diff --git a/.github/actions/deploy-api/action.yml b/.github/actions/deploy-api/action.yml
index 786e6a1e..277a192f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/deploy-api/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/deploy-api/action.yml
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ runs:
       id: deploy-to-webapp
       uses: azure/webapps-deploy@v3
       with:
-        app-name: reportvision-ocr-${{ inputs.deploy-env }}
+        app-name: reportvision-${{ inputs.api-name}}-${{ inputs.deploy-env }}
         images: '${{ inputs.docker-registry }}/${{ env.REPO}}-${{ inputs.api-name }}:${{ inputs.docker-tag }}'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-deploy-ocr.yml b/.github/workflows/build-deploy-ocr.yml
index 79bf2f4f..527f9bbc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-deploy-ocr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-deploy-ocr.yml
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ on:
         options:
           - dev
           - demo
-      ocr-version:
-        description: 'Create a version for this OCR API image'
-        required: true
+      ocr-docker-tag:
+        description: 'This is optional if you would like to deploy an already published OCR-API image'
+        required: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -26,22 +26,25 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       docker_inspect: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect }}
+      docker_tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Log in to the Container registry
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          registry: ghcr.io
-          username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Lowercase the repo name
         run: echo "REPO=${GITHUB_REPOSITORY,,}" >>${GITHUB_ENV}
+      - name: Set OCR Docker tag
+        shell: bash
+        id: set_tag
+        run: |
+          USER_INPUT="${{ github.event.inputs.ocr-docker-tag }}"
+          echo "docker_tag=$(
+            #this gives a new sha as default if dispatch input is empty
+            echo ${USER_INPUT:-"${{ github.sha }}"}
+          )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Check if image exists
         id: image_check
         run: |
           echo "docker_inspect=$(
-              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-ocr-api:${{ inputs.ocr-version }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
+              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-ocr:${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
             )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Build and Push backend
         if: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect == 1 }}
@@ -50,10 +53,10 @@ jobs:
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
           docker-pw: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           docker-username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.ocr-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
           dockerfile-path: ./OCR/Dockerfile
           docker-context-path: ./OCR/
-          api-name: ocr-api
+          api-name: ocr
 
   deploy-ocr:
     name: Deploy OCR
@@ -71,6 +74,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/deploy-api
         with:
           deploy-env: ${{ inputs.deploy-env }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.ocr-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ needs.build-publish-ocr.outputs.docker_tag }}
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
-          api-name: ocr-api
+          api-name: ocr
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
index 2398cfad..2c3a35c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ on:
         options:
           - dev
           - demo
-      ocr-version:
-        description: 'Create a version for this OCR API image'
-        required: true
-      middleware-version:
-        description: 'Create a version for this middleware API image'
-        required: true
+      ocr-docker-tag:
+        description: 'This is optional if you would like to deploy an already published OCR-API image'
+        required: false
+      middleware-docker-tag:
+        description: 'This is optional if you would like to deploy an already published Middleware-API image'
+        required: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -29,15 +29,25 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       docker_inspect: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect }}
+      docker_tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Lowercase the repo name
         run: echo "REPO=${GITHUB_REPOSITORY,,}" >>${GITHUB_ENV}
+      - name: Set Middleware Docker tag
+        shell: bash
+        id: set_tag
+        run: |
+          USER_INPUT="${{ github.event.inputs.middleware-docker-tag }}"
+          echo "docker_tag=$(
+            #this gives a new sha as default if dispatch input is empty
+            echo ${USER_INPUT:-"${{ github.sha }}"}
+          )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Check if image exists
         id: image_check
         run: |
           echo "docker_inspect=$(
-              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-middleware-api:${{ inputs.middleware-version }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
+              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-middleware:${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
             )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Build and Push the middleware
         if: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect == 1 }}
@@ -46,25 +56,35 @@ jobs:
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
           docker-pw: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           docker-username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.middleware-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
           dockerfile-path: ./backend/Dockerfile
           docker-context-path: ./backend/
-          api-name: middleware-api
+          api-name: middleware
 
   build-publish-ocr:
     name: Build and Publish OCR
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       docker_inspect: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect }}
+      docker_tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Lowercase the repo name
         run: echo "REPO=${GITHUB_REPOSITORY,,}" >>${GITHUB_ENV}
+      - name: Set OCR Docker tag
+        shell: bash
+        id: set_tag
+        run: |
+          USER_INPUT="${{ github.event.inputs.ocr-docker-tag }}"
+          echo "docker_tag=$(
+            #this gives a new sha as default if dispatch input is empty
+            echo ${USER_INPUT:-"${{ github.sha }}"}
+          )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Check if image exists
         id: image_check
         run: |
           echo "docker_inspect=$(
-              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-ocr-api:${{ inputs.ocr-version }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
+              docker manifest inspect ghcr.io/${{ env.REPO }}-ocr:${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }} > /dev/null ; echo $?
             )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Build and Push the OCR
         if: ${{ steps.image_check.outputs.docker_inspect == 1 }}
@@ -73,10 +93,10 @@ jobs:
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
           docker-pw: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           docker-username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.ocr-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ steps.set_tag.outputs.docker_tag }}
           dockerfile-path: ./OCR/Dockerfile
           docker-context-path: ./OCR/
-          api-name: ocr-api
+          api-name: ocr
 
   build-frontend:
     name: Build Frontend
@@ -129,9 +149,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/deploy-api
         with:
           deploy-env: ${{ inputs.deploy-env }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.middleware-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ needs.build-publish-middleware.outputs.docker_tag }}
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
-          api-name: middleware-api
+          api-name: middleware
 
   deploy-ocr:
     name: Deploy OCR
@@ -149,9 +169,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/deploy-api
         with:
           deploy-env: ${{ inputs.deploy-env }}
-          docker-tag: ${{ inputs.ocr-version }}
+          docker-tag: ${{ needs.build-publish-ocr.outputs.docker_tag }}
           docker-registry: ghcr.io
-          api-name: ocr-api
+          api-name: ocr
 
   deploy-frontend:
     name: Deploy Frontend