You can run a test by creating and running a test execution record. You create test execution records in the context of a particular test case. Each test execution record associates the test case with the test environment that is needed for test execution. So when you run a test execution record, you are basically saying, "Run this test case in this particular software and hardware environment."
When you run a test case on its own or from within a test suite, you can run the test case with or without a test execution record. When you run the test case without a test execution record, the test case merely runs in the local test environment. If your situation is more complex and you need to support multiple test environments, consider using test execution records.
You can use test execution records to run both manual and automated tests. If you have created manual test scripts, you can add those tests scripts to a test case and then associate test execution records with the test case. The same holds true for any automated tests that you refer to from Rational Quality Manager. In many cases, when you run the test execution record, you run a test script that has been added to a test case to which the test execution record is associated.
To run a test execution record: