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Reports: Building Search Queries

[Reports]

Datamaran’s Reports search supports several query types so you can reliably find the disclosures you need (including combinations of phrases and “nearby” terms).

Why this matters

Strong queries help you:

  • Find evidence faster without manually scanning PDFs.

  • Reduce noise by narrowing results to the wording that actually matters.

  • Capture variation in phrasing by including synonyms and alternate terms.

Before you start

To build a good query, decide:

  • What you’re looking for: a single term, an exact phrase, or two concepts that should appear together.

  • Whether you want results to match any of your terms (broader) or all of them (narrower).

Tip: If you’re new to Reports search, this article is designed to support the workflow: Finding Specific Disclosures in Corporate Reports

Query types you can use

1) Exact phrase

Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase.

Example

  • "net zero"

Use this when the wording is specific (e.g., assurance language, named policies, formal phrases).

2) OