diff --git a/EnvelopeGenerator.Server/publish.bat b/EnvelopeGenerator.Server/publish.bat
index b780f85a..bbbb7edd 100644
--- a/EnvelopeGenerator.Server/publish.bat
+++ b/EnvelopeGenerator.Server/publish.bat
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 @echo off
-setlocal
+setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 
 echo ============================================================
 echo  EnvelopeGenerator.Server - Self-Contained Publish
@@ -10,11 +10,38 @@ echo.
 REM Must be run from the solution root directory.
 REM This file is located under: EnvelopeGenerator.Server\
 
-set PROJECT=EnvelopeGenerator.Server\EnvelopeGenerator.Server.csproj
-set OUTPUT=publish-output
+set PROJECT=%~dp0EnvelopeGenerator.Server\EnvelopeGenerator.Server.csproj
 set RID=win-x64
 set FRAMEWORK=net8.0
 
+REM ── Resolve project version from .csproj ──────────────────────────────────────
+REM   Reads the <Version> element directly from the .csproj XML using findstr.
+REM   Example: <Version>1.1.0-beta</Version>  →  VERSION=1.1.0-beta
+REM   'tokens=2 delims=>' splits on '>' and takes the second token (the value+tag),
+REM   then 'delims=<' strips the closing '<' tag leaving the bare version string.
+for /f "tokens=2 delims=>< " %%v in ('findstr /i "<Version>" "%PROJECT%"') do (
+    set VERSION=%%v
+)
+
+if "%VERSION%"=="" (
+    echo [ERROR] Could not read ^<Version^> from %PROJECT%. Aborting.
+    pause
+    exit /b 1
+)
+
+REM ── Output path: network share / versioned subfolder ──────────────────────────
+REM   Format: M:\App&Service\0 DD - Smart UP\signFLOW\Server\net8\{version}
+REM   Note: the '&' in the path is literal — no escaping needed inside a set "..." assignment.
+set "OUTPUT=M:\App&Service\0 DD - Smart UP\signFLOW\Server\net8\%VERSION%"
+
+echo [0/3] Resolved build parameters
+echo       Project  : %PROJECT%
+echo       Version  : %VERSION%
+echo       Output   : %OUTPUT%
+echo       RID      : %RID%
+echo       Framework: %FRAMEWORK%
+echo.
+
 echo [1/3] Cleaning previous publish output...
 if exist "%OUTPUT%" (
     rmdir /s /q "%OUTPUT%"
@@ -25,10 +52,6 @@ if exist "%OUTPUT%" (
 echo.
 
 echo [2/3] Publishing...
-echo       Project  : %PROJECT%
-echo       Output   : %OUTPUT%
-echo       RID      : %RID%
-echo       Framework: %FRAMEWORK%
 echo.
 
 dotnet publish "%PROJECT%" ^
@@ -50,36 +73,37 @@ echo [3/3] Verifying output...
 
 set PASS=1
 
-if not exist "%OUTPUT%\EnvelopeGenerator.Server.exe" (
+if not exist "!OUTPUT!\EnvelopeGenerator.Server.exe" (
     echo [FAIL] EnvelopeGenerator.Server.exe not found!
     set PASS=0
-)
-if not exist "%OUTPUT%\hostfxr.dll" (
+) else ( echo       [OK] EnvelopeGenerator.Server.exe )
+if not exist "!OUTPUT!\hostfxr.dll" (
     echo [FAIL] hostfxr.dll not found! (Not a self-contained publish?)
     set PASS=0
-)
-if not exist "%OUTPUT%\coreclr.dll" (
+) else ( echo       [OK] hostfxr.dll )
+if not exist "!OUTPUT!\coreclr.dll" (
     echo [FAIL] coreclr.dll not found! (Not a self-contained publish?)
     set PASS=0
-)
-if not exist "%OUTPUT%\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.dll" (
+) else ( echo       [OK] coreclr.dll )
+if not exist "!OUTPUT!\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.dll" (
     echo [FAIL] Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.dll not found!
     set PASS=0
-)
-if not exist "%OUTPUT%\web.config" (
+) else ( echo       [OK] Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.dll )
+if not exist "!OUTPUT!\web.config" (
     echo [FAIL] web.config not found!
     set PASS=0
-)
+) else ( echo       [OK] web.config )
 
-if "%PASS%"=="1" (
+if "!PASS!"=="1" (
     echo.
     echo ============================================================
     echo  PUBLISH SUCCEEDED
-    echo  Output folder: %~dp0%OUTPUT%
+    echo  Version      : !VERSION!
+    echo  Output folder: !OUTPUT!
     echo ============================================================
     echo.
     echo Next steps:
-    echo   1. Copy the contents of '%OUTPUT%' to the IIS application directory
+    echo   1. Copy the contents of the output folder to the IIS application directory
     echo   2. Set the IIS Application Pool to 'No Managed Code'
     echo   3. Recycle the Application Pool
     echo.