Editor's note: This article has been reviewed and updated for accuracy in 2026. According to Forbes, the cannabis sector is America’s fastest-growing industry. It is projected to create more jobs than manufacturing by the year 2023. Software is an important part of building a strong cannabis business. Many new business owners try to scrape by with spreadsheets, but to be truly effective spreadsheets are no longer an option. Eventually, business owners will spend more on labor costs to update their homemade tracking systems than they would in buying software. What is Seed-to-sale Software? Seed-to-sale software describes a software solution whose primary purpose is to help cannabis businesses manage inventory and remain compliant with their state and local governments. These software solutions are designed to safeguard the health and safety of the consumer, and therefore track and trace every part of the cannabis supply chain from a plant’s growth as a sprouting seed to its sale. Who Uses Seed-To-Sale Software? It’s no secret that the cannabis industry is tightly regulated. Any company that handles the plant needs to have a robust software solution in their corner. Remember, the industry has four major segments that make up the seed-to-sale supply chain. Cultivation– The farmers who grow and cultivate the plants. Extraction– The companies that extract cannabinoids and other plant derivatives. Distribution– The persons that distribute cannabis derivatives to dispensaries and retailers. Retail– The dispensaries and outlets that sell the product to the final consumer. Within these segments are additional supplementary services like testing labs and technology companies. As the product moves through every step of the supply chain, each industry player has to be able to effectively track all the materials