MultiTrace: Traceability User Manual Guidance

This article helps you navigate and understand how to use the MultiTrace traceability platform and its different features.

1. Access

MultiTrace can be accessed within the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform (RACP).

Log-in with your username and password to your account on the RACP using this link.

Once you have successfully logged into your account, on the top bar you will see the button ‘Traceability’. Click on this button and then on MultiTrace. Your traceability account will open in a new tab.

1.1. Users

To add, edit or delete users from your traceability account, consult the section Users and contacts in the RACP manual.

2. Definitions

2.1. Traceability levels

2.2 Other terms related To MultiTrace

3. FAQ

4. Overviews

4.a Stock Overview

This is the main overview in the system. This shows what you have available to transact, convert, or mix in the system. Each line in the overview represents a stock position. You can utilize the filters to search for different stock positions that are still available for use. You can also download an Excel file that will provide more details of each line of data. 

4.b Trade Overview

This overview shows all trades, redeems, removals, and reversals that have been performed in the system. You can utilize the filters to search for different activities that have been performed. You can also download an Excel file that will provide more details of each line of data.  You can also download an Excel file that will provide more details of each line of data.

4.c Stock Management Overview

This overview shows all conversions, mixes, removals, and multi-ingredient manufacturing that has been performed in the system. You can utilize the filters to search for different stock positions that are still available for use.

5. Dashboard- Maintain Trade Partners

You can declare other accounts (suppliers and/or clients) as trusted and/or mandated. When accounts are indicated as Trusted, all transactions reported by those “trusted partners” will be automatically confirmed (see Section 7.A).

When accounts are indicated as Mandated and the seller has the volumes at their location, the buyer will be able to Purchase from the stock positions of the owner (the seller). This can be done using the Purchase function (see Section 6.B). To manage your trade partners, please enter the section “Maintain Trade Partners” under Actions on your Dashboard. Click “Add” on the top right to add a trade partner to your list. Select “trusted” and/or “mandated”. Your selection will give rights to the added trade partner to perform trading and stock activities on your behalf, based on your selection.

6. Report Trade

6.a Sell

Sell allows you to report a trade of volume from your stock position to a buyer, representing one or multiple physical deliveries.

The information in the transaction (volume, quality, etc.) must be the same as the information reflected in the documentation accompanying the physical trade(s). Once you make a sell trade, a trade transaction ID will be generated which will appear as a log in your Trade tab.

To process a trade via the Sell button you need to fill in all the mandatory fields (those marked with a red asterisk) on the Report New Trade form:

6.b Purchase

When a company has created a Mandated Trade Partner relationship in the system (see Section 5), they can utilize the purchase function. The functionality then works the same way as the sell screen and details should be filled in the same.

6.c Sustainability Differential (SD), Sustainability Investment (SI), and Premiums

For all trades that are created from Certified Volume or Certified Product, the fields for SD/SI and Premium will be displayed. If SD and SI or Premium requirements are required for that crop, fill in fields as required per the standard (see Annex Chapter 3- Income and Shared Responsibility). If there are no requirements for that crop at the time, then select “Not Required” and choose a reason from the dropdown that will appear.

7. Confirming Transactions

7.a Confirm

By default, all trades to your account must be confirmed. To confirm a transaction, click on the Trade Overview. Select the transaction you would like to confirm by clicking on the ID or Confirm button.

This will take you to the details. At this point, you can only update the reference field in the Buyer section of the transaction and no other details. Once you have completed your review and if all information is correct, click Confirm at the bottom of the screen.

To bypass confirmation, you will need to add your supplier as a Trusted Trade Partner (see Section 5).

7.b Withdraw

If the transaction was made in error and has not been confirmed by the buyer yet, you can withdraw the transaction by selecting Withdraw. This will take you to the transaction. Once you have completed your review, click Withdraw at the bottom of the screen.

7.c Update

Prior to confirming a transaction, if you or your buyer requests that you change the details, you can update the details by selecting Update. This will take you to the transaction. At this point, you can update any field in the transaction. Once you have completed your review, click Submit at the bottom of the screen.

7.d Reject

If a transaction declared to you by a supplier was done in error or is incorrect, you can reject the transaction. This will take you to the transaction. At this point, you can give a reason for rejection. Once you have completed your review, click Reject at the bottom of the screen.

