Module 7: Production / Propagation
⛔ SUPERSEDED 2026-06-11 — Sprig-era feature spec (pre-pivot). The authoritative current design is the locked schema in
docs/SCHEMA.md, the module's entry indocs/PROJECT_DECISIONS.md, and the responsibility/seam maps indocs/MODULE_INDEX.md+docs/CROSS_MODULE_CONTRACTS.md. This file is retained for historical feature context only; do NOT treat its scope/table/feature claims as current (it predates the nursery→generic pivot, the HR-out-of-scope cut, the identity/payments/integrations/files extractions, and the schema locks). Superseded note added 2026-06-11.
Status: ✅ Locked for v1.0
Schema: production
Feature count: 41 features in v1.0 (81 features deferred to v1.2/v1.5)
Build estimate: Strategic spec only — implementation effort TBD
Last updated: 2026-05-13
Overview
Production / Propagation handles self-propagation tracking for retail nurseries — the workflow for tracking plants from cuttings, seeds, divisions, or other propagation methods through their growing stages until ready for sale. This is a nursery-specific module (not relevant to other retail verticals).
Most retail nurseries propagate at least some of their own stock (cuttings, seeds, divisions) instead of buying everything from vendors. Production captures the operational rhythm: what to propagate, when to start, where to grow, when to move/transplant, when to grade for sale, when to transfer to inventory at cost basis.
Production depends on Inventory (variant catalog, zones, output destination), CRM (special-order propagation), and Reporting (WIP valuation, variety performance). Production output flows back to Inventory at production cost basis for accurate margin calculations.
Target Customer Profile
- Mid-size growth-stage retail nursery, $500K–$5M revenue
- Propagates 20–80% of own stock (varies by nursery)
- Mix of propagation methods: cuttings, seeds, divisions, grafting
- Spring-weighted production cycles
- 1–3 production zones (mist house, hardening area, growing yard)
- 2–10 staff members involved in propagation
Architecture Principle: Configurability
Every threshold, default, schedule, and policy in Production is configurable per tenant via the Owner Dashboard (Module 10).
Tier & Activation
Production is opt-in per tenant, available in Pro tier and above. Many retail nurseries don't propagate their own stock; for those, Production stays disabled and adds no UI clutter.
Feature Hierarchy (41 features in v1.0 across 13 groups; 81 features deferred to v1.2/v1.5 — see "Deferred to v1.2 / v1.5" section below)
Group 1: Production Setup & Configuration (3 features in v1.0; 8 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Production area / zone configuration | Dedicated zones for propagation (mist house, hardening area, growing yard) |
| 1.2 | Production calendar | Tenant's production seasons defined |
| 1.6 | Production staff roles | Propagator, grower, quality grader |
Group 2: Crop Plan Creation (3 features in v1.0; 9 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Create new crop plan | Plant variety + qty + propagation method + expected ready date |
| 2.2 | Crop plan from template | Use standard cycle template for that plant |
| 2.4 | Multi-stage crop plan | Start → harden → transplant → grow → ready — defined stages |
Group 3: Crop Lot Creation (Starting Production) (7 features in v1.0; 3 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Create new crop lot | The actual batch starting today (vs the plan) |
| 3.3 | Initial qty captured at start | "Started 500 cuttings on Tuesday" — actual qty |
| 3.4 | Start date and stage | Lot enters first stage with timestamp |
| 3.5 | Materials consumed at start | Pots, soil, hormones used — depleted from inventory |
| 3.7 | Photos of lot at start | Document initial state |
| 3.8 | Lot identification (barcode/QR) | Each lot gets a unique ID for tracking |
| 3.10 | Lot tagging / labeling | Physical tags or signs in production area; auto-printed |
Group 4: Crop Lot Progression (11 features in v1.0; 5 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Move lot to next stage | "Cuttings → Hardening" with timestamp |
| 4.2 | Update qty on stage transition | Some die, some don't make it — record qty at each transition |
| 4.4 | Notes per stage | "Some discoloration on Lot 47" |
| 4.5 | Materials consumed mid-cycle | Fertilizer, water treatments, pest control |
| 4.6 | Labor recorded mid-cycle | Watering, weeding, maintenance |
| 4.10 | Visual lot status board | All active lots, current stages, days-in-stage |
| 4.11 | Container size progression tracking | Plug → 4" → 1gal → 5gal — auto-track sizing through stages |
| 4.13 | Fertilizer regimen / multi-week schedule | Per-crop feeding plan with reminders |
| 4.14 | Watering schedule and tracking | Watering log per zone, per lot |
| 4.15 | Step / task assignment per lot | "Lot 47 needs pruning next week" — task list per lot |
