Flowhub External Transfers make it quick and easy to send inventory to a third-party licensee directly from Flowhub. In this article, we'll guide you through setting up shipping contacts, creating an external transfer, and generating a transfer invoice so your team can manage outbound inventory with confidence.
Before You Begin
Before creating an external transfer, confirm the following:
You have a Metrc API key attached to your profile
You have the required permissions to send transfers
You have the license number and address of the third-party licensee you are transferring to
The inventory items have no unresolved discrepancies
💡 Tip: Before creating an external transfer, you must first add the recipient as a Shipping Contact. See the next section for instructions.
Set Up a Shipping Contact
Shipping contacts are the third-party licensees to whom you transfer inventory. Think of them as an address book for your external transfers. You manage shipping contacts from the Inventory section of Flowhub.
Create a Shipping Contact
Navigate to Inventory.
Select the Shipping Contacts tab.
Select New Shipping Contact.
Enter the contact's Name.
(Optional) Enter the DBA, Phone, and Email.
Select the I Will Be Transferring Regulated Inventory To This Entity checkbox.
This reveals required fields for the contact's license and address. Flowhub uses this information to populate the Metrc transfer template and calculate manifest directions.
Enter the License Number.
Enter the Street Address, City, State, and Zip.
(Optional) Enter the Apt/Suite # if applicable.
Select Create Shipping Contact.
💡 Tip: You cannot delete a shipping contact that has an active open transfer associated with it. Complete or cancel the transfer first.
Bulk Upload Shipping Contacts via CSV
If you need to add multiple shipping contacts at once, use the CSV bulk upload option.
Navigate to Inventory > Shipping Contacts.
Select Upload Options in the upper right corner.
Select the Download tab.
Select Download Template to download a blank CSV template.
Fill in the template with your shipping contact details.
Return to Upload Options and select the Upload tab.
Upload the completed CSV file.
💡 Tip: You can also export your existing shipping contacts by selecting Download All Contacts from the Download tab.
Create an External Transfer
Once your shipping contacts are set up, you can create a transfer to send inventory to an external licensee.
Navigate to Inventory.
Locate the inventory item you want to transfer.
Select Transfer in the right-side panel.
You can also transfer inventory in bulk by selecting the checkboxes in the left side of the window and then Create New Transfer from the dropdown menu on the right.
Select the External toggle.
Internal transfers inventory to another store within your Flowhub client.
External transfers inventory to a shipping contact (third-party licensee).
Enter a Transfer Name that clearly identifies the movement.
Select the Shipping Contact you are transferring to.
Select Transfer Items.
💡 Tip: You can add more inventory items to the transfer after creating it. Navigate to Inventory > Transfers, select the transfer, and add additional items before sending.
Edit a Transfer Before Sending
After creating a transfer and before selecting Start Transfer, you can make changes to the transfer details.
Shipping contact details (name, license number, address) can be updated on the shipping contact record
Inventory items can be added to or removed from the transfer
Once you select Start Transfer and complete the Metrc manifest, all invoice and contact details are locked and can no longer be edited.
Use Transfer Invoices
Each transfer (both internal and external) includes a downloadable PDF invoice. This invoice provides a detailed record of the transfer that you can share with the receiving party or keep for your own records.
Customize the Invoice
Navigate to Inventory > Transfers.
Select the transfer you want to update.
Select Transfer Notes & Invoice.
(Optional) Enter Transfer Notes that will appear on the invoice.
(Optional) Enter a custom Invoice Number.
If left blank, the invoice number is auto-generated when the transfer is sent.
(Optional) Enter a Credit Memo Description and Credit Memo Amount ($).
Select Save.
Download or Print the Invoice
From the transfer detail view, you have the following options:
Download PDF to save the invoice to your device
Print PDF to print the invoice directly
View Invoice Report to preview the invoice
The invoice includes the following details:
Invoice number, date, and status
Transfer name
Sending store and receiving location (with addresses and contact information)
Product name, reg ID (last eight digits), quantity, unit cost, total cost, unit price, and total price
Credit memo description and amount (if provided)
Transfer notes (if provided)
The prices that display on the invoice reflect batch-specific, location-specific, or default pricing from your inventory configuration.
Send the Transfer (Metrc)
When you are ready to send the external transfer, Flowhub validates the shipping contact's license number against Metrc and creates a transfer template.
Part 1 - In Flowhub
Navigate to Inventory.
Select the Transfers tab.
Locate the transfer with the status Created.
Select the transfer to open it.
Select Start Transfer.
A Transfer Manifest will populate. Fill out the transfer type, driver, vehicle, and route details.
Select Start Transfer in the bottom right corner.
A confirmation message will display confirming the details of the transfer.
Flowhub sends the transfer to Metrc as a Template.
💡 Tip: If the license number on the shipping contact is invalid, an error message will display. Update the license number on the Shipping Contact record and retry.
Part 2 - In Metrc
Log in to Metrc.
Navigate to Transfers.
Select Templates.
Open the template created from Flowhub.
Review the details and select Register Transfer.
The transfer is not officially sent until it is registered in Metrc.
Receiving an External Transfer
No action is needed on your end after sending. The receiving licensee accepts the transfer in their own Metrc account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an internal and an external transfer?
An internal transfer moves inventory between stores within your own Flowhub environment. An external transfer sends inventory to a third-party licensee outside of your organization.
Can I use transfer invoices for internal transfers too?
Yes. Transfer invoices are available for both internal and external transfers.
Why am I receiving a license validation error when starting a transfer?
Flowhub validates the license number on the shipping contact against Metrc when you start a transfer. If the license is invalid or expired, navigate to Shipping Contacts, update the license number, and retry.
Can I delete a shipping contact?
You cannot delete a shipping contact that has an active open transfer associated with it. Complete or cancel the open transfer first, then delete the contact.
Can I edit a transfer after sending it?
No. Once you select Start Transfer and complete the Metrc manifest, all transfer details (including invoice and contact information) are locked.
You did it! 🙌
You have successfully created an external transfer and sent inventory to a third-party licensee. Keeping your shipping contacts and transfer details accurate helps maintain compliance and ensures smooth handoffs between organizations.