Effective April 2025, the LCB has consolidated Vendor and Educational Samples into a single category: Trade Samples. This update streamlines the process for providing product samples for sales negotiation and budtender education.
Create Trade Sample Products or Templates
To accurately track and report Trade Samples in GrowFlow and CCRS, you must first create a designated Trade Sample Product or Product Template. We recommend creating these as Product Templates, as this allows you to easily generate Trade Sample Products for any strain in the future.
We've automatically updated your existing Vendor and Educational Sample products to the new Trade Sample designation. You can continue using these, but please carefully review them against the new maximum weight limits outlined in the regulations. If any exceed these limits, we recommend deleting them from your catalog to prevent accidental transfers of non-compliant Trade Samples.
1. Go to Admin > Products > Templates
2. Click ➕Add New Templates
3. Select the relevant Traceability Type and Category (e.g., Usable Marijuana, Concentrate, Infused Product)
4. Enter a descriptive Product Name
5. Enter the sample size and any additional product details relevant to the Trade Sample
Note: GrowFlow provides helpful weight limit suggestions for Trade Samples based on the selected traceability type. However, it is your responsibility to be fully informed about and adhere to the official Trade Sample weight limits established by the LCB regulations to ensure compliance.
6. Click the Trade checkbox
Note: When the Trade box is checked, GrowFlow automatically appends "Trade Sample" to the Product Name. This becomes the traceability name that will be reported on your Product, Inventory, Transfers, and Manifest uploads to CCRS for sample tracking.
7. Once all product details are entered, finish by clicking Create Product Template
Sending Trade Samples
To ensure accurate and compliant reporting of Trade Samples on CCRS manifests, you must first create designated Trade Sample Products or Templates in GrowFlow. Once created, you can send samples by either packing them to order or pre-packing them.
Note: The previous method of simply checking a retail-ready product as a Sample during order creation has been deprecated in GrowFlow. This update ensures that all Trade Samples are correctly identified at the product level for accurate CCRS reporting.
Packing Trade Samples to Order
To create Trade Samples from bulk inventory during order fulfillment:
1. Click Orders > New Order or New Pre-Order
2. Locate the bulk inventory you wish to use for the Trade Sample
3. Click ➕ in the Products column for that inventory line
4. Locate the Trade Sample Product or Template you previously created.
Quick Tip: Trade Sample Products or Templates are easily identifiable by the checkmark in the Trade Sample column. Click on this column header to sort your Trade Sample products together at the top of the list.
5. Enter the desired number of Trade Sample units you are sending in the Qty column
6. Proceed with previewing, confirming, converting, manifesting, and transferring the order using your standard GrowFlow workflows
Sub-lotting Trade Samples from Pre-Packaged Inventory
If you have existing pre-packaged inventory that meets the requirements for a Trade Sample, you can sub-lot those units into a dedicated Trade Sample Product or Template before adding them to an order.
1. From the Inventory Overview, locate the pre-packaged inventory you want to use as a Trade Sample
2. Click Edit > SubLot on the line item
3. Enter the number of Trade Sample units you wish to create in the Units/Weight to Deduct field
4. In the Change Product field, type "trade sample" to quickly find and select the Trade Sample Product or Template you previously created
5. If using a Trade Sample Template, select the strain
6. Select a room
7. Click Split to create the new sub-lotted Trade Sample inventory
8. You can now add these Trade Samples to an order and proceed with labeling, manifesting, and transferring the order using your standard GrowFlow workflows.
Pre-Packaging Trade Samples
If you prefer to prepare Trade Samples in advance:
1. On the Inventory Overview, click Convert
2. Select Pre-Packaged Items
3. Under What are we making?, choose the relevant Product Category for your Trade Sample
4. Under What kind?, type "trade sample" to quickly locate and select the Trade Sample Product or Template you previously created.
5. If using a Trade Sample Template, select the strain
6. Enter the desired number of units you are pre-packaging as Trade Samples
7. Locate the inventory you will use to create the Trade Samples and enter the corresponding amount in the Amount to Use field.
Notes:
If you are packaging Trade Samples from existing retail-ready products, you may need to check the Re-package box first.
Ensure the Product does not require additional QA testing box remains checked.
8. Click Preview and then Confirm to finalize the conversion
9. The pre-packaged Trade Sample inventory is now available. You can add these units to an order and proceed with labeling, manifesting, and transferring the order using your standard GrowFlow workflows.
Labeling Trade Samples in GrowFlow
GrowFlow assists with the WA requirements for labeling Trade Samples! All outgoing trade samples must be clearly labeled as a Trade Sample, according to chapter 314-55 WAC, and include an additional label with "TRADE SAMPLE - NOT FOR RESALE OR DONATION" in bold, clear, and conspicuous lettering that does not obscure other required labeling.
GrowFlow Default Labels
The GrowFlow Default Retail Labels will automatically print Trade Sample when the product is designated as a Trade Sample in your product catalog.
Custom Label Templates
If you utilize custom label templates, you will need to make the following adjustments to ensure accurate Trade Sample labeling:
1. Remove the following dynamic fields from your custom label templates.
{{SampleText[Vendor Sample - ]}}{{ESampleText[Educational Sample - ]}}
2. Add the following dynamic field to the desired location on your custom label template. This will now correctly display "Trade Sample" for designated products.
{{SampleText[Trade Sample - ]}}
"TRADE SAMPLE - NOT FOR RESALE OR DONATION" Label
Print the GrowFlow Default Label, titled 1x2 Trade Sample—Not for Resale, for the mandatory additional label on all Trade Samples.
If you need to adjust the size or content of this label to fit your specific packaging needs, click the Copy button next to the default label to create a customizable version. You can then edit the copied label as needed.
Understanding Sample Regulation Changes
We strongly recommend reviewing the LCB's official Trade Sample Guide and the official rule amendments for Cannabis Samples in WAC 314-55-096, as the LCB maintains the most up-to-date rules and any subsequent changes. It is always best practice to educate yourself on all official regulations and guidance provided by the LCB.
CCRS Manifest Requirements
Trade samples must be itemized on a separate transport manifest from products intended for resale.
Producers and Processors must report the details of each provided trade sample (including product type and the name of the receiving licensee) to the state's traceability system by including this information on the corresponding CCRS Manifest. When Products or Templates are designated as Trade Samples in your account, GrowFlow automatically takes care of this for you.