| 4.16 | Crop step library | Standard steps per crop type (e.g., "pinch back at week 4") — reusable definitions |
Group 5: Quality Grading & Inspection (2 features in v1.0; 8 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Quality grade per plant in lot | A / B / C / Cull — graded individually or by sample |
| 5.7 | Bulk grading at lot completion | Final grade of entire lot before transfer to inventory |
Group 6: Pest & Disease Management (2 features in v1.0; 7 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Pest / disease incident log | What's affecting which lot |
| 6.2 | Treatment record per incident | Which chemical, how much, when applied |
Group 7: Production Loss / Dead Count (2 features in v1.0; 4 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | Mortality tracking per stage | Per-lot, per-stage death count |
| 7.2 | Loss reason codes | Disease, frost, drought, root failure, lost-to-stage-transition, theft |
Group 8: Lot Completion & Transfer to Inventory (5 features in v1.0; 5 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | Lot ready-for-sale workflow | When final stage completes, lot ready for inventory transfer |
| 8.2 | Final qty confirmation | Manager verifies count before transfer |
| 8.3 | Bulk transfer to inventory | All ready plants moved to inventory in batches |
| 8.5 | Cost basis calculation at transfer | Production cost / qty = cost per unit; goes to inventory.cost |
| 8.7 | Variant assignment at transfer | Which size variant (1gal, 3gal, etc.) — based on plant size at completion |
Group 9: Mother Plant / Source Management (0 features in v1.0; entire group deferred to v1.2)
Entire group deferred to v1.2. See "Deferred to v1.2 / v1.5" section below.
Group 10: Production Reporting & Analytics (2 features in v1.0; 10 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10.1 | Production dashboard | Active lots, stages, expected ready dates |
| 10.3 | Forecast: what's ready when | Lots expected to be ready for sale by date |
Group 11: Production Forecasting & Planning (0 features in v1.0; entire group deferred to v1.5)
Entire group deferred to v1.5. See "Deferred to v1.2 / v1.5" section below.
Group 12: Production Integration with Other Modules (2 features in v1.0; 4 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | Inventory receives production output | Completed lots flow into inventory at production cost |
| 12.2 | POS sells production output | Plants from production show as ordinary inventory |
Group 13: Production Audit & Records (2 features in v1.0; 2 deferred)
| # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 13.1 | Full lot audit trail | Every action on lot logged with actor, time |
| 13.2 | Production record retention | 7+ years for tax and tracking purposes |
Tier Behavior (Module-Level)
| Tier | Production capability |
|---|---|
| Starter | Production module not available — Starter customers typically don't propagate own stock. Exception to architecture-first principle: schema is not built for Starter tenants; Production schema activates when a tenant upgrades to Pro+. |
| Pro | Full Production module: crop planning, lot tracking, quality grading, mother plant management, basic forecasting. Opt-in per tenant. |
| Enterprise | + Multi-year planning + scenario modeling + advanced forecasting + multi-site production + AI optimization + production crew scheduling depth. |
Configurable Defaults (Owner Dashboard)
| Configurable | Default |
|---|---|
| Production module enabled | OFF (opt-in per tenant) |
| Default production zone naming | "Production Zone X" |
| Default mortality threshold for alerts | 15% loss per stage triggers flag |
| Default stage duration estimates | Based on plant species catalog defaults |
| Quality grade scheme | A/B/C/Cull (configurable to other schemes) |
| Production audit retention | 7 years |
| Cost basis method | Production-weighted average |
| Pesticide application records | ON if Pro+ tier |
| Mother plant succession planning enabled | OFF (configurable) |
| Multi-year crop planning | OFF (Enterprise tier only) |
| Customer pre-order from production | OFF (configurable to ON) |
| Container size progression auto-tracking | ON |
| Fertilizer regimen reminders | ON (Pro+) |
| Watering schedule reminders | OFF (configurable) |
| WIP valuation refresh | Daily |
| Retail-readiness scoring algorithm | Default (configurable per tenant) |
| Crew scheduling enabled | OFF (Enterprise tier) |
| Step task assignment enabled | ON |
AI Features in Production / Propagation
| Feature # | AI capability |
|---|---|
| 6.9 | AI pest detection pattern analysis |
| 7.5 | AI loss pattern analysis |
| 10.5 | AI variety performance analysis (which plants succeed) |
| 11.2 | AI seasonal demand forecasting |
| 11.8 | AI production decision support (optimal mix) |
| 5.9 | AI sizing milestone prediction |
| 5.10 | AI retail-readiness scoring |
All AI features use AWS Bedrock with Claude Haiku 4.5.
