabled — or compliance status was set wrong — the PO process throws errors. Go to the product's Inventory settings and confirm it's set to "Use pricing option to track by units" for cannabis products, or "No Tracking" for accessories. This happens most often when multiple staff share one login.

Does the PO process get faster over time?

Yes. Once a product exists in Meadow, you don't create it again. Next time you receive the same product from a distributor, just match the Metrc package to the existing product. The more you've set up, the faster intake gets.

Where do I manage all of this in Meadow?

Here are the key pages: