diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3fec5bdf296e595d767066fc5c0c92fc32b52f21..5bea1ec5364f80c8c7719d9413773858b0602f9e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ In your own project make sure the following files are present in the root of you
    1. Docker file that has all the necessary information to run your code
    2. **Example Dockerfile** for a standard python project with a ```main.py``` and some libraries in a ```requirements.txt``` added as a template here
 2.  docker-compose.yaml
-    1. docker-compose file with at least your own service and a network and the location of the environment file
+    1. docker-compose file with at least your own service, a network for internal docker container communication and the location of the environment file 
     2. **Example docker-compose** for a single service added as a template here
 3.  gitlab-ci.yml
     1. the gitlab-ci.yml template that is in this project
@@ -18,14 +18,18 @@ In your own project make sure the following files are present in the root of you
     
 ###  On gitlab
 To make sure variables and the build+deploy job are not dependent, add the following variables to gitlab
-
-1. Go to the CI/CD variables section (for example: https://git.astron.nl/templates/docker-deploy/-/settings/ci_cd -> variables)
-2. Expand the section and add the following variables **as a variable**:
+1. Create a new gitlab environment here: https://git.astron.nl/grafana/docker-deploy/-/environments/new
+2. Go to the CI/CD variables section (for example: https://git.astron.nl/templates/docker-deploy/-/settings/ci_cd -> variables)
+3. Expand the section and add the following variables **as a variable** and don't forget to set your environment!:
    1. DEPLOY_HOST
       1. Where the docker service(s) should run.
    2. SERVICE_DIR 
       1. Where the static files are stored like the docker-compose.yaml.
-3. Expand the section and add the variables that are used by your docker service **as a file** called DOT_ENV
+   3. DEPLOY_USER: The user that has read, write, and execute permissions for your `SERVICE_DIR`
+      1. The private key `SSH_PRIVATE_KEY` for an ssh connection to your `DEPLOY_HOST`. 
+        
+       _Note: it's best to inherit the private key from the group settings or change this setup with [deploy tokens](https://git.astron.nl/help/user/project/deploy_tokens/index.md)_
+4. Add the environment variables that are used by your docker service **as a file** called `DOT_ENV` and don't forget to set your environment!:
 
 ![](gitlab.vars.png)
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 575100b5a566470dc7293f3136136add9742d686..88882e2c8c6a12a52445850131846c00688874a0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ services:
     container_name: my_service
     image: git.astron.nl:5000/location/my_service:latest
     networks:
-      - adex_network
-    volumes:
-      - $HOME/shared:/shared
+      - my_network_name
     env_file:
-      - /docker_compose/my_service/.env
+      - /docker_compose/my_service/.env
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gitlab.vars.png b/gitlab.vars.png
index 418ed2ffad6bfe689f76d8a683c8d9b7293ad554..06baf911f1ac6716723816f16e147aee6d64daf6 100644
Binary files a/gitlab.vars.png and b/gitlab.vars.png differ
diff --git a/template.gitlab-ci.yml b/template.gitlab-ci.yml
index 90a6c228a3e0db79846b3f8997ff0cf2debfc6c9..a84c1529e6970dff3c192f445d1df61437e39560 100644
--- a/template.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/template.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ docker-build:
     - docker build --pull -t $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG .
     - docker push $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE$DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG
 
-deploy-job:
+.base-deploy-job:
   image: ubuntu:latest
   stage: deploy
   before_script:
@@ -37,17 +37,24 @@ deploy-job:
     - |
       cat > ~/.ssh/config << EOF
       Host *
-         User gitlab-deploy
+         User $DEPLOY_USER
          StrictHostKeyChecking no
       EOF
   script:
-    - rsync -avz docker-compose.yaml $DEPLOY_HOST:$PATH_TO_SERVICE
-    - rsync -avz $DOT_ENV $DEPLOY_HOST:$SERVICE_DIR/.env
+    - rsync -avz docker-compose.yml $DEPLOY_HOST:$SERVICE_DIR
+    - rsync -avz grafana-resources $DEPLOY_HOST:$SERVICE_DIR
     - |
       ssh $DEPLOY_HOST -C \
       "cd $SERVICE_DIR &&\
-       chmod 600 $SERVICE_DIR/.env &&\
-       docker pull $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG} &&\
        docker-compose up -d"
     - echo "Application successfully deployed."
-  when: manual
\ No newline at end of file
+  when: manual
+
+deploy-to-your-host:
+  extends: .base-deploy-job
+  environment: your-host
+  variables:
+    DEPLOY_USER: $DEPLOY_USER
+    DEPLOY_HOST: $DEPLOY_HOST
+    SERVICE_DIR: $SERVICE_DIR
+    $DOT_ENV: $$DOT_ENV
\ No newline at end of file