Q. What is the Point-of-Sale (POS) Data Reporting Platform?
A. In 2024, the AGCO and Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) launched an automated data reporting platform that integrates with each retail cannabis store’s POS system.
This online POS Data Reporting Platform system replaces the need to manually submit Excel-based monthly Integrated Retail Reports to the AGCO for regulatory purposes.
Q. How does it work?
A. Retailer data is automatically submitted directly to the POS Data Reporting Platform via the retailer’s in-store POS system.
The platform also automatically notifies retailers if there are errors with their data.
Q. How do I know if my POS provider is integrated with OCS’s POS Data Reporting Platform?
A. You can confirm that your provider is integrated with the POS Data Platform by visiting the POS Provider List on the OCS website at: POS Provider List – OCS Wholesale
Q. Does the POS Data Reporting Platform automatically send data error notifications?
A. Yes. The POS Data Reporting Platform automatically notifies retailers if there are errors with their data.
The platform automatically generates emails with data reconciliation errors that require resolution to authorized cannabis retailers.
Q. How often are data error notifications sent?
A. The platform sends retailers automatically-generated emails on a weekly cycle, on Tuesdays, from donotreply@ocs.ca
Q. Why am I receiving a data error notification?
A. Data reconciliation errors are sent as part of the POS Data Reporting platform, which automatically receives data from your POS system as part of your provincial and federal regulatory reporting requirements.
The notifications show all data reconciliation errors that require resolution for your store.
To ensure the accuracy of your data, review the data reconciliation errors you receive and make any necessary adjustments as soon as possible.
Q. Is there a list that explains what each data error means?
A. A guide on the meaning of each error message and their explanations is posted on the Ontario Cannabis Store’s (OCS) Data Reconciliation Errors web page.
Q. What should I do if I receive a data error notification?
A. If you receive a data error notification, review the error and make any necessary adjustments as soon as possible to help ensure the accuracy of your data.
- To resolve an error, you (or your POS provider) may be required to make a data submission to the POS Data Reporting Platform.
- In some cases, you may need to contact your POS provider or OCS (e.g., invalid transfer) to resolve a data error.
- If you are unsure, reach out to your POS provider for questions about, or assistance with, resolving error messages.
Q. Are there some data errors I can resolve myself, without the input of my POS provider?
A. In some cases, you can resolve an issue yourself. However, you often need support from your POS provider to resolve errors such as transfer errors.
Q. What are the most frequent data errors?
A. Frequent data errors include:
- Data quality errors (e.g., SKU and UPC barcode could not be matched, invalid SKU transfer)
- Data continuity errors (e.g., negative inventory, transfers not balanced, inventory position quantity does not match observed quantity, SKU missing in inventory position)
Q. Once an error is corrected, is there a way to confirm it’s been corrected?
A. To resolve an error, the cannabis retailer (in collaboration with their POS provider) must make a data submission to the POS Data Reporting Platform. Once the new data has been processed and validated, the error should resolve, and the status of the error will from New/Existing to Resolved in the next email of error notifications.
Q. What steps do I need to take to address the accumulation of unresolved errors?
A. Contact your POS provider to correct each error separately. If your POS provider cannot resolve them, reach out to the OCS Customer Service Team for assistance by calling 1-877-627-1627 or contact them through chat .
Q. What should I resolve first – the very old errors that keep showing up in my weekly error report or the new ones?
A. If you receive a data error notification, review the error and make any necessary adjustments as soon as possible to help ensure the accuracy of your data.
To avoid an accumulation of errors, resolve your old errors first.
Q: Can more than one person receive data reconciliation error emails?
A: At this time, only one contact can receive the data reconciliation error emails for each CRSA. If you would like to update your primary contact for receiving data reconciliation error emails, please reach out to the Customer Care Team by calling 1-877-627-1627 or contact them through chat .
Q: What happens if I don’t resolve the error messages?
A: All licensed cannabis retailers are subject to the Registrar’s Standards for Cannabis Retail Stores which outline your regulatory requirements with respect to record keeping.
To help ensure the accuracy of your data, we encourage you to review the data reconciliation errors you receive and make any necessary adjustments as soon as possible.
Q. What are my cannabis recordkeeping regulatory requirements?
A. For information about your cannabis recordkeeping regulatory requirements, please refer to the Cannabis Records: Requirements and Point-of-Sale Data Reporting Platform page and Section 8.0: Record Keeping Requirements of the Registrar’s Standards for Cannabis Retail Stores on the AGCO website.
For questions about regulatory requirements, please reach out to the AGCO at customer.service@agco.ca .
Q: I received the data reconciliation error “Invalid Transfer (Sender/Recipient Not Approved for Transfer).” How do I resolve this?
A: To resolve this error, please contact the AGCO at customer.service@agco.ca . To help ensure the accuracy of your data, we encourage you to review the data reconciliation errors you receive and make any necessary adjustments as soon as possible.
Q. How do I resolve a data continuity error caused by an inter-store transfer?
A. Data continuity errors are often caused during an inter-store transfer (i.e., when a product is moved between different retail stores under the acceptable avenues approved by the AGCO).
