Service
Dispensary Accounting
Retail cannabis moves fast, handles cash, and generates a transaction record in three systems at once. Dispensary accounting works when the point-of-sale, the statewide seed-to-sale tracking system, and the general ledger agree at the end of every day.
Daily Reconciliation and Cash Management
Register close, deposit log, and sales report should tie without adjustment. When they do not, the variance is investigated the same week rather than at month end when the context is gone.
- Daily sales-to-deposit reconciliation with documented variances
- Dual-control cash counts and drop procedures
- Discount, loyalty, and refund tracking coded to the ledger
Inventory Valuation and Shrink
Retail inventory is valued at landed cost including transport and testing charges where applicable. Cycle counts against the tracking system surface shrink early, which matters for both financial accuracy and license reporting.
Monthly Close and Reporting
A close package covering gross margin by category, sell-through, labor as a percentage of revenue, and cash position gives operators something to act on before the quarter is finished.
Category Margin Analysis
Flower, edibles, concentrates, and accessories behave differently. Reporting them separately shows where discounting is eroding margin.
Excise and Sales Tax Accruals
Adult-use retail sales in Massachusetts carry a 10.75% state marijuana excise tax plus the 6.25% state sales tax, and municipalities may impose a local option tax of up to 3%. Accruing both at the point of sale keeps liabilities from surprising the cash forecast.
Internal Controls for Retail Environments
Segregation of duties, review of voids and manual price overrides, and restricted access to inventory adjustments reduce both loss and reporting error.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How often should a dispensary reconcile to the tracking system?
- Daily for sales and inventory movement, with a full cycle count cadence appropriate to the size of the store. Frequent reconciliation keeps discrepancies small and explainable.
- How are excise and sales tax handled in the ledger?
- They are recorded as liabilities rather than revenue when collected, then cleared when remitted. Keeping them out of revenue avoids overstating margin.
- Can we use a standard retail accounting system?
- Often yes, when it is configured for cannabis inventory costing and integrated with the point-of-sale export. The configuration matters more than the brand of software.
Related Services
Seed-to-Sale Reconciliation
Reconciliation between the statewide seed-to-sale tracking system, inventory subledgers, and the general ledger for licensed Massachusetts cannabis operators.
Read moreSales and Excise Tax Compliance
Sales and excise tax calculation, accrual, filing support, and reconciliation for licensed cannabis retailers operating in Massachusetts.
Read moreCannabis Bookkeeping
Monthly bookkeeping built for licensed cannabis operators, including 280E-aware chart of accounts, reconciliations, and close packages.
Read moreRelated Industries
Dispensaries
Accounting, inventory, and tax support for licensed retail cannabis stores, covering point-of-sale reconciliation, cash controls, and margin reporting.
Read moreDelivery Services
Accounting support for licensed cannabis delivery operations covering route costing, cash handling, driver payroll, and order reconciliation.
Read moreCannabis Brands
Financial support for cannabis brands and licensing companies, covering co-packing arrangements, royalty accounting, and margin analysis.
Read moreRelated Resources
Dispensary Accounting Guide
Retail cannabis accounting practices: daily close, inventory valuation, tax accrual, discount tracking, and margin reporting for licensed stores.
Read moreSeed-to-Sale Guide
How to reconcile the statewide seed-to-sale tracking system with accounting records, including variance causes, cadence, and documentation practices.
Read moreBookkeeping Guide
Daily, weekly, and monthly bookkeeping routines for licensed cannabis businesses, with reconciliation checklists and coding standards.
Read moreDiscuss Your Operation With a Cannabis Accounting Specialist
Call to talk through your license types, current records, and reporting needs, or schedule a consultation at a time that works for your team.