Every AI implementation starts somewhere. For most of our clients, that starting point is getting the right tools on people's desktops and showing them what is actually possible.
Claude Desktop is one of those tools. Unlike browser-based AI chat, the desktop application can interact directly with a user's computer: reading files, opening applications, creating documents, running commands, and building interactive tools that can be shared with a link. For executives and knowledge workers, it replaces dozens of manual steps with a single conversation.
We built this training guide because we found ourselves walking every new client through the same setup process. The guide codifies that process into a polished, self-contained document that any team member can follow without IT support.
What the Guide Covers
The training guide is a complete onboarding package. It walks a non-technical user from first install to productive usage in a single sitting.
Part 1: Setup (4 steps). Install Claude Desktop, install Python (required for one extension), add three free extensions from the built-in directory, and verify everything works. Every step includes annotated screenshots showing exactly where to click.
Part 2: First Run. A copy-paste prompt that lets Claude verify its own setup and demonstrate basic capabilities. The user watches Claude list their desktop files, check system resources, and create a test document. Each action requires explicit permission, so the user stays in control.
Part 3: Seven Demos. Each demo showcases a capability that is not possible in browser-based AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini:
- Claude, Meet My Computer - Claude scans your folders and reports what it finds
- Scan and Brief Me - Claude locates a document on your hard drive and summarizes it without you uploading anything
- Open It For Me - Claude opens Notepad, types content, and saves the file
- Analyze Without Uploading - Claude finds and reads a PDF, then delivers an executive summary
- Build a Shareable Tool - Claude creates an interactive ROI calculator with a publishable link
- Live Research to Report - Claude searches the web and saves a formatted Word document to your desktop
- The Full Pipeline - Claude creates a P&L spreadsheet, analyzes it, builds a chart, and drafts a board summary
The guide also includes a troubleshooting section covering the most common setup issues we have seen across client deployments.
Why We Are Sharing It
This is the same document we hand to consulting clients on day one of an engagement. We are making it available as a free download because it demonstrates what a WRAG deliverable looks like: practical, tested, and built for people who do not have time to figure things out on their own.
If your team can follow this guide without help, great. If you want someone to handle the full rollout, customize extensions for your workflows, and build the AI playbook for your organization, that is what we do.
Download the Training Guide
Step-by-step setup with annotated screenshots, seven demos, and troubleshooting. The same guide we deliver to clients.
Download Guide (DOCX, ~1.7 MB)What Comes Next
Claude Desktop is a starting point, not a destination. Once your team sees what a desktop AI assistant can do with basic extensions, the natural next questions are: How do we connect this to our CRM? Can it pull from our SharePoint? What about compliance guardrails?
Those are implementation questions, and they are exactly what WRAG specializes in. We help organizations move from individual productivity gains to coordinated AI operations across departments.
If you want to talk about what that looks like for your organization, reach out. The first conversation is always free.