diff --git a/.github/workflows/README b/.github/workflows/README
index 0c4e94170..c6135d6e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/README
+++ b/.github/workflows/README
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-hledger github actions workflows.
+The hledger project's github actions workflows.
 
-These have a greppable one-line "ACTION:" comment near the top summarising their current intended behaviour.
-These should be kept up to date.
+They have greppable one-line TRIGGER: and ACTION: comments near the top,
+summarising their current intended behaviour.
+These are carefully worded and should be kept up to date.
 
 docs:
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-arm32v7.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-arm32v7.yml
index 728c113da..1781ff0d0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-arm32v7.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-arm32v7.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-# This was used for certain raspberry pi hardware and perhaps needs update.
-# Runs on any push to binaries-linux-arm32v7.
-# ACTION: Builds and saves linux arm32v7 static binaries, using docker-arm32v7/Dockerfile and cabal and the ghc specified there. Slow, may time out.
+# This was once used for certain raspberry pi hardware, may need update.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-linux-arm32v7 branch.
+# ACTION: Builds and saves linux arm32v7 static binaries, using docker-arm32v7/Dockerfile and cabal and the ghc specified there.
+# XXX Slow, may time out.
 
 name: binaries-linux-arm32v7
 on:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64-stack.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64-stack.yml
index b494caf8b..10121cd2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64-stack.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64-stack.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs on any push to binaries-linux-x64-stack.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-linux-x64-stack branch. Not normally used.
 # ACTION: Builds, unit-tests and saves mac x64 static binaries with stack and the default ghc. May not work,
 # the cabal-based binaries-linux-x64.yml is normally used instead.
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64.yml
index f10f1ebcd..2e11eb7c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-linux-x64.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs on any push to binaries-linux-x64 or binaries.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-linux-x64 or binaries branches.
 # ACTION: Builds, unit-tests and saves linux x64 static binaries with cabal and the ghc version below and Alpine linux,
 # which provides the statically-linkable musl.
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-arm64.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-arm64.yml
index 4ecf942c7..e7e8aaef4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-arm64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-arm64.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs on any push to binaries-mac-arm64 or binaries.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-mac-arm64 or binaries branches.
 # ACTION: Builds, tests and saves mac arm64 dynamic binaries with stack and the default ghc.
 
 name: binaries-mac-arm64
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-x64.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-x64.yml
index 408201559..5fe8aa42e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-x64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-mac-x64.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs on any push to binaries-mac-x64 or binaries.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-mac-x64 or binaries branches.
 # ACTION: Builds, tests and saves mac x64 dynamic binaries with stack and the default ghc.
 
 name: binaries-mac-x64
diff --git a/.github/workflows/binaries-windows-x64.yml b/.github/workflows/binaries-windows-x64.yml
index 4cf8f1f79..e60351bcd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/binaries-windows-x64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/binaries-windows-x64.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs on any push to binaries-windows-x64 or binaries.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to binaries-windows-x64 or binaries branches.
 # ACTION: Builds, unit-tests and saves windows x64 binaries with stack and the default ghc.
 
 name: binaries-windows-x64
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index e59326b0b..a974cbc08 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # The main hledger continuous integration tests.
-# ACTION: Builds, tests and saves linux x64 dynamic binaries with stack and the default ghc.
 # Code must pass this successfully before it can be merged or pushed to master.
 # https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/settings/branch_protection_rules/17386787
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to ci branch or any pull request against master.
+# ACTION: Builds, tests and saves linux x64 dynamic binaries with stack and the default ghc.
 
 name: ci
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/oldest.yml b/.github/workflows/oldest.yml
index 31b37b489..057795824 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/oldest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/oldest.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-# ACTION: Builds and tests with stack and the oldest supported GHC version.
+# TRIGGER: Runs on any push to oldest branch.
+# ACTION: Builds and tests with stack and the oldest supported ghc.
 
 name: oldest
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 438a44078..8467ca3cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-# ACTION: Creates/updates a draft release when a release tag is pushed.
-# Expects that the main binaries* workflows have been completed first.
-# XXX Triggers too much, eg on pushing VER.99 dev tags; those releases must be deleted manually.
+# TRIGGER: Runs when a release tag like "1.*" is pushed to the repo.
+# XXX Triggers too much, eg for 1.x.99 dev tags; those releases must be deleted manually.
+# ACTION: Creates/updates a draft release with binaries from the latest successful binaries-* runs.
+# The main binaries* workflows should be completed before triggering this.
 
 name: release