diff --git a/.appflow/scripts/prebuild.sh b/.appflow/scripts/prebuild.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c8313be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.appflow/scripts/prebuild.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# npm hook run before the build script
+# see: https://ionic.io/docs/appflow/automation/environments
+
+# echo ">>> prebuild script"
+
+# create .env file if running in Ionic Appflow
+if [ "$CI_AUTOMATED_BUILD" = "1" ]
+then
+  echo "Appflow build; creating .env file"
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_DATE=$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')" > .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_TIME=$(date +'%H:%M:%S%z')" >> .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_TS=$(date +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z')" >> .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_COMMIT_SHA=$CI_GIT_COMMIT_SHA" >> .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_WORKFLOW_NAME=$CI_AUTOMATION_NAME" >> .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_WORKFLOW_RUN_NUMBER=$CI_BUILD_NUMBER" >> .env
+  echo "VITE_BUILD_WORKFLOW_RUN_ATTEMPT=1" >> .env
+else
+  echo "NOT an Appflow build; skipping .env file creation"
+fi
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bad4d28..c4c5b40 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@
 
 # misc
 .DS_Store
-.env.local
-.env.development.local
-.env.test.local
-.env.production.local
+.env*
 /.nx
 /.nx/cache
 /.vscode/*
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 50af995..0b36802 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
+    "prebuild": "./.appflow/scripts/prebuild.sh",
     "build": "tsc && vite build",
     "preview": "vite preview",
     "test": "vitest",