TL;DR: When a cannabis batch fails testing in Oregon, every subsequent action—reanalysis requests, remediation decisions, resubmissions—must be logged in Metrc with precise timing and documentation. Missing a step, using the wrong package type, or entering incomplete remediation records can trigger OLCC compliance flags independent of whether the product ultimately passes. This guide walks through each Metrc step in the correct sequence.
Key Takeaways
- Sample packages in Metrc are fundamentally different from regular packages—submitting the wrong type invalidates the testing workflow
- Reanalysis requests require simultaneous OLCC email notification, not just Metrc entry
- The "Remediate" button logs method, date, and description—all three fields matter for audit purposes
- Package status transitions are sequential and non-reversible; errors require OLCC coordination to correct
- Every Metrc entry connected to a failed batch is a potential audit document—treat it accordingly
- Resubmission after remediation requires the same sample package creation protocol as the initial submission
Why Metrc Logging Is a Compliance Event, Not Just Recordkeeping
Most processors understand Metrc as a tracking system—a way to follow product through the supply chain. That framing is accurate, but incomplete when it comes to remediation. In Oregon's framework, Metrc entries connected to a failed batch are not just operational records; they are compliance events.
An OLCC compliance review of a remediation incident begins with the Metrc audit trail. Inspectors will look at when a failure was recorded, when the reanalysis request was entered, whether OLCC was notified within the required window, what remediation method was logged and when, and when the batch was resubmitted for testing. Gaps in any of these entries—or timestamps that don't align with documented timelines—are themselves compliance issues, separate from the underlying contamination failure.
This means that a processor who successfully remediates a batch but fails to document the remediation correctly in Metrc has not fully resolved the compliance event. The product may pass retesting. The Metrc record may still expose them to enforcement action.
Understanding how to execute each step correctly—before you need to—is the most reliable way to protect an operation when a failure occurs.
Step 0: Before Testing Begins — Getting Package Types Right
The most common early-stage Metrc error in Oregon's testing workflow is submitting samples under the wrong package type. Oregon's rules require that samples submitted for mandatory compliance testing be created as sample packages, not regular inventory packages.
This distinction matters for several reasons:
- Sample packages are tracked separately in Metrc and cannot be transferred to retail or further processing while testing is in progress
- The lab receives the sample package and enters results against it directly
- If a failure is logged against a regular inventory package rather than a proper sample package, the downstream remediation workflow may not function correctly
How to create a sample package in Metrc:
- Navigate to Packages in the Metrc menu
- Select the source package and choose New Package
- In the package type dropdown, select Sample (not the default product type)
- Enter the quantity being submitted for sampling
- Assign the package tag that will accompany the physical sample to the lab
- Record the lab name, the tests being requested, and the submission date
Verify the package status shows as Submitted once the lab accepts the sample. Do not create a second package from the same source material until the first sample package has a resolved status (Passed, Failed, or Rejected).
Step 1: The Failed Result — What Happens in Metrc
When a licensed ORELAP-accredited lab enters a failing result against a sample package, Metrc updates the package status automatically. The source package associated with that sample enters a restricted state: it cannot be transferred to retail, transferred to another licensee for further processing, or destroyed without OLCC notification until the failure is resolved.
What you will see in Metrc:
- Sample package status: Failed
- Source package status: flagged and transfer-restricted
- A notification in the OLCC system (depending on your Metrc notification settings)
At this point, the clock starts on two simultaneous obligations: the 7-day window to request reanalysis, and the OLCC notification requirement.
Step 2: Requesting Reanalysis — Metrc Entry and OLCC Notification
Oregon rules require that a reanalysis request be initiated within 7 calendar days of receiving a failed result. This involves two separate actions that must both occur:
Action A: Email OLCC
Send an email to marijuana@oregon.gov with the subject line "Request for Reanalysis" before or concurrent with the Metrc entry. The email must include:
- Your OLCC license number
- The Metrc package tag ID for the failed sample package
- The specific tests being requested for reanalysis (e.g., "Microbiological Contaminants")
- The name of the originating lab
Keep a copy of this email with a timestamp. This is the external documentation that establishes your notification date independently of Metrc.
Action B: Log the Reanalysis Request in Metrc
- Navigate to Packages and locate the failed sample package
- Select Request Reanalysis from the package action menu
- Enter the reanalysis request date (must be within 7 calendar days of the failure date)
- Select the original lab from the lab dropdown
- Specify the tests to be reanalyzed
- Submit the request
The package status will update to ReanalysisRequested. The original lab then has 30 calendar days from the request date to complete the reanalysis and enter results.
