Year-end in the cannabis industry hits a little differently. While most businesses are wrapping gifts, cannabis operators are wrapping compliance updates, tech stack cleanups, inventory audits, and that one task someone promised to “circle back to” in July.
This is the time to weed out the inefficiencies, trim the extra fluff, and get your operation ready for a high-performing, profitable 2026. Whether you’re a dispensary, grow, manufacturer, delivery service, or vertically integrated group, this list will help you tighten up the essentials, spot the weak spots, and roll into the new year with confidence.
And yes, a few cannabis puns made their way in. Consider it my small contribution to workplace morale.
1. Refresh and Review Your SOPs
One of the top SEO phrases in this space is “cannabis SOPs,” and for good reason. Processes evolve fast. Staff change. Regulations shift. By year-end, most operators are using SOPs that don’t match reality.
Review them. Clean them. Add missing steps. Remove outdated ones.
2. Evaluate Your Tech Stack
Cannabis tech stacks can balloon quickly. POS, CRM, loyalty platforms, online menus, digital payments, seed-to-sale software, SMS tools, delivery tech.
Year-end is the best time to identify what’s outdated, overpriced, duplicated, or slowing down your operation.
3. Assess Your CPA, Accounting Partner, and Payroll Team
“Cannabis accounting” and “280E strategy” remain top SEO searches.
Ask yourself if your current partners truly understand high-risk finance. Did they support you? Prepare you? Communicate well?
If the answer is not really, consider this your sign.
4. Run a Full Compliance Check
Compliance never takes a holiday.
License renewal dates, packaging requirements, changes to state rules, METRC accuracy, security system performance.
A small issue now can cost big money later.
5. Score Your Vendors and Partners
Not all vendors are created equal.
Ask which partners brought value, which created friction, and which quietly vanished until invoice time.
6. Review Your Financial Health
Margins, inventory valuation, cash flow trends, settlement fees, ATM and digital wallet revenue, returns, write-offs.
This is the data that shapes your first quarter.
7. Stress-Test Your Operation
What happens if your POS goes down? If your WiFi drops? If your payment processor freezes activity for 12 hours?
Year-end is the perfect time to test the “what if” moments that separate smooth operators from chaotic ones.
8. Audit Your Team Training
Budtender training, back-of-house procedures, delivery team protocols, management workflows.
Your team’s knowledge is one of your strongest competitive advantages.
Update training materials where your operation evolved this year.
9. Review Security Systems and Processes
Cameras, storage, alarms, coverage zones, and footage retention.
Make sure everything aligns with today’s regulations, not last year’s.
10. Analyze Inventory Accuracy
Every cannabis operator searches for inventory help at some point.
Do a full count. Review shrink. Adjust forecasting.
Inventory is cash. Treat it that way.
11. Reevaluate Payments and Banking Solutions
Payments in cannabis change constantly.
Are you using tools that improve revenue or slow down the checkout line?
Are you maximizing every available payment option that’s compliant in your state?
12. Review Marketing Insights
Check your loyalty performance, SMS engagement, menu analytics, email delivery, website traffic, and what content actually converted.
If you’re guessing, you’re losing money.
13. Optimize Delivery or Pickup (If You Offer It)
Driver routes, ID verification, payment-on-delivery processes, packaging, customer communication.
These workflows can make or break customer satisfaction.
14. Clean Up Your Data and Reports
POS, METRC, banking, settlement reports, accounting software.
If the numbers don’t match across systems, it’s time to clean that up before Q1 magnifies the problems.
15. Review Insurance Policies
Coverage limits, inventory insurance, cash insurance, general liability, product liability.
Businesses grow and evolve. Insurance should too.
16. Audit All Vendor Contracts
This is one of the most overlooked year-end steps.
Check renewal dates, service levels, pricing changes, and contract terms.
17. Review Your Banking Relationship
High-risk banking can shift quickly.
If service quality slipped or fees jumped, you may have better options for 2026.
18. Reassess Your Tax Strategy
Year-end is prime time for a 280E review, entity structure evaluation, and preparing documentation.
Make sure nothing catches you by surprise in Q1.
19. Reset Your Leadership Vision
This is the time for clarity, not chaos.
Set goals for operations, revenue, team development, compliance, and growth.
20. Collect Team Input
Ask staff what should change in 2026. They see what leadership doesn’t.
You’ll learn more in one open conversation than twelve long meetings.
21. Build Your Q1 Kickoff Plan
The cannabis operators who win Q1 win the year.
Create a plan now so January doesn’t feel like a scramble.
What’s On Your Year-End Checklist?
What else do you review as the year wraps up? Every operator has their own rituals, reset points, and end-of-year habits. Share yours so the community can learn what’s working.
And if reviewing your payments ecosystem, banking partners, tech stack, or operational workflows is on your list, the 360 Global team can help you enter 2026 with more clarity and less chaos.