7.e PDF of Transactions

If you need a copy of the transaction to share with a client, you can download a copy of a confirmed transaction by searching for the transaction in the Trade Overview and clicking the icon on the far right of the screen:

8. Conversions

With the conversion functionality, you can reflect your processing activities and change the product into an available subproduct. To perform a conversion, you will need to know the raw material volume input you are using and either the output volume or the conversion rate between the input and output.

Conversion is only allowed in direction of physical processing (forward). The system will give you the possibility to perform the different Conversions based on what activities are listed in your license (i.e. processing including manufacturing gives rights to most conversions).

9. Mixing

The activity ‘Mixing’ is used to mix volumes from multiple positions into a new position so that transactions can be reported in accordance with reality. This enhances the credibility of traceability.

Example:

Mixing the Origin (Creating Mixed IP). Select one or more IP positions with different values for Certificate Holder of Origin.

Example:

• Input Position 1 = Certificate Holder Origin A,
• Input Position 2 = Certificate Holder Origin B
• Output Position = Mix with Certificate Holder Origin A and Certificate Holder Origin B

Mixing cannot be unmixed (in its physical state) but it can be reversed by the certificate holder that has performed the mixing activity. This is only possible if the mix has not been sold onwards.

When stock positions of different traceability levels are mixed, the lowest level of traceability is the default. For example, if IP and Segregation are both components of the mix, then the resulting new position will be Segregation. If Segregation and Mass Balance are both components of the mix, then the resulting new position will be Mass Balance.

• For cocoa specific guidance on mixing, please see Section 18.
• For tea specific guidance on mixing, please see Section 19.
• For herbs and spices guidance on mixing, please see Section 20.

10. Downgrade

The Downgrade option allows you to move the Traceability level of any stock downstream. Certificate Holders can downgrade the Traceability Level of positions available in their Overview.

11. Redeem

The activity 'Redeem' marks the end of the online traceability system for Rainforest Alliance Certified products. Companies must report the stock activity Redeem for all Rainforest Alliance Certified volumes when the certified product is packaged and labelled as certified.

If the brand owner is a retailer or Out of Home brand, and they have opted-in to traceability reporting, then a sales transaction of the certified product is issued.

12. Remove

Volumes must be removed from the traceability system if:

• they are spoiled (due to mold, pest, fire, etc.) hence cannot be used.
• sold under another certification scheme that is not Rainforest Alliance or sold as conventional.

In case of mass balance, the certified volume can physically be sold onwards as conventional, and corresponding mass balance credits may be kept.

13. Reverse

Any activity that has been completed in the system (sell, purchase, redeem, remove, mix, conversion, manufacture) can be undone in the system if it has not been processed or sold forward in the system. To undo these activities, you will need to use the Reverse option on the activity you would like to undo. For trades that need to be reversed, the reversal will need to be confirmed by the supplier.

To locate the reverse button for trades, redeems, and removes, go to the Trade overview tab and locate the transaction ID you would like to reverse:

14. Volume Aggregation

In the traceability system, by default all volumes will be separate when transacting, converting, or mixing in the system.

14.a Commodity Settings - Aggregate positions

You can adjust certain settings for each commodity in the Dashboard tab and selecting Commodity Settings:

In the Commodity Settings, ‘Aggregate Positions’ will allow users to merge all trades for the indicated traceability level of similar characteristics into one stock position on confirmation of a trade (i.e., commodity, subproduct, variety, etc.). This setting can be used to help make administration of the traceability system easier. This option will also remove references from the Trade & Stock Overview positions.

15. Multi-Ingredient Traceability

Multi-ingredient products are products that include one or more certified ingredients. These could include semi-finished or final products like chocolate couverture, ready-to-drink tea, herbal tea mix, or chocolate hazelnut spread, to name a few examples.

15.a Maintain Multi-Ingredient

To configure a product for use in multi-ingredient reporting, you will need to go to the Report Multi-Ingredient section and click on Maintain Multi-Ingredient.

Fill out the mandatory fields. When you are ready to start using the multi-ingredient reporting and the details look correct, check the Is Active box and click Submit.

There are different ways to create products, depending how you and your clients agree to reporting needs.

