diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3d80471..2bb49c9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ The script will create a single ZFS zpool `zpool` on the zpool partition with da
 
 ## Options
 
+The following options can be given either by exporting them as shell variables prior to script execution or in a file named `archzbm_settings.env` that lives in your current working directory where you're about to execute the script. File format is identical to shell variable assignments of the form `VAR=value` or `VAR='value'`.
+
+If `./archzbm_settings.env` exists the script will `source` its content and `export` all variables for use in future steps.
+
+In cases where a variable is both exported prior to script execution and specified in `archzbm_settings.env` the latter will override the former.
+
+Known options are as follows.
+
 ### Compression
 
 By default we create a zpool with ZFS property `compression=on`. If the `lz4_compress` pool feature is active this will by default enable `compression=lz4`. See `man 7 zfsprops` for example in ZFS 2.1.9 for details. See `zpool get feature@lz4_compress <pool>` to check this feature's status on your `<pool>`.