If your state is rolling out Metrc (like New York), or you’re already using it, your business can dramatically cut manual work by connecting Metrc directly to Confident LIMS. Confident is built to automate the entire flow end-to-end, from creating new lab testing orders from your Metrc manifest to seamlessly uploading test results and COAs to Metrc.

Why the Metrc Integration Matters for Cannabis Licensees

Metrc is the system of record for track-and-trace in many cannabis markets, with more states—including New York—continuing to come online each year. That’s great for regulators, but it adds a lot of complexity for labs and their testing clients:

• Manually keying Metrc sample packages into a LIMS or spreadsheets
  
  
• Keeping Metrc package IDs, batch numbers, and statuses perfectly in sync
  
  
• Making sure every COA and required result is posted to Metrc on time and in compliance
  
  

Without a strong integration, teams often end up manually transcribing data between systems, which slows down turnaround time and increases errors when it comes time for an audit.

A Metrc-ready LIMS removes that friction by treating Metrc as a data source and destination in your everyday workflow.

For more on how a LIMS supports regulated labs generally, you can explore additional posts on the Confident LIMS blog.

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What Metrc + Confident Looks Like in the Lab

Confident already integrates with Metrc in multiple states and is extending that same proven, compliance-first integration wherever Metrc is adopted.

1. From Metrc manifest to sample order

Instead of re-entering data, Confident can:

• Pull incoming Metrc manifests data automatically.
  
  
• Convert each line item into a sample in the LIMS, along with its source batch and other required fields.
  
  
• Preserve Metrc package IDs, license numbers, and product info as system fields.
  
  

Your team simply reviews the imported data, applies the right test panels, and gets to work.

2. Running tests and approving results

Once samples are in Confident:

• Standard workflows guide login, prep, and analysis.
  
  
• Instrument data and calculations stay tied to the sample record.
  
  
• QA can review and approve results with full audit trails.
  
  
• Preview and approve data ready to be submitted to Metrc before final submission.
  
  

All of this happens in the LIMS you use every day—Metrc just becomes another part of the sample’s history.

3. One-click upload back to Metrc (and to clients)

When COAs are approved, Confident makes it easy to keep everyone in sync:

• Upload results and COAs back to Metrc in a single step.
  
  
• Send the same COAs to clients via email or client portal at the same time.
  
  
• Keep a complete record of what was reported, when, and to whom.
  
  

That means fewer missed uploads, fewer status calls, and a cleaner compliance story at audit time.

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How Brands and Licensees Benefit: The Free Client Portal

Metrc integration isn’t only a lab responsibility. Brands, manufacturers, and retailers also need fast and reliable visibility into test results and packaging information.

Confident’s free client portal gives licensees a simple way to work with Metrc-ready labs:

• Find labs using Confident + Metrc
  See which partner labs are live on Confident and set up for the Metrc integration so you can prioritize compliant, connected partners.
  
  
• View all results in one app
  As soon as a lab releases results in Confident, clients can see them in their portal—no hunting through email threads or PDFs.
  
  
• Print compliant labels for packaging
  Generate and print labels directly from released results to stay aligned with state packaging rules and reduce label rework.
  
  
• Track analytics over time
  See trend potency, contamination rates, and other KPIs across batches and products, so QA and operations can make better decisions.
  
  

If your current lab isn’t using Confident, clients can still sign up for the portal and invite their lab to connect, ensuring both sides have access to a shared source of truth.

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Building a Metrc-Ready, Audit-Ready Tech Stack

Whether you’re a lab, brand, or vertically integrated operator, there are a few principles that make Metrc compliance more manageable when using Confident:

• Single source of truth for sample data – Use your LIMS as the operational backbone and Metrc as the regulatory system of record, but have your team work in one system.
  
  
• Automated, not ad-hoc, data flow – Replace spreadsheets, manual uploads, and email attachments with API-driven integrations and structured COAs.
  
  
• Full traceability – Maintain a complete chain of events in our in-app sample and order logs, from manifest to sample to result to COA to Metrc upload—all with timestamps and user actions.
  
  
• Shared visibility with clients – Give clients controlled access to their own data so your team spends less time answering “Where are my results?”
  
  

A compliance-focused LIMS like Confident is designed to check all of those boxes while still being easy for bench scientists and QA to adopt.

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Getting Ready for New Metrc Rollouts

If your state is preparing to launch Metrc—or you’re expanding into a new Metrc market—here are questions worth asking internally:

• How can we convert Metrc manifests into test orders without requiring double data entry?
  
  
• Can we push COAs back to Metrc and to clients simultaneously?
  
  
• Do we have a clear, documented data model that keeps Metrc IDs in sync with our LIMS records?
  
  
• How will clients access results, labels, and trends without depending on emailed PDFs?
  
  

If any of those questions are difficult to answer today, it’s a signal that your lab tech stack may need an upgrade before volumes increase.

You can learn more about modern, compliance-oriented LIMS workflows in the Confident LIMS blog, including posts on sample traceability and audit readiness for regulated labs.

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Metrc + Confident LIMS: FAQ

What is Metrc and how does it relate to my lab?
Metrc is a state-mandated track-and-trace system for cannabis. Labs use it to receive manifests from licensees and to report test results and statuses back to regulators.

Do I still need a LIMS if I’m using Metrc?
Yes. Metrc is designed for regulatory tracking, not day-to-day lab operations. A LIMS manages your samples, instruments, workflows, calculations, and QA review, then shares the correct data with Metrc automatically.

How does Confident LIMS integrate with Metrc?
Confident is an official METRC validated Integrator. We have a dedicated integration with the METRC API. Using this, we can pull in incoming Metrc manifests, map them to samples and orders in the LIMS, and push approved results and COAs back to Metrc—and to clients—with a single click.

What can my clients see in the Confident portal?
Clients can see their current and historical results, download COAs, print packaging labels, and track analytics over time. They can also confirm which partner labs are Metrc-ready on Confident.

Is Confident only for cannabis labs?
No! Confident is built to support a variety of testing environments. We are the leader in the cannabis lab industry, but also support industries across the spectrum, from agriculture, food, environmental, and more. 

To learn more about other industries we serve, reach out to us to set up a demo.