Events Emitted
production.plan_createdproduction.lot_startedproduction.lot_stage_transitionedproduction.lot_inspection_recordedproduction.lot_quarantinedproduction.lot_quality_gradedproduction.lot_completedproduction.lot_transferred_to_inventoryproduction.loss_recordedproduction.pest_detectedproduction.treatment_appliedproduction.mother_plant_retiredproduction.capacity_alertproduction.cost_basis_updatedproduction.container_progression_triggeredproduction.move_up_recommendedproduction.task_createdproduction.task_completedproduction.wip_valuation_alert
Events Consumed
inventory.variant_updated(refresh variant info for production planning)inventory.stock_changed(sales data feeds production forecasting)pos.sale_completed(sales velocity informs production planning)orders.special_order_created(customer wants special plant — production trigger)billing.subscription_changed(enforce tier limits)
API Contract (ProductionService — public methods)
High-level surface (detailed signatures during implementation):
- Setup:
configureZone,setCapacity,manageCropTemplates,assignCrew - Planning:
createCropPlan,validateCapacity,estimateBudget,applyToTimeline - Lot lifecycle:
startLot,recordTask,transitionStage,recordMaterials,recordLabor,triggerContainerProgression,bulkContainerTransfer,moveLot,completeLot,transferToInventory - Quality:
inspectLot,gradePlant,recordMilestone,calculateReadinessScore - Pest management:
recordIncident,applyTreatment,quarantineLot,releaseFromQuarantine - Mother plants:
enrollMotherPlant,recordHarvest,retireMotherPlant - Forecasting:
forecastSeasonalDemand,planProductionLevels,modelScenario - WIP:
calculateWIPValuation,getWIPReport - Cost:
calculateLotCost,allocateOverhead,setBudget
Out of Scope
| Capability | Why excluded |
|---|---|
| Genomic / DNA tracking | Beyond retail scale |
| Multi-greenhouse environmental controls (IoT sensors, HVAC integration) | Different product category |
| Automated propagation systems (robotics) | Different product category |
| Hydroponic / aquaponic production | Different product category |
| Mushroom / non-plant production | Different product category |
| Plant breeding / hybridization tracking | Niche; defer |
| Tissue culture lab management | Specialized; defer |
| Plant variety patent tracking | Niche; defer |
| Commercial growers' MRP (material requirements planning) | Wholesale territory |
| Yield optimization at industrial scale | Wholesale territory |
| Production training programs | Out of scope |
| Crop benchmarking vs industry | Defer |
| Production environmental monitoring (IoT) | Different product category |
| Production breeding records | Niche |
Gaps Identified from Market Research
Source: See
docs/MARKET_RESEARCH_GAPS.mdfor the master gap registry. Status: All gaps below are Open — pending decision. None have been accepted into scope yet.
