diff --git a/.github/workflows/cypress new ui.yml b/.github/workflows/cypress new ui.yml
index 43aebdce..a036b01d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cypress new ui.yml	
+++ b/.github/workflows/cypress new ui.yml	
@@ -4,186 +4,50 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
-  csv-add-affiliations:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: "Create creds json"
-        id: create-creds-json
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials.json"
-          json: '{"adminEmail": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_EMAIL}}", "adminPassword": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_PASSWORD}}", "password": "${{secrets.CY_PASSWORD}}", "shortPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_PASSWORD}}", "shortConfirmationPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}", "wrongConfirmationPasssword": "${{secrets.CY_WRONG_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}"}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/fixtures"
-      - name: "Create Gmail creds json"
-        id: create-gmail-creds-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials_qa.json"
-          json: '{"installed":{"client_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_ID}}","project_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_PROJECT_ID}}","auth_uri":"https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth","token_uri":"https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token","auth_provider_x509_cert_url":"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs","client_secret":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_SECRET}}","redirect_uris":["urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob","http://localhost"]}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: "Create Gmail token json"
-        id: create-gmail-token-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "token_qa.json"
-          json: '{"access_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_ACCESS}}","refresh_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_REFRESH}}","scope":"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send","token_type":"Bearer","expiry_date":${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_EXPIRY_DATE}}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: Cypress run
-        uses: cypress-io/github-action@v6
-        with:
-          install-command: npm install cypress --legacy-peer-deps
-          working-directory: ui
-          spec: cypress/e2e/retention/csv-add-affiliations.cy.js
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: "cypress-screenshots-${{ github.job }}"
-          path: ui/cypress/screenshots
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: "cypress-videos-${{ github.job }}"
-          path: ui/cypress/videos
+  test_e2e_cypress:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - name: csv-add-affiliations
+            spec:
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/csv-add-affiliations.cy.js
 
-  csv-edit-affiliations:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: "Create creds json"
-        id: create-creds-json
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials.json"
-          json: '{"adminEmail": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_EMAIL}}", "adminPassword": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_PASSWORD}}", "password": "${{secrets.CY_PASSWORD}}", "shortPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_PASSWORD}}", "shortConfirmationPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}", "wrongConfirmationPasssword": "${{secrets.CY_WRONG_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}"}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/fixtures"
-      - name: "Create Gmail creds json"
-        id: create-gmail-creds-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials_qa.json"
-          json: '{"installed":{"client_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_ID}}","project_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_PROJECT_ID}}","auth_uri":"https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth","token_uri":"https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token","auth_provider_x509_cert_url":"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs","client_secret":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_SECRET}}","redirect_uris":["urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob","http://localhost"]}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: "Create Gmail token json"
-        id: create-gmail-token-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "token_qa.json"
-          json: '{"access_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_ACCESS}}","refresh_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_REFRESH}}","scope":"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send","token_type":"Bearer","expiry_date":${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_EXPIRY_DATE}}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: Cypress run
-        uses: cypress-io/github-action@v6
-        with:
-          install-command: npm install cypress --legacy-peer-deps
-          working-directory: ui
-          spec: |
-            cypress/e2e/retention/csv-edit-affiliations.cy.js
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-screenshots
-          path: ui/cypress/screenshots
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-videos
-          path: ui/cypress/videos
+          - name: csv-edit-affiliations
+            spec:
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/csv-edit-affiliations.cy.js
 
-  add-affiliation:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: "Create creds json"
-        id: create-creds-json
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials.json"
-          json: '{"adminEmail": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_EMAIL}}", "adminPassword": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_PASSWORD}}", "password": "${{secrets.CY_PASSWORD}}", "shortPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_PASSWORD}}", "shortConfirmationPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}", "wrongConfirmationPasssword": "${{secrets.CY_WRONG_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}"}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/fixtures"
-      - name: "Create Gmail creds json"
-        id: create-gmail-creds-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials_qa.json"
-          json: '{"installed":{"client_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_ID}}","project_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_PROJECT_ID}}","auth_uri":"https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth","token_uri":"https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token","auth_provider_x509_cert_url":"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs","client_secret":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_SECRET}}","redirect_uris":["urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob","http://localhost"]}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: "Create Gmail token json"
-        id: create-gmail-token-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "token_qa.json"
-          json: '{"access_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_ACCESS}}","refresh_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_REFRESH}}","scope":"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send","token_type":"Bearer","expiry_date":${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_EXPIRY_DATE}}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: Cypress run
-        uses: cypress-io/github-action@v6
-        with:
-          install-command: npm install cypress --legacy-peer-deps
-          working-directory: ui
-          spec: |
-            cypress/e2e/retention/add-affiliation.cy.js
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-screenshots
-          path: ui/cypress/screenshots
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-videos
-          path: ui/cypress/videos
+          - name: add-affiliation
+            spec:
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/add-affiliation.cy.js
 
