diff --git a/powersimdata/scenario/scenario.py b/powersimdata/scenario/scenario.py
index 277a47392..44a969312 100644
--- a/powersimdata/scenario/scenario.py
+++ b/powersimdata/scenario/scenario.py
@@ -58,9 +58,6 @@ def err_message(table, text):
             :param pandas.DataFrame table: scenario table.
             :param str text: message to print.
             """
-            print("------------------")
-            print(text)
-            print("------------------")
             print(
                 table.to_string(
                     index=False,
@@ -77,6 +74,9 @@ def err_message(table, text):
                     ],
                 )
             )
+            print("------------------")
+            print(text)
+            print("------------------")
 
         try:
             int(descriptor)
diff --git a/powersimdata/utility/helpers.py b/powersimdata/utility/helpers.py
index 935006b58..05175a6d9 100644
--- a/powersimdata/utility/helpers.py
+++ b/powersimdata/utility/helpers.py
@@ -4,6 +4,25 @@
 import sys
 
 
+class CommandBuilder:
+    @staticmethod
+    def copy(src, dest, recursive=False, update=False):
+        r_flag = "R" if recursive else ""
+        u_flag = "u" if update else ""
+        p_flag = "p"
+        flags = f"-{r_flag}{u_flag}{p_flag}"
+        return fr"\cp {flags} {src} {dest}"
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def remove(target, recursive=False, force=False):
+        r_flag = "r" if recursive else ""
+        f_flag = "f" if force else ""
+        if recursive or force:
+            flags = f"-{r_flag}{f_flag}"
+            return f"rm {flags} {target}"
+        return f"rm {target}"
+
+
 class MemoryCache:
     """Wrapper around a dict object that exposes a cache interface. Users should
     create a separate instance for each distinct use case.
diff --git a/powersimdata/utility/tests/test_helpers.py b/powersimdata/utility/tests/test_helpers.py
index 29c0cff00..7b75438c1 100644
--- a/powersimdata/utility/tests/test_helpers.py
+++ b/powersimdata/utility/tests/test_helpers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import pytest
 
-from powersimdata.utility.helpers import MemoryCache, PrintManager, cache_key
+from powersimdata.utility.helpers import (
+    CommandBuilder,
+    MemoryCache,
+    PrintManager,
+    cache_key,
+)
 
 
 def test_print_is_disabled(capsys):
@@ -61,3 +66,35 @@ def test_mem_cache_get_returns_copy():
     obj = {"key1": 42}
     cache.put(key, obj)
     assert id(cache.get(key)) != id(obj)
+
+
+def test_copy_command():
+    expected = r"\cp -p source dest"
+    command = CommandBuilder.copy("source", "dest")
+    assert expected == command
+
+    expected = r"\cp -Rp source dest"
+    command = CommandBuilder.copy("source", "dest", recursive=True)
+    assert expected == command
+
+    expected = r"\cp -up source dest"
+    command = CommandBuilder.copy("source", "dest", update=True)
+    assert expected == command
+
+    expected = r"\cp -Rup source dest"
+    command = CommandBuilder.copy("source", "dest", recursive=True, update=True)
+    assert expected == command
+
+
+def test_remove_command():
+    expected = "rm target"
+    command = CommandBuilder.remove("target")
+    assert expected == command
+
+    expected = "rm -r target"
+    command = CommandBuilder.remove("target", recursive=True)
+    assert expected == command
+
+    expected = "rm -rf target"
+    command = CommandBuilder.remove("target", recursive=True, force=True)
+    assert expected == command
diff --git a/powersimdata/utility/transfer_data.py b/powersimdata/utility/transfer_data.py
index 646fb4839..678801fb9 100644
--- a/powersimdata/utility/transfer_data.py
+++ b/powersimdata/utility/transfer_data.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from tqdm import tqdm
 
 from powersimdata.utility import server_setup
+from powersimdata.utility.helpers import CommandBuilder
 
 
 class DataAccess:
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ class SSHDataAccess(DataAccess):
 
     _last_attempt = 0
 
-    def __init__(self, root):
+    def __init__(self, root=None):
         """Constructor"""
         self._ssh = None
         self._retry_after = 5
@@ -141,12 +142,9 @@ def copy_from(self, file_name, from_dir=None):
 
         print(f"Transferring {file_name} from server")
         to_path = os.path.join(to_dir, file_name)
-        sftp = self.ssh.open_sftp()
-        try:
+        with self.ssh.open_sftp() as sftp:
             cbk, bar = progress_bar(ascii=True, unit="b", unit_scale=True)
             sftp.get(from_path, to_path, callback=cbk)
-        finally:
-            sftp.close()
             bar.close()
 
     def copy_to(self, file_name, to_dir, change_name_to=None):
@@ -170,28 +168,18 @@ def copy_to(self, file_name, to_dir, change_name_to=None):
             raise IOError(f"{file_name} already exists in {to_dir} on server")
 
         print(f"Transferring {from_path} to server")
-        sftp = self.ssh.open_sftp()
-        try:
+        with self.ssh.open_sftp() as sftp:
             sftp.put(from_path, to_path)
-        finally:
-            sftp.close()
 
         print(f"--> Deleting {from_path} on local machine")
         os.remove(from_path)
 
     def copy(self, src, dest, recursive=False, update=False):
-        r_flag = "R" if recursive else ""
-        u_flag = "u" if update else ""
-        p_flag = "p"
-        flags = f"-{r_flag}{u_flag}{p_flag}"
-        command = f"\cp {flags} {src} {dest}"
+        command = CommandBuilder.copy(src, dest, recursive, update)
         return self.execute_command(command)
 
     def remove(self, target, recursive=False, force=False):
-        r_flag = "r" if recursive else ""
-        f_flag = "f" if force else ""
-        flags = f"-{r_flag}{f_flag}"
-        command = f"rm {flags} {target}"
+        command = CommandBuilder.remove(target, recursive, force)
         return self.execute_command(command)
 
     def execute_command(self, command):