| Gap # | Gap | What's missing in this module | Research source | Possible options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Production Module 7 scope (122 features) | Research §10.C explicitly says: "Highly specialized greenhouse production planning (more wholesale/grower than retail) — defer or be cautious about" | Research §10.C feature priorities | Accepted — Option (b) extended: trimmed to 41 retail-scale features in v1.0; 55 deferred to v1.2, 26 deferred to v1.5. See MARKET_RESEARCH_GAPS Gap #3 + ROADMAP v1.2/v1.5 + Deferred section below. |
| 28 | Pesticide/chemical compliance | No formal pesticide regulatory records yet | Research §11 | Deferred (v1.5) — Ships with full grower features in v1.5. See ROADMAP v1.5. |
Deferred to v1.2 / v1.5
The following features were trimmed from v1.0 to keep Production retail-scale. They are deferred — not rejected — and will be addressed in v1.2 (production-light expansion) and v1.5 (full grower features) per ROADMAP.md.
v1.2 — Production-light expansion
Themes: mother plant management, inspections, between-zone moves, treatment depth, operational breadth, multi-year planning prep.
| Original # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | Production capacity limits | How many plants can fit in each zone |
| 1.4 | Default crop cycle templates | Standard cycle for "annuals from cuttings", "perennials from divisions", etc. |
| 1.5 | Equipment / materials catalog | Pots, soil mixes, fertilizers, propagation media |
| 1.7 | Production methods supported | Cutting, seed, division, grafting, tissue culture, layering |
| 1.8 | Climate / growing conditions tracking | Indoor/outdoor, temp range, light, humidity — per zone |
| 1.9 | Pest / disease history per zone | Track issues encountered, treatments used |
| 2.5 | Stage duration estimates | Per-plant standard duration per stage |
| 2.6 | Production zone assignment | Plan specifies where each stage occurs |
| 2.8 | Source identification | Where does propagule come from? (mother plant, seed source, division) |
| 2.9 | Mother plant tracking | If propagating from a mother plant, track which one |
| 2.10 | Seed source / cultivar tracking | If from seed, track lot/source for genetic provenance |
| 3.2 | Crop lot from approved plan | One-click materialize plan into running lot |
| 3.6 | Labor recorded at start | Who did the work; hours; for labor cost |
| 3.9 | Sub-lot management | "Lot 47-A and 47-B" — splitting a single propagation event |
| 4.3 | Stage transition photo | Document at each milestone |
| 4.7 | Movement between zones | Physical move tracked (rotation, splitting, consolidation) |
| 4.8 | Stage duration variance tracking | Actual vs estimated time per stage |
| 4.9 | Stuck-in-stage alerts | "Lot 47 in 'hardening' for 14 days; usually 7" — flag for review |
| 4.12 | Bulk container transfer | "Move 200 plants from 4" to 1gal" — common nursery operation |
| 5.2 | Inspection schedule per lot | Weekly, biweekly inspections during critical stages |
| 5.3 | Inspection log | Inspector name, date, findings |
| 5.4 | Pest / disease detection at inspection | What pest, treatment applied |
| 5.5 | Grade variance from spec | Lot at 60% A grade when typical is 80% — flag |
| 5.6 | Quality grade affects pricing | Higher grade → higher retail price |
| 5.8 | Quality grade photos | Visual documentation of grades |
| 5.9 | Crop sizing milestone tracking | Plant height/spread measurements at intervals; informs grade |
| 5.10 | Retail-readiness scoring | "This lot is 80% ready for retail" — composite readiness metric |
| 6.3 | Treatment efficacy tracking | Did treatment work? |
| 6.4 | Quarantine zone | Lots showing symptoms moved to quarantine |
| 6.5 | Cross-lot contamination prevention | Alerts when potentially contaminating lots cross zones |
| 6.6 | Pest catalog | Standard pests for this region; identification help |
| 6.7 | Treatment catalog | Approved treatments; safe-to-sell dates |
| 6.8 | Treatment safety re-entry dates | When can staff/customers enter zone after treatment |
| 6.9 | Pest detection patterns | Historical patterns; AI suggests preventive action |
| 7.3 | Loss cost calculation | Materials + labor + space cost of failed plants |
