---
name: al-147-drive-a-legacy-desktop-workflow-with-computer-use
description: "Have an agent click through GUI-only desktop or browser apps that lack an API—expense reports, legacy portals, presentation updates—using GitHub Copilot's computer-use preview, which asks for approval before controlling each app. Use when the user wants help with desktop automation (personal productivity) for a small business."
---

# Drive a legacy desktop workflow with computer use

Have an agent click through GUI-only desktop or browser apps that lack an API—expense reports, legacy portals, presentation updates—using GitHub Copilot's computer-use preview, which asks for approval before controlling each app.

## Inputs to collect first
Ask the user for anything below that they haven't already given you. Don't guess missing facts.

- E.g. submit this week's expense report / update slides / move data…
- E.g. never click Submit/Send/Pay without my OK; stay under $X; only…
- Your own material (text, notes or data)

## Instructions

Do the task below with the user's inputs in place of each [bracket].

Use computer use on my machine with approval before controlling each app. Goal: [e.g. submit this week's expense report / update slides / move data between two desktop apps]. Apps involved: [list]. Constraints: [e.g. never click Submit/Send/Pay without my OK; stay under $X; only use the sandbox account]. Step through the UI, narrate what you see, and pause for approval before irreversible actions. When done, report: screens visited, fields filled, confirmation numbers, and anything unexpected. If a dialog you don't recognize appears, stop and ask me.

## Safety checks (share these with the user)

- Check every figure, price and total against your own records before anything is sent, posted or booked. A person approves refunds, discounts, payments and price changes.
- Read and edit the draft before it reaches a customer or goes public. If you later automate this prompt, start with "draft and notify me", not "send automatically".
- Check names, dates, numbers and any claim against your own source material before you use the answer. AI can misread or invent details.
- Say clearly which parts need a person to review or approve before anything is sent, paid, posted or filed.

## About this skill

- Works with: GitHub Copilot computer use, Claude computer use, ChatGPT computer use
- Based on this real-world example: https://github.blog/changelog/2026-10-01-github-copilot-can-now-interact-with-desktop-apps/
- Free prompt from AgentPlaybook Real Estate: https://agentic-library.netlify.app/prompt/al-147-drive-a-legacy-desktop-workflow-with-computer-use/
- To install in an agent that supports Agent Skills, save this file as SKILL.md in a folder with the same name as `name` above (for example in your skills directory). Install steps for Claude.ai, Claude Code, Cursor and Codex: https://agentic-library.netlify.app/skills/