Members heard about data sources used to generate retail sales figures, future plans for sourcing those numbers, and the WSLCB's absence of plans to address data integrity issues.
Here are some observations from the May 11th WSLCB Traceability Advisory Committee meeting.
My top 3 takeaways:
- WSLCB CFO Jim Morgan provided further details on the data sources used to generate the retail sales figures presented at the last Traceability Advisory Committee meeting (Apr 24). Retailers currently use a separate manual process to report sales and excise tax obligations to the WSLCB each month. This is the data source used by the WSLCB to generate retail sales numbers and no retail sales data is currently being pulled from MJ Freeway Leaf (transcript, audio).
- WSLCB will eventually rely on MJ Freeway Leaf as their primary data source for retail sales. Retailers will be required to utilize the manual reporting process for the foreseeable future. WSLCB will not transition to use Leaf for this purpose until an integration has been completed to their accounts-receivable system and they are confident all transactions are being recorded accurately (transcript, audio).
- WSLCB is not currently committed to addressing data reliability and completeness issues resulting from manual reporting during the contingency period. WSLCB CIO Mary Mueller indicated the agency could marshal resources to review and compile data from the contingency period – but that effort would necessarily entail Enforcement actions because it is already known that not all licensees were reporting. WSLCB CFO Jim Morgan added that not all licensees are currently utilizing MJ Freeway Leaf (transcript, audio).