diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_all.yml b/.github/workflows/test_all.yml
index d044ac5..9360d81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_all.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_all.yml
@@ -33,3 +33,9 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: write
       pull-requests: write
+  call_test_steps:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test_steps.yml
+    secrets: inherit
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_steps.yml b/.github/workflows/test_steps.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77f881f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_steps.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+name: test-steps
+
+on:
+  push:
+  #   branches:
+  #     - "!main"
+  # pull_request:
+  workflow_call:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  test-implementation-job:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
+    steps:
+      # To use this repository's private action, you must check out the repository
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Test action step first steps
+        uses: ./ # Uses an action in the root directory
+        with:
+          source_repo_path: AndreasAugustin/template.git
+          is_dry_run: true
+          steps: "prechecks,pull"
+
+      - name: in between step
+        run: |
+          echo "I can do whatever I want"
+          git status
+
+      - name: Test action step next steps
+        uses: ./ # Uses an action in the root directory
+        id: test
+        with:
+          source_repo_path: AndreasAugustin/template.git
+          is_dry_run: true
+          steps: "commit,push,pr"
+
+      - name: print output
+        env:
+          FORMER_OUTPUT_PR_BRANCH: ${{ steps.test.outputs.pr_branch }}
+        run: echo "pr_branch ${FORMER_OUTPUT_PR_BRANCH}"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 23b1669..654a22b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ jobs:
 | git_remote_pull_params      | `[optional]` set remote pull parameters                                                                       | `false`  | `--allow-unrelated-histories --squash --strategy=recursive -X theirs` |
 | gpg_private_key | `[optional]` set if you want to sign commits | `false` | |
 | gpg_passphrase | `[optional]` set if your optionial gpg private key has a passphrase | `false` | |
+| steps | `[optional] add the steps you want to execute within the action` | `false` | all steps will be executed |
 
 ### Action Outputs
 
@@ -423,6 +424,51 @@ If `is_dry_run` parameter is set to true then all stages modifying the github st
 It is possible to run a subset of the mentioned lifecycle actions.
 **preparation** and **github action outputs** will be run every time.
 
+:warning: Advanced feature. Use with care (possibly set `is_dry_run: true` configuration parameter for testing purposes)
+
+e.g.
+
+```yaml
+# File: .github/workflows/test_steps.yml
+
+on:
+    # cronjob trigger
+  schedule:
+  - cron:  "0 0 1 * *"
+  # manual trigger
+  workflow_dispatch:
+jobs:
+  repo-sync:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-jobs/assigning-permissions-to-jobs
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
+
+    steps:
+      # To use this repository's private action, you must check out the repository
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: actions-template-sync first steps
+        uses: AndreasAugustin/actions-template-sync@v2
+        with:
+          source_repo_path: <owner/repo>
+          steps: "prechecks,pull"
+
+      - name: in between step
+        run: |
+          echo "I can do whatever I want"
+          git status
+
+      - name: actions-template-sync next steps
+        uses: AndreasAugustin/actions-template-sync@v2
+        with:
+          source_repo_path: <owner/repo>
+          steps: "commit,push,pr"
+
+```
+
 ## Lifecycle hooks
 
 Different lifecycle hooks are supported. You need to enable the functionality with the option `is_allow_hooks` and set it to `true`
diff --git a/src/sync_template.sh b/src/sync_template.sh
index e5e9213..ce058dc 100755
--- a/src/sync_template.sh
+++ b/src/sync_template.sh
@@ -480,18 +480,50 @@ function arr_push_prepare_pr_create_pr() {
   echo "::endgroup::"
 }
 
-declare -A arr
-
-arr["prechecks"]=arr_prechecks
-arr["pull"]=arr_checkout_branch_and_pull
-arr["commit"]=arr_commit
-arr["push"]=arr_push
-arr["pr"]=arr_push_prepare_pr_create_pr
-
-${arr["prechecks"]}
-${arr["pull"]}
-${arr["commit"]}
-${arr["push"]}
-${arr["pr"]}
+declare -A cmd_arr
+
+cmd_arr["prechecks"]=arr_prechecks
+cmd_arr["pull"]=arr_checkout_branch_and_pull
+cmd_arr["commit"]=arr_commit
+cmd_arr["push"]=arr_push
+cmd_arr["pr"]=arr_push_prepare_pr_create_pr
+
+if [[ -z "${STEPS}" ]]; then
+  info "no steps provided. Default is to execute all."
+  for key in "${!cmd_arr[@]}";
+  do
+    debug "execute cmd ${key}"
+    ${cmd_arr[${key}]}
+  done
+else
+  info "steps provided."
+  readarray -t steps < <(awk -F',' '{ for( i=1; i<=NF; i++ ) print $i }' <<<"${STEPS}")
+  # check if steps are supported
+  not_supported_steps=""
+  for step in "${steps[@]}";
+  do
+    matched=false
+    for key in "${!cmd_arr[@]}";
+    do
+      debug "execute cmd ${key}"
+      if [[ "${step}" == "${key}" ]]; then
+        matched=true;
+      fi
+    done
+    if [[ "$matched" == 'false' ]]; then
+      not_supported_steps="${not_supported_steps} $step"
+    fi
+  done
+  if [[ -z "${not_supported_steps}" ]]; then
+    for step in "${steps[@]}";
+    do
+      debug "execute cmd ${step}"
+      ${cmd_arr[${step}]}
+    done
+  else
+    err "follwoing steps are not supported ${not_supported_steps}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
 
 set_github_action_outputs "${PR_BRANCH}" "${TEMPLATE_GIT_HASH}"