Common error: Logging the reanalysis in Metrc but failing to send the OLCC email, or sending the email but not entering the request in Metrc. Both actions are required. Either alone is incomplete.
Step 3: If Reanalysis Passes — Requesting a Retest by a Second Lab
If the original lab's reanalysis returns a passing result, Metrc will update the sample package status to ReanalysisCompleted/Passed. From that point, you have another 7 calendar days to request resampling and retest by a different, second lab.
Action A: Email OLCC Again
Send another notification email to marijuana@oregon.gov with the subject line "Request for Retest" including the same package identification information, the passing reanalysis result, and the name of the second lab you are engaging.
Action B: Create a Second Sample Package
The retest requires a new physical sample pulled from the source batch and submitted to the second lab. In Metrc:
- Navigate to the source package (still restricted)
- Create a new sample package following the same protocol as Step 0
- Associate this new sample package with the second lab
- Document the retest request date in the package notes field
The second lab will enter their results against this new sample package. For the batch to advance, it must pass both the reanalysis (original lab) and the retest (second lab).
Step 4: Choosing Remediation — Logging the Decision in Metrc
If the batch fails at any point in the reanalysis/retest sequence—or if you choose to skip retesting and go directly to remediation after the initial failure—you will log a remediation decision in Metrc.
Navigate to the source package and select the Remediate action:
- Go to Packages and locate the source package (the full batch, not the sample package)
- Click the Remediate button in the package actions panel
- Complete the three required fields:
Field 1: Remediation Method
Select the method that describes what you are doing to the batch. Oregon's rules recognize sterilization processes for microbiological failures. If you are using vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilization, the most defensible entry is a specific description of the process—not just "sterilization." Example entry: "Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) sterilization per ISO 22441:2022 validation protocol."
Do not enter vague or generic descriptions like "treated" or "processed." Generic entries do not establish what method was used and are a common audit flag.
Field 2: Remediation Date
Enter the date remediation was performed—the actual date, not the date you are making the Metrc entry. If remediation occurred over multiple cycles or sessions, enter the date of the final completed cycle and document the multi-session protocol in the description field.
Field 3: Description
This is a free-text field that should be used substantively. A complete description entry should include:
- The specific contaminant(s) that failed (e.g., "Total Yeast and Mold — exceeded action limit")
- The remediation equipment or process used
- Any relevant parameters (cycle duration, concentration, temperature if applicable)
- Reference to any validation documentation on file
Example complete description: "Batch failed Total Yeast and Mold at initial testing. Remediated using BoxPurify VHP sterilization system (rO/VHP technology) on [date]. Full cycle completed per facility SOP-REM-001. Validation documentation on file. No mycotoxin or pesticide failures present."
Once submitted, the package status changes to Remediated. This status is logged permanently in the package history.
Step 5: Resubmitting for Testing After Remediation
After logging the remediation in Metrc, the batch must pass a full required battery of tests before it can be transferred or sold. This resubmission follows the same protocol as any initial testing submission—but with one important difference: the package's remediation history is now part of its Metrc record.
Resubmission steps:
- Create a new sample package from the remediated source package (same process as Step 0)
- Submit the sample to an OLCC-licensed, ORELAP-accredited lab
- Specify in the lab submission that this is a post-remediation retest and note the prior failure and remediation method
- The lab enters results against the new sample package
Oregon requires that a post-remediation retest include the full test suite relevant to the product type—not just the tests that originally failed. For usable marijuana with a microbiological failure, the retest must cover microbiological contaminants, pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals, potency, and water activity/moisture content.
If the batch passes all required tests, the source package status clears and normal transfer and sale operations can resume.
If the batch fails again after remediation, it must be destroyed. There is no second remediation cycle available once a post-remediation retest fails.
Step 6: Logging Destruction If Required
If destruction is elected at any point—after failed reanalysis/retest, after a failed post-remediation retest, or after a pesticide or mycotoxin failure where remediation is not permitted—the destruction must be logged in Metrc and OLCC must be notified.
In Metrc, navigate to the package and select Destroy. Enter the destruction date, method, and a description. Oregon rules require that destruction be witnessed and documented; the Metrc entry is the official record but physical disposal logs should be maintained separately as backup documentation.
