diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre_release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre_release.yml
index 138ae07..8a48c8e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre_release.yml
@@ -29,14 +29,22 @@ name: Version Bump and Changelog Generation
 run-name: "${{ inputs.version_number }} - Version Bump and Changelog Generation"
 
 on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      version_number:
+        description: "Version to bump to: ex. 1.14.5"
+        required: true
+        type: string
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       version_number:
+        description: "Version to bump to: ex. 1.14.5"
         required: true
         type: string
       test_run:
+        description: "Test run - do not commit changes"
         required: false
-        default: true
+        default: false
         type: boolean
 
 permissions:
@@ -374,7 +382,7 @@ jobs:
     needs: [run-unit-tests, create-temp-branch, audit-version-in-code, audit-changelog]
     if: |
         !failure() && !cancelled() &&
-        inputs.test_run == false &&
+        inputs.test_run != true &&
         (
           needs.audit-changelog.outputs.exists == 'false' ||
           needs.audit-version-in-code.outputs.up_to_date == 'false'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ad581c9..7efb9b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,13 +3,17 @@ name: Release
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
+      version_number:
+        description: "Version to bump to: ex. 1.14.5"
+        required: true
+        type: string
       deploy-to:
         type: choice
         description: Choose where to publish (test/prod)
         options:
           - PypiProd
           - PypiTest
-        default: PypiTest
+        default: PypiProd
 
 permissions: read-all
 
@@ -23,10 +27,20 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  release-prep:
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    name: "Version bump and Changelog update"
+    uses: ./.github/actions/release-prep
+    with:
+      version_number: ${{ inputs.version_number }}
+    secrets:
+      inherit
 
   release:
     name: PyPI - ${{ inputs.deploy-to }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: release-prep
     environment:
       name: ${{ inputs.deploy-to }}
     permissions: