Visually stumped

I tend to acquire knowledge visually. I need things to literally be drawn out so that I can grasp the gist of what a person is trying to explain, get across, or have me do*. However, when it comes to computer programs, I either need someone to show me what steps are necessary to obtain the desired output, or I need to sit down with said program, manual in hand and play.

This Friday my boss informed me that we would be starting a new contract next week utilizing a program which I have never played with before. Due to the fact that I was working from home, he sent me the manual and some examples. The small hitch is. I do not have said program installed on my computer, nor did he actually send me a copy so that I could install it. Over the past few days I have been trying to glean all that I can from the manual. But without the program I have no clue what the people who wrote the manual are trying to convey. I can’t visualize any of the menus, nor can I decipher how to actually manoeuvre through said menus. Needles** Needless to say I am freaking out.

I just hope that when I get there and finally see the program it will all coalesce, and maybe, just maybe, I can pull off pretending that I actually know what the hell is going.

*get yer minds out of the gutter. [wry shaking of head]
**graçias bella!