To help resolve a data continuity error caused by an inter-store transfer, remember that:
- An inter-store transfer is only completed once the receiving store acknowledges the transferred product.
- Transferred products should not be removed from inventory until the receiving store completes the transfer.
- Products should always be accounted for in a POS system. Inventory cannot be deducted from one retail location’s POS system without being added to another active retail store’s POS system at the same time. Inventory should always be associated with a specific retail store location.
- Outgoing inter-store transfers must be reconcilable on the receiving store’s end. This means that the quantity sent out must match the quantity received.
- If an outgoing shipment is not accepted by the receiving store and is returned to the sending store, the inventory should not be recorded as a transfer.
Q. How do I resolve errors related to math reconciliation on data from my POS system?
A. Contact the OCS to identify the date when your SKU quantity was no longer in alignment. Then perform a physical stock count and provide an adjustment transaction using the date where alignment became asymmetrical (OTHER_ADDITION / OTHER _REDUCTION) representing the difference between your submitted total and the expected total to bring both sides into alignment.
Q. If an error notification is sent to two retailers (i.e., for a transfer), will I continue to receive an error notification if the other retailer has not made their corrections?
A. Yes, error corrections that involve two retailers require both retailers to resolve the error.
Helpful Resources
- AGCO web page: Cannabis Records: Requirements and Point-of-Sale Data Reporting Platform
- AGCO web page: Registrar’s Standards for Cannabis Retail Stores
- AGCO web page: Section 8.0: Record Keeping Requirements
- OCS Wholesale web page: Data Reconciliation Errors
Data Reconciliation Error Messages:
| Error Message | Error Message Definition | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
SKU could not be matched SKU [<SKU>] could not be matched. | This error message indicates that we are unable to match this SKU. | Please validate the SKU and update the information in your system. |
UPC barcode could not be matched UPC Barcode [<UPC_BARCODE>] could not be matched. | This error message indicates that we are unable to match this UPC. | Please validate the UPC and update the information in your system. |
SKU and UPC barcode could not be matched SKU [<SKU>] and UPC Barcode [<UPC_BARCODE>] could not be matched. | This error message means that both the SKU and/or UPC are invalid. | Please validate both the SKU and UPC and update the information in your system. |
Negative inventory Observed negative inventory for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that aggregation of your data is displaying a negative inventory status. | Please validate your on-hand inventory and update your system. |
Transfers not balanced (sender) Observed transfer imbalance for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>] sent to CRSA [<COUNTER_PARTY_CRSA>]. | This error message indicates that the transfer has not been received on the receiving end. | Please validate that the Counter Party CRSA is correct. If any changes need to be made, please contact your POS Provider for assistance. |
Inventory position quantity does not match observed quantity Observed Inventory Position imbalance for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that the aggregation of events does not equal the values in the Inventory Position. | Please validate your on-hand inventory and update the information in your system. |
Invalid SKU transfer (unexpected CROL) Observed a transfer to unexpected CROL for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that we are unable to complete the transfer transaction as the Counter Party CRSA can not be validated. | Please validate that the Counter Party CRSA information is correct. If any changes need to be made, please contact your POS Provider for assistance. |
Invalid SKU transfer (same CRSA) Observed a transfer between same CRSA for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that the transfer is occurring with your own location, which is not permitted. | Please validate that the transfer information is correct. If any changes are required, please contact your POS Provider for assistance. |
Invalid SKU transfer (invalid CRSA) Observed a transfer to invalid CRSA for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that we are unable to complete the transfer transaction as the Counter Party CRSA cannot be validated. | Please validate that the Counter Party CRSA information is correct. If any changes need to be made, please contact your POS Provider for assistance. |
Transfers not balanced (recipient) Observed transfer imbalance for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>] received from CRSA [<COUNTER_PARTY_CRSA>]. | This error message indicates that the transfer has not been sent on the sender's end. | Please validate that the Counter Party CRSA is correct. If any changes need to be made, please contact your POS Provider for assistance. |
SKU and UPC barcode mismatch SKU [<SKU>] and UPC Barcode [<UPC_BARCODE>] were matched for different products. | This error message indicates that both the SKU and UPC for this transaction reference different products. | Please validate the SKU and UPC and update the information in your system. |
SKU missing in inventory position SKU [<SKU>] has no associated Inventory Position | This error message indicates that the inventory position for this SKU does not exist in the system. | Please validate that the indicated SKU is included in the Inventory Position file. |
Invalid Transfer (Sender Not Approved for Transfer) Observed a transfer from unexpected CRSA for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that the Sender transfer store is not approved for this type of transfer with AGCO. | Please validate that the Sender transfer store is correct. Please contact the AGCO for assistance. |
Invalid Transfer (Recipient Not Approved for Transfer) Observed a transfer to unexpected CRSA for SKU [<SKU>] starting on [<POS_TRANSACTION_DATE>]. | This error message indicates that the Recipient transfer store is not approved for this type of transfer with AGCO. | Please validate that the Recipient transfer store is correct. Please contact the AGCO for assistance. |