-  notifications:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: "Create creds json"
-        id: create-creds-json
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials.json"
-          json: '{"adminEmail": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_EMAIL}}", "adminPassword": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_PASSWORD}}", "password": "${{secrets.CY_PASSWORD}}", "shortPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_PASSWORD}}", "shortConfirmationPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}", "wrongConfirmationPasssword": "${{secrets.CY_WRONG_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}"}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/fixtures"
-      - name: "Create Gmail creds json"
-        id: create-gmail-creds-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "credentials_qa.json"
-          json: '{"installed":{"client_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_ID}}","project_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_PROJECT_ID}}","auth_uri":"https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth","token_uri":"https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token","auth_provider_x509_cert_url":"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs","client_secret":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_SECRET}}","redirect_uris":["urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob","http://localhost"]}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: "Create Gmail token json"
-        id: create-gmail-token-file
-        uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
-        with:
-          name: "token_qa.json"
-          json: '{"access_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_ACCESS}}","refresh_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_REFRESH}}","scope":"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send","token_type":"Bearer","expiry_date":${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_EXPIRY_DATE}}}'
-          dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
-      - name: Cypress run
-        uses: cypress-io/github-action@v6
-        with:
-          install-command: npm install cypress --legacy-peer-deps
-          working-directory: ui
-          spec: |
-            cypress/e2e/retention/notifications.cy.js
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-screenshots
-          path: ui/cypress/screenshots
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: failure()
-        with:
-          name: cypress-videos
-          path: ui/cypress/videos
+          - name: notifications
+            spec:
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/notifications.cy.js
+
+          - name: other-tests:
+            spec:
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/add-member.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/add-user.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/csv-invalid-affiliation.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/edit-affiliation.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/edit-member.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/edit-user.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/reset-password.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/restricted-access.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-authorities.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-login.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-pagination.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-homepage.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-homepage-edit.cy.js
+              - cypress/e2e/retention/ui-reports.cy.js
+
+###################################################################################################
 
-  other-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
       - name: "Create creds json"
         id: create-creds-json
         uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
@@ -191,6 +55,7 @@ jobs:
           name: "credentials.json"
           json: '{"adminEmail": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_EMAIL}}", "adminPassword": "${{secrets.CY_ADMIN_PASSWORD}}", "password": "${{secrets.CY_PASSWORD}}", "shortPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_PASSWORD}}", "shortConfirmationPassword": "${{secrets.CY_SHORT_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}", "wrongConfirmationPasssword": "${{secrets.CY_WRONG_CONFIRMATION_PASSWORD}}"}'
           dir: "ui/cypress/fixtures"
+
       - name: "Create Gmail creds json"
         id: create-gmail-creds-file
         uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
@@ -198,6 +63,7 @@ jobs:
           name: "credentials_qa.json"
           json: '{"installed":{"client_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_ID}}","project_id":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_PROJECT_ID}}","auth_uri":"https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth","token_uri":"https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token","auth_provider_x509_cert_url":"https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/certs","client_secret":"${{secrets.CY_CREDS_CLIENT_SECRET}}","redirect_uris":["urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob","http://localhost"]}}'
           dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
+
       - name: "Create Gmail token json"
         id: create-gmail-token-file
         uses: jsdaniell/create-json@v1.2.3
@@ -205,33 +71,28 @@ jobs:
           name: "token_qa.json"
           json: '{"access_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_ACCESS}}","refresh_token":"${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_REFRESH}}","scope":"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send","token_type":"Bearer","expiry_date":${{secrets.CY_TOKEN_EXPIRY_DATE}}}'
           dir: "ui/cypress/plugins"
+
+##########################################################################################################
+
       - name: Cypress run
         uses: cypress-io/github-action@v6
         with:
           install-command: npm install cypress --legacy-peer-deps
           working-directory: ui
           spec: |
-            cypress/e2e/retention/add-member.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/add-user.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/csv-invalid-affiliation.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/edit-affiliation.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/edit-member.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/edit-user.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/reset-password.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/restricted-access.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-authorities.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-login.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-pagination.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-homepage.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-homepage-edit.cy.js
-            cypress/e2e/retention/ui-reports.cy.js
+            ${{ matrix.spec }}
+
+      # upload our cypress output results but only if the cypress tests failed
+      # NOTE: artifacts must have unique names
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: failure()
         with:
-          name: cypress-screenshots
+          name: "cypress-screenshots-${{ github.job }}"
           path: ui/cypress/screenshots
+
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: failure()
         with:
-          name: cypress-videos
+          name: "cypress-videos-${{ github.job }}"
           path: ui/cypress/videos
+