| 7.4 | Loss reporting | Mortality rate by plant, by season, by source |
| 7.5 | Loss analysis | Patterns: high mortality at certain stages? In certain zones? |
| 7.6 | Loss-to-sale conversion | "Started 500, finished 380, sold 350" — 76% conversion rate |
| 8.4 | Inventory zone assignment at transfer | Where in inventory does each variant go |
| 8.6 | Pricing recommendation | Suggested retail price based on production cost + target margin |
| 8.8 | Quality grade preserved | A/B/C grade flows to inventory; can drive pricing |
| 8.9 | Lot history preserved | Lot ID remains traceable in inventory for batch tracking |
| 9.1 | Mother plant catalog | Plants kept as propagation sources |
| 9.2 | Mother plant care record | Watering, fertilizing, pruning specific to mother plants |
| 9.3 | Mother plant productivity tracking | How many cuttings per harvest, success rate |
| 9.4 | Mother plant retirement | When do you remove from production? |
| 9.5 | Mother plant succession planning | When mother plant is nearing end, plan replacement |
| 9.6 | Mother plant disease screening | Regular health checks of source plants |
| 9.7 | Seed lot tracking | If using seed, track seed source, lot, germination rate |
| 9.8 | Genetic / cultivar provenance | For unique cultivars, maintain breeding records |
| 10.2 | Production calendar view | What's happening this week/month/quarter |
| 10.7 | Stage-by-stage progression report | Average duration, mortality rate per stage |
| 12.5 | Production photos in customer-facing app | Customers can see "grown by us, propagated [date]" |
| 13.3 | Production-related document storage | Photos, inspection reports, treatments — searchable |
| 13.4 | Production compliance reporting | Pesticide records for regulatory reporting |
v1.5 — Full grower features
Themes: multi-year planning, scenario modeling, advanced forecasting, WIP valuation, advanced reporting.
| Original # | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.10 | Production budget per cycle | Cost basis tracking for ROI analysis |
| 1.11 | Production crew assignment / scheduling | Which staff works which days; labor scheduling |
| 2.3 | Crop plan from forecast | "We sold 2000 lavender last spring; plan 2400 for this year" |
| 2.7 | Crop plan capacity check | Validates against zone capacity at each stage |
| 2.11 | Crop plan budget estimation | Materials + labor + space cost |
| 2.12 | Crop plan visualization | Gantt-style timeline of plan stages |
| 8.10 | Production overhead allocation | Heating, water, utilities spread proportionally to lot |
| 10.4 | Production cost analysis | Cost basis per plant; ROI per variety |
| 10.5 | Variety performance | Which plants succeed, which fail |
| 10.6 | Production capacity utilization | What % of zones are in use |
| 10.8 | Labor cost per plant | Total labor / qty completed = labor cost per unit |
| 10.9 | Seasonal production performance | Spring vs summer vs fall production stats |
| 10.10 | Year-over-year production growth | Volume and variety expansion |
| 10.11 | Crop WIP (work-in-progress) valuation | "Lot 47 is currently worth $2,400" per lot, in real-time |
| 10.12 | Production WIP report | Total value of all in-production lots; owner sees money tied up |
| 11.1 | Sales-driven production planning | Based on past sales + growth target, suggest production levels |
| 11.2 | Seasonal demand forecast | AI predicts what will sell next season |
| 11.3 | Production timeline planning | "What needs to start now for spring sales?" |
| 11.4 | Multi-year crop planning | Long-cycle items (trees) require multi-year planning |
| 11.5 | Production capacity planning | Will current production zones support planned growth? |
| 11.6 | Production cost forecasting | Estimated cost for proposed crops |
| 11.7 | Production scenario modeling | "What if I expand production zones?" |
| 11.8 | Production decision support | AI-suggested optimal mix based on margin, time, risk |
| 12.3 | Customer can pre-order production | Custom plants reserved before they're ready (Pro+ tier) |
| 12.4 | Production cost flows to financial reports | Production cost basis is real cost for margin calculations |
| 12.6 | Special-order production | Customer requests specific plant; nursery propagates for them |