diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/base.py b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/base.py
index 2599df6..8bf1168 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/base.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/base.py
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ class BaseCommand(Command):
     internal = True
     timestamp = True
 
-    def check_arguments(self, args):
-        pass
-
     def is_path(self, name_or_path):
         return os.path.exists(name_or_path)
 
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/datasets.py b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/datasets.py
index cc91a5d..c4579fb 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/datasets.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/datasets.py
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ def add_arguments(self, command_parser):
         )
         command_parser.add_argument("--platform", help="Platform to add the location to.")
 
-    def check_arguments(self, args):
-        pass
-
     def _run(self, entry, args):
         # order matters
         self.process_task(entry, args, "unregister")
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/entry.py b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/entry.py
index b57262f..8012d17 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/entry.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/entry.py
@@ -83,9 +83,6 @@ def add_arguments(self, command_parser):
             "--yaml", action="store_true", help="Use the YAML format with ``--dump`` and ``--edit``."
         )
 
-    def check_arguments(self, args):
-        pass
-
     def run(self, args):
         path = args.path
         if "/" not in path[1:] or not path.startswith("/"):
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/weights.py b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/weights.py
index b191113..6d74196 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/weights.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/weights.py
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@ def add_arguments(self, command_parser):
         command_parser.add_argument("--platform", help="Platform where to add the location.")
         command_parser.add_argument("--overwrite", help="Overwrite any existing weights.", action="store_true")
 
-    def check_arguments(self, args):
-        pass
-
     def _run(self, entry, args):
         self.process_task(entry, args, "unregister")
         self.process_task(entry, args, "register", overwrite=args.overwrite)
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/entry/__init__.py b/src/anemoi/registry/entry/__init__.py
index 00c513f..f972567 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/entry/__init__.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/entry/__init__.py
@@ -31,18 +31,26 @@ class CatalogueEntry:
     path = None
     key = None
 
-    def __init__(self, key=None, path=None):
+    def __init__(self, key=None, path=None, must_exist=True):
         assert key is not None or path is not None, "key or path must be provided"
 
         if path is not None:
             assert key is None
             self.load_from_path(path)
-            assert self.record is not None
-        else:
-            assert key is not None
-            self.load_from_key(key)
-            assert self.record is not None
 
+        if key is not None:
+            assert path is None
+            if self.key_exists(key):
+                # found in catalogue so load it
+                self.load_from_key(key)
+            else:
+                # not found in catalogue, so create a new one
+                if must_exist:
+                    raise CatalogueEntryNotFound(f"Could not find any {self.collection} with key={key}")
+                else:
+                    self.create_from_new_new(key)
+
+        assert self.record is not None
         assert self.key is not None, "key must be provided"
 
         self.rest_item = RestItem(self.collection, self.key)
@@ -55,6 +63,9 @@ def as_json(self):
     def key_exists(cls, key):
         return RestItem(cls.collection, key).exists()
 
+    def exists(self):
+        return self.rest_item.exists()
+
     def load_from_key(self, key):
         rest_item = RestItem(self.collection, key)
         if rest_item.exists():
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/tasks.py b/src/anemoi/registry/tasks.py
index 78d5339..836509a 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/tasks.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/tasks.py
@@ -142,8 +142,10 @@ def release_ownership(self):
         )
 
     def set_progress(self, progress):
-        assert isinstance(progress, int), progress
-        if not (0 <= progress <= 100):
-            raise ValueError("Progress must be between 0 and 100")
+        # progress can be a dict or an int
+        if isinstance(progress, int):
+            if not (0 <= progress <= 100):
+                raise ValueError("Progress must be between 0 and 100")
+            progress = dict(percent=progress)
         patch = [{"op": "add", "path": "/progress", "value": progress}]
         self.rest_item.patch(patch)
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/workers/transfer_dataset.py b/src/anemoi/registry/workers/transfer_dataset.py
index 7070421..3285963 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/workers/transfer_dataset.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/workers/transfer_dataset.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # granted to it by virtue of its status as an intergovernmental organisation
 # nor does it submit to any jurisdiction.
 
+import datetime
 import logging
 import os
 
@@ -15,6 +16,32 @@
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+class Progress:
+    latest_progress = None
+
+    def __init__(self, task, frequency=60):
+        self.task = task
+        self.frequency = frequency
+
+    def __call__(self, number_of_files, total_size, total_transferred, transfering, **kwargs):
+        now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+
+        if self.latest_progress is not None and (now - self.latest_progress).seconds < self.frequency:
+            # already updated recently
+            return
+
+        p = dict(
+            number_of_files=number_of_files,
+            total_size=total_size,
+            total_transferred=total_transferred,
+            transfering=transfering,
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+        p["percentage"] = 100 * total_transferred / total_size if total_size and transfering else 0
+
+        self.task.set_progress(p)
+
+
 class TransferDatasetWorker(Worker):
     name = "transfer-dataset"
 
@@ -83,14 +110,16 @@ def get_source_path():
         if source_path.startswith("s3://"):
             source_path = source_path + "/" if not source_path.endswith("/") else source_path
 
+        progress = Progress(task, frequency=60)
+
         if target_path.startswith("s3://"):
             LOG.warning("Uploading to S3 is experimental and has not been tested yet.")
-            download(source_path, target_path, resume=True, threads=self.threads)
+            download(source_path, target_path, resume=True, threads=self.threads, progress=progress)
             return
         else:
             target_tmp_path = os.path.join(self.target_dir + "-downloading", basename)
             os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(target_tmp_path), exist_ok=True)
-            download(source_path, target_tmp_path, resume=True, threads=self.threads)
+            download(source_path, target_tmp_path, resume=True, threads=self.threads, progress=progress)
             os.rename(target_tmp_path, target_path)
 
         if self.auto_register:
diff --git a/tests/dummy-recipe-experiment.yaml b/tests/dummy-recipe-experiment.yaml
index 5a22ec0..2e080c0 100644
--- a/tests/dummy-recipe-experiment.yaml
+++ b/tests/dummy-recipe-experiment.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
-description: Minimal config
 dates:
-  start: 2023-06-01 00:00:00
-  end: 2023-06-03 00:00:00
+  end: 2023-08-31 00:00:00
   frequency: 24
-evaluation:
-  name: quaver-basic
+  start: 2023-06-01 00:00:00
+description: Minimal config
+input:
+  name: mars
+metadata:
+  config_home: /home/user/prepml/i4df
+  expver: i4df
+  input: scorecard.yaml
+  owner: user
+  prepml_command: /home/user/venvs/user-dev24-02/bin/python3 -m prepml
+  prepml_module_version: '0.1'
+  time: '2024-02-22T17:10:31.433359'