Documentation Checklist: What to Keep Alongside Every Metrc Entry
Metrc records are the official state record, but they are not your only documentation obligation. For each remediation event, maintain a parallel documentation file that includes:
- Copy of the original lab report showing the failed result with the date received
- Timestamped copy of the OLCC email notification (reanalysis request)
- Metrc screenshot showing the reanalysis request entry and date
- Lab report from reanalysis (if conducted) with pass/fail result
- Timestamped copy of OLCC email notification (retest request, if applicable)
- Second lab report from retest (if conducted) with pass/fail result
- Metrc screenshot of the Remediate entry showing method, date, and description
- Internal SOP or work order documenting the remediation procedure as performed
- Post-remediation lab report showing passing results across all required tests
- Metrc screenshot showing package status cleared post-retest
This parallel file is what turns your Metrc record from a data entry into a defensible audit package. If OLCC requests documentation of a past remediation event, you can produce it immediately rather than reconstructing it from system logs.
Common Metrc Errors That Trigger Compliance Flags
Based on the structure of Oregon's rules and the Metrc workflow, these are the entries most likely to generate compliance scrutiny:
Timestamp mismatches: Metrc entries dated after the 7-day window for reanalysis requests, even by one day, can trigger a compliance finding. If you received a failed result on a Friday, the 7-day window ends the following Thursday—calendar days, not business days.
Wrong package type at submission: Submitting samples as regular inventory packages rather than sample packages creates tracking inconsistencies that require OLCC coordination to untangle. Correct this before the batch fails, not after.
Incomplete remediation description: A one-word entry in the description field (e.g., "sterilized") does not establish what method was used or when the process was completed. OLCC inspectors specifically look for description entries that substantiate the remediation method claim.
Missing OLCC email notifications: The Metrc entry and the email notification are separate requirements. Completing one without the other leaves a gap in the compliance record even if the product passes retesting.
Resubmitting incomplete test panels: Submitting a post-remediation sample for only the failed test category rather than the full required battery is a documentation error that will delay re-release of the package and may require a new submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 7-day reanalysis window start when the lab reports the failure or when I see it in Metrc?
The window starts when you receive the failed result—which in practice means when the lab communicates the result to you, whether by Metrc notification, email, or direct contact. If there is any ambiguity about when you received the result, document it. The safest practice is to treat the Metrc notification timestamp as the start date and act immediately.
Can I request reanalysis for only some of the failed tests, not all of them?
Yes. If a batch failed multiple test categories, you can request reanalysis for specific tests and elect to skip reanalysis for others. However, you must specify which tests you are requesting in both the OLCC email and the Metrc entry. Any test for which you do not request reanalysis moves directly to the remediation or destruction decision.
What if I can't reach the original lab within the 7-day window?
Contact OLCC at marijuana@oregon.gov immediately and document your attempts to reach the lab. Oregon's rules do not explicitly provide an extension mechanism for lab availability issues, but proactive communication with OLCC before the window closes is significantly better than a missed deadline with no documentation. Do not wait until the window expires to escalate.
If I choose to remediate without attempting reanalysis, do I still need to notify OLCC?
Oregon's rules require OLCC notification when requesting reanalysis or retest. If you skip the reanalysis and go directly to remediation, review the current OLCC guidance—some processors notify OLCC of the remediation decision as a best practice even when it is not explicitly required. The Metrc remediation entry itself is visible to OLCC in the system regardless.
How long does the remediated package remain flagged in Metrc history?
The remediation event is a permanent part of the package's Metrc history. Even after a successful post-remediation retest, the package record will show the prior failure and remediation entry. This is by design—it provides a complete chain of custody. Buyers and downstream processors can see this history if they access the package record.
Can I use BoxPurify documentation directly in the Metrc description field?
The Metrc description field is a text entry—you cannot attach documents directly. Reference your internal SOP or validation document by name and number in the description field (e.g., "per facility SOP-REM-001 and BoxPurify validation protocol on file"), then maintain the actual document in your parallel documentation file. If OLCC requests the underlying documentation, you provide it from your file, not from Metrc.
Building Metrc Competence Before You Need It
The Metrc remediation workflow is not intuitive the first time you navigate it under the pressure of a failed batch and a 7-day countdown. The processors who execute it cleanly are the ones who have walked through it before a failure occurs—who know where the Remediate button is, what the description field expects, and which OLCC email address receives reanalysis notifications.
Build the workflow into your compliance training. Run a tabletop exercise using a hypothetical failure scenario. Know your lab's ORELAP accreditation number before you need to cite it. Have the OLCC notification email template drafted and saved.
The remediation framework Oregon built is structured and navigable. The documentation burden it places on processors is manageable—but only for those who have prepared for it.
Reference: Oregon OLCC Sampling and Testing Metrc Guide v6.1 (Operative 11/9/22). For current OHA testing rules and OLCC licensing information, visit oregon.gov/olcc and healthoregon.gov/marijuanatesting.