diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add-new-config.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add-new-config.yml
index 363383fa..6494cf6e 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add-new-config.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/add-new-config.yml
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ body:
   attributes:
     label: Custom Labels
     description: If you chose false above, and want drowdown style labeling, please provide the file name for your custom labels. You will need to submit a PR to add it to our repo - https://github.com/e-mission/nrel-openpath-deploy-configs/tree/main/label_options
-    placeholder: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/e-mission/nrel-openpath-deploy-configs/main/label_options/example-program-label-options.json
+    placeholder: example-program-label-options.json
 
 - type: markdown
   attributes:
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ body:
   id: admin_access
   attributes:
     label: Admin Access Emails
-    description: Please enter a comman separated list of emails to which we will grant access to the admin dashboard. This will usually be a relatively short list.
+    description: Please enter a comma separated list of emails to which we will grant access to the admin dashboard. [MAX 5]
   validations:
     required: true 
 # - type: dropdown
diff --git a/.github/actions/convertIssue/issue-to-json.js b/.github/actions/convertIssue/issue-to-json.js
index 3c97b7bd..b0d689a5 100644
--- a/.github/actions/convertIssue/issue-to-json.js
+++ b/.github/actions/convertIssue/issue-to-json.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export async function issueToJson() {
     await mkdir(outputDir, { recursive: true });
     
     let abbrevKey = getInput("hash-property-name");
+    abbrevKey = abbrevKey.toLowerCase();
     let fileName = getFileName(configData[ abbrevKey ]);
     await writeFile(path.join(outputDir, fileName), JSON.stringify(configData, null, 2));
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/.github/actions/convertIssue/parse-issue-body.js b/.github/actions/convertIssue/parse-issue-body.js
index 117b3a2c..1658bdf2 100644
--- a/.github/actions/convertIssue/parse-issue-body.js
+++ b/.github/actions/convertIssue/parse-issue-body.js
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ function getSurveyInfo(dataObject) {
         UserProfileSurvey: {
           formPath:
             "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/e-mission/nrel-openpath-deploy-configs/main/survey_resources/" +
-            dataObject.url_abbreviation +
+            dataObject.url_abbreviation+
             "/" +
             dataObject.custom_dem_survey_path,
           version: 1,
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ export async function parseIssueBody(githubIssueTemplateFile, body) {
   let bodyData = parseBodyData(body);
   let combinedObject = parseCombined(fields, bodyData);
 
+  // must be lower case
+  combinedObject.url_abbreviation = combinedObject.url_abbreviation.toLowerCase();
+
   //then compose the config object
   let configObject = {};
   try {
@@ -353,7 +356,15 @@ export async function parseIssueBody(githubIssueTemplateFile, body) {
     }
 
     //list of administrator emails
-    configObject['admin_dashboard'].admin_access = combinedObject.admin_access.split(',');
+    let email_list = combinedObject.admin_access.split(',');
+    if (email_list.length > 5){
+      setFailed("sorry, admin access is limited to a maximum of 5 emails, please shorten your list of emails"); 
+    }
+    // leading/trailing whitespace will lead to errors
+    for (let i = 0; i < email_list.length; i++) {
+      email_list[i] = email_list[i].trim();
+    }
+    configObject['admin_dashboard'].admin_access = email_list;
 
     //TODO: add handling for custom reminder schemes
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-to-json.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-to-json.yml
index d0c737d1..f35855d3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/issue-to-json.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-to-json.yml
@@ -43,11 +43,13 @@ jobs:
         id: cpr
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v5
         with:
+          add-paths: |
+            configs/
           commit-message: Create or update a new config file
           signoff: false
-          branch: new-config
+          branch: new-config-#${{ env.IssueNumber }}
           delete-branch: false
-          title: '[Config] create new file'
+          title: '[Config #${{ env.IssueNumber }}] create new file'
           body: |
             Adding a new config file
             - Initialized by creating or updating the coressponding issue