diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b1a8803f6..d67228647 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 name: Release Every Other Monday
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      VERSION_NUMBER:
+        type: string
   # Run action at 16:15 PM on Monday (UTC)
   # schedule:
   # @TODO: the schedule below is weekly. Do byweekly check.
@@ -27,32 +30,34 @@ jobs:
           repositories: |
             veda-ui
             veda-config
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-          token: ${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}
-      - name: git config
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
-          git config user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
-      - name: Use Node.js ${{ env.NODE }}
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
-        with:
-          node-version: ${{ env.NODE }}
-      - run: yarn
-      - name: Release through Git
-        id: git-release
-        run: yarn release  --ci --verbose
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      # - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      #   with:
+      #     fetch-depth: 0
+      #     token: ${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}
+      # - name: git config
+      #   run: |
+      #     git config user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
+      #     git config user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
+      # - name: Use Node.js ${{ env.NODE }}
+      #   uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+      #   with:
+      #     node-version: ${{ env.NODE }}
+      # - run: yarn
+      # - name: Release through Git
+      #   id: git-release
+      #   run: yarn release  --ci --verbose
+      #   env:
+      #     GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
   preview-build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: "release"
     steps:
+      - name: Check output
+        run: echo ${{needs.release.outputs.APP_TOKEN}}
       - name: Repository Dispatch
         uses: peter-evans/repository-dispatch@v3
         with:
           token: ${{ needs.release.outputs.APP_TOKEN }}
           repository: nasa-impact/veda-config
           event-type: update-version
-          client-payload: '{"ref": "${{ github.ref }}", "VERSION_NUMBER": "${{ needs.release.outputs.VERSION_NUMBER }}"}'
\ No newline at end of file
+          client-payload: '{"ref": "${{ github.ref }}", "VERSION_NUMBER": "${{ needs.release.outputs.VERSION_NUMBER || inputs.VERSION_NUMBER }}"}'
\ No newline at end of file