Moving from manual traceability processes to a SaaS traceability platform sounds straightforward—until the technology meets the realities of the supply chain. This session will follow the real-world implementation of a tech-agnostic traceability solution for a central kitchen/commissary operator serving 12 retail locations in Connecticut. The project illustrates a fundamental challenge facing food companies preparing for FSMA Rule 204: technology can only automate the traceability data that is actually available. Many suppliers are not yet prepared to electronically share required FSMA Rule 204 Key Data Elements (KDEs). At the same time, product case labels may be missing traceability information, use inconsistent formats, or contain data that cannot be reliably captured through barcode scanning. These gaps can significantly limit the value of even a capable traceability SaaS platform. The session will examine how organizations can evaluate their supply chain’s digital readiness before investing heavily in technology, address supplier and labeling gaps, and design practical hybrid solutions that combine technology with manual processes while building toward greater automation. Attendees will learn how to: • Evaluate supplier readiness before selecting or deploying traceability technology, including the availability and quality of FSMA Rule 204 KDEs and electronic data exchange. • Assess product case-label readiness for digital traceability, including common problems with missing, incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrectly formatted barcode data. • Recognize the difference between software capability and supply-chain capability—and why implementing a SaaS platform alone does not create end-to-end traceability. • Design practical hybrid traceability processes that combine manual data capture, labeling, and operational controls with technology where automation is currently feasible. • Sequence investments in people, process, supplier engagement, labeling, and technology so that organizations avoid over-investing in software before the underlying data ecosystem is ready. • Use implementation experience to build better technology requirements, allowing organizations to select future traceability platforms based on actual operational needs rather than anticipated functionality.