diff --git a/modules/data_processing/file_paths.py b/modules/data_processing/file_paths.py
index 8e9d2b8..6c4d7a7 100644
--- a/modules/data_processing/file_paths.py
+++ b/modules/data_processing/file_paths.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ class file_paths:
     methods do.
     """
 
+    config_file = Path("~/.NGIAB_data_preprocess").expanduser()
+
     def __init__(self, wb_id: str):
         """
         Initialize the file_paths class with a water body ID.
@@ -21,17 +23,15 @@ def __init__(self, wb_id: str):
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_working_dir() -> Path:
-        # check for the  .NGIAB_data_preprocessor file in ~ and read the working directory from it
-        # if it doesn't exist, return the current directory
         try:
-            with open(file_paths.dev_file(), "r") as f:
-                return Path(f.readline().strip())
+            with open(file_paths.config_file, "r") as f:
+                return Path(f.readline().strip()).expanduser()
         except FileNotFoundError:
             return None
 
     @staticmethod
-    def set_working_dir(self, working_dir: Path) -> None:
-        with open(file_paths.dev_file(), "w") as f:
+    def set_working_dir(working_dir: Path) -> None:
+        with open(file_paths.config_file, "w") as f:
             f.write(str(working_dir))
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/modules/map_app/__main__.py b/modules/map_app/__main__.py
index e466dea..1a66389 100644
--- a/modules/map_app/__main__.py
+++ b/modules/map_app/__main__.py
@@ -11,18 +11,27 @@
 import requests
 import webbrowser
 
+
 def download_file(url, save_path):
     response = requests.get(url, stream=True)
-    total_size = int(response.headers.get('content-length', 0))
+    total_size = int(response.headers.get("content-length", 0))
     bytes_downloaded = 0
     chunk_size = 1048576
     with open(save_path, "wb") as f:
-        for data in tqdm(response.iter_content(chunk_size=chunk_size), total=total_size/chunk_size, unit='MB', unit_scale=True):
+        for data in tqdm(
+            response.iter_content(chunk_size=chunk_size),
+            total=total_size / chunk_size,
+            unit="MB",
+            unit_scale=True,
+        ):
             bytes_downloaded += len(data)
             f.write(data)
 
+
 hydrofabric_url = "https://lynker-spatial.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hydrofabric/v20.1/conus.gpkg"
-model_attributes_url = "https://lynker-spatial.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hydrofabric/v20.1/model_attributes.parquet"
+model_attributes_url = (
+    "https://lynker-spatial.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hydrofabric/v20.1/model_attributes.parquet"
+)
 
 
 if not file_paths.conus_hydrofabric().is_file():
@@ -44,7 +53,19 @@ def download_file(url, save_path):
     else:
         print("Exiting...")
         exit()
-        
+
+if not file_paths.config_file.is_file():
+    # prompt the user to set the working directory
+    print(
+        "Output directory is not set. Would you like to set it now? Defaults to ~/ngiab_preprocess_output/ (y/N)"
+    )
+    response = input()
+    if response.lower() == "y":
+        response = input("Enter the path to the working directory: ")
+    if response == "" or response.lower() == "n":
+        response = "~/ngiab_preprocess_output/"
+    file_paths.set_working_dir(response)
+
 
 with open("app.log", "w") as f:
     f.write("")
@@ -72,12 +93,13 @@ def download_file(url, save_path):
 console_handler.setFormatter(formatter)
 logging.getLogger("").addHandler(console_handler)
 
+
 def open_browser():
     webbrowser.open("http://localhost:5000")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    
+
     if file_paths.dev_file().is_file():
         with open("app.log", "a") as f:
             f.write("Running in debug mode\n")
diff --git a/modules/map_app/static/css/main.css b/modules/map_app/static/css/main.css
index 7def0e9..e4ef77a 100644
--- a/modules/map_app/static/css/main.css
+++ b/modules/map_app/static/css/main.css
@@ -83,6 +83,15 @@ button:hover {
     width: fit-content;
 }
 
+#output-info {
+    margin: 20px;
+    padding: 15px;
+    background: #ebffaf;
+    border-left: 5px solid #fdf05c;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    width: fit-content;
+}
+
 /* Form input styling */
 input[type=datetime-local] {
     padding: 10px;
diff --git a/modules/map_app/templates/index.html b/modules/map_app/templates/index.html
index 251418e..89a3528 100644
--- a/modules/map_app/templates/index.html
+++ b/modules/map_app/templates/index.html
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ <h2>Selected Basins</h2>
             <button id="subset-to-file-button">Output list of upstreams to file</button>
             <img class="loading" src="{{ url_for('static', filename='resources/loading.gif') }}" alt="Loading"
                 id="subset-to-file-loading">
+            <div id="output-info">
+                <strong>Output folder is configured in the ~/.NGIAB_data_preprocess file</strong>
+            </div>
             <div id="output-path"></div>
         </section>