15.a.1 Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) Product Level

This is the most detailed level of multi-ingredient traceability. This example shows how to create a product:

15.a.2 Product Type Level

Examples of a product category would be a product line of ready to drink iced tea, a product line of confectionery products. This example shows how to create a product:

15.a.3 Bulk Sale Level

Examples of a bulk sale would be all the different products you sold to a customer in each period (month, quarter, etc.), such as an herbal tea mix or flower bouquet. This example shows how to create a bulk sale level product:

Once added you will be able to see it in the Product Overview for Multi-Ingredients. Create the finished Product via the Report Manufacturing action.

15.b Report Manufacturing

Once multi-ingredient products are configured, select ‘Report Manufacturing’:

Outline the manufacturing by filling in all required mandatory fields. The products configured in Maintain Multi-Ingredient should now appear in the Product dropdown.

You need to add at least one position in the From Positions section by clicking on the Position dropdown and selecting a position. If your product contains multiple ingredients, you can select another position and select additional ingredients. Report manufacturing represents how much certified volume for a given commodity and its corresponding subproduct(s) will result in an output volume that accounts for all the ingredients being used.

For example, if a chocolate bar is created with cocoa liquor and cocoa butter and contains other non-certified ingredients (such as sugar), you will indicate the amount used of certified cocoa butter and liquor in the ingredients you would like to add, and the output volume would reflect the total chocolate (certified ingredients plus non-certified ingredients) of the final product. In the example below, we have used 200kg of certified cocoa liquor and 100kg of certified cocoa butter to create a product ‘Chocolate Bar’ of 2000kg:

15.c Multi-Ingredient Stock Overview

After trades of multi-ingredient products are confirmed or are created through report manufacture populate on the Position Overview screen (see Section 4.A). To view the positions, click on the option for ‘Multi Ingredient’:

15.d Selling A Multi-Ingredient Product

Selling a multi-ingredient follows the same process as a single ingredient product (See Section 6.A). To select your multi-ingredient product, choose the option Multi Ingredient on the transaction screen in the Trade section:

15.d.1 Masking the Footprint

Since multi-ingredient products may contain sensitive information, companies have the option to mask the footprint of multi-ingredient products when trading. To do so, check the Mask Footprint box in the position section:

When checking this box, the farm certificate holder, commodity, subproduct, and country of origin information will be hidden from the buyer, but the total volumes and related SD and SI figures will be visible.

15.e Redeeming and Removing A Multi-Ingredient Product

The option to redeem or remove multi-ingredient products is not available in the system and currently not required in the standard.

16. Excel Upload

To help report transactions in bulk instead of individual reporting, MultiTrace has the ‘Transaction Upload’ or Excel upload functionality which allows you to process the following actions:

• Trade (Sell, Purchase, Redeem, Remove) for Single Ingredient (Video)
• Trade for Multi-ingredient (Video)
• Mix
• Conversion
• Report Manufacturing (Video)

You can find the Transaction Upload feature under the Trade Overview tab, and Upload Transactions:

16.a Downloading Templates for Use

You will need to fill out the Excel template that is available for download in the system. The different templates can be downloaded directly from the system after clicking on Upload Transactions. Once in the screen, click on Download Templates and select which template you would like to use:

16.b Data Mapping

Prior to proceeding with the Excel Upload feature, users need to set up the Data Mapping to 'map’ the language of external systems to MultiTrace language.

You can bypass most required data mapping by using the Stock ID on the Excel upload template.

You can click on the Add Mapping button to include a new terminology or else include a new entry to be part of your mapping.

16.c Uploading the Template

Once you have completed Steps A & B, the next step requires you to upload the populated template.

Click on the Upload Excel button as seen in the following screenshot:

MultiTrace will ask you to add the file for upload:

Please select the type of Template you are uploading by clicking ‘Choose File’, select file you would like to upload, and click ‘Upload’:

Once the file has been successfully processed, MultiTrace will lead you to step 2 and at this point will outline how many rows it has processed to be uploaded (this varies based on how many lines of data you have added in the file).

If any errors are detected, the system will specify corrections needed. The upload will not proceed until all errors are resolved.

Once the data has been validated successfully, the system will enable the mass upload activity initially selected. Once the mass upload is initiated, it cannot be cancelled, and transactions created will need to be manually corrected if needed.

17. Coffee Specifics

17.a Delivery & Receipt

Deliver: Without transferring ownership, you can store volumes at another member (a warehouse for example). Use the function ‘Deliver’ to report volumes that you have transferred to another member.

This delivery needs to be confirmed by the receiving member.

Receipt: ‘Receipt’ indicates a change of location of the product, like Delivery but entered from the side of the receiver where the product is stored.

18. Cocoa Specifics

18.a Origin Matching and Mixing

Origin matching was introduced to address the demand for how certified cocoa from a specific country would benefit farmers from that country and require companies to purchase certified cocoa from the countries that match the origin of cocoa used in certified consumer products.

In the traceability system, dried cocoa beans and cocoa nibs from different countries of origin cannot be mixed.

19. Tea Specifics

19.a Selling Marks

A selling mark must be selected when reporting the processing activity from Green Leaf to Made Tea or when using the bulk function. Adding a selling mark is always done in the Dashboard tab and clicking on Selling Marks:

If the selling mark is not listed, a new selling mark needs to be created before reporting. First you will have to click on the add button as shown in the screenshot below:

You can then name your selling mark and give it a start and end date. If you do not wish to give it an end date, you can use it whenever you require.

Once positions are processed (blended, decaffeinated, or made into instant tea), they will lose their selling mark.

19.b Mixing

19.b.1 Blending

Blending is an option for mixing for tea. Blending will remove the selling mark from a position.

19.b.2 Bulking

If you click on bulk option, the selling mark appears, and you can assign a new selling mark. You will have to select your positions and the quantity that you would like to bulk and submit your mix activity which will bulk your stock positions.

Please note that you will have to create your own selling mark prior to bulking.

19.c Tea SD/SI

For all volumes of tea that are redeemed (see Section 11) from July 1, 2023, Sustainability Differential (SD) and Sustainability Investment (SI) will be required. At the end of a calendar year quarter, a report will be generated for you to complete. The Administrator(s) of the account will be notified by email when the report is available.

To access the report, click on the ‘SD/SI Reports’ tab. Here you will see an overview of available reports to fill out. If the report has the status ‘Open’, it will need to be completed. To edit a report, click on the Report ID number.

For instructions on how to fill out a report, see Section 19.C.2.

19.c.1 Setting SD/SI Default Rates

The system automatically sets the rates for SD to $10 per Metric Ton and for SI to $40 per Metric Ton. To set a different default rate to be used in the SD/SI reporting screens, you can configure a rate. To adjust the default rate, click on ‘Configure SD/SI Default Rate’:

This will open a screen where you can edit the rates. When you have completed editing the rates, click ‘Save’:

19.c.2 Tea SD/SI Reporting

After clicking on the report ID in the overview ‘SD/SI Reports’, you will see a report to complete. It will prefill the SD and SI rates based on what you have configured as a default. The SD and SI rates can be adjusted per line of the report.

To save the information you have updated and return to the form at a later date, you can click ‘Save’. To reset all information back to the default rates and start over, you can click ‘Reset’.

Once the report is complete and accurate, click ‘Finalize’. You will be prompted with a legal disclaimer. Once you click ‘Agree’, the Rainforest Alliance will issue the invoice for the totals indicated on the finalized form. The invoice will be sent via email.

20. Herbs & Spices Specifics

20.a Herbal Tea Blends

Blends of herbal tea can be created in the system following the guidance highlighted in Section 15.A.3. Different herbs and spices can be mixed in one bulk sale and sold forward using the Mask Footprint feature.

21. Flowers Specifics

21.a Unit of Measurement

All flowers are reported in the unit of measurement “number of stems” not kilograms.

21.b Bouquets

To report bouquets in the system, companies can utilize the multi-ingredient functionality (see Section 15)

22. Banana & Fresh Fruit Specifics

22.a Units of Measurement

Pineapples, oranges, and bananas have the option to select reporting in different units of measurement to boxes on the transaction. The unit of measurement can be changed in the Position section of the transaction:

23. Processed Fruit Specifics

23.a Brix

All transactions of processed fruit juices and purees require companies to fill out the Brix field on the transaction. The Brix can be input in the position section of the transaction.

24. Royalties

Royalties are calculated for each crop as specified in the Rainforest Alliance License Agreement General Terms and Conditions based on activities performed in traceability. Royalties are charged once in the supply chain.

The Finance tab in the home screen shows royalty per commodity and displays an overview of the invoices. This overview does not include a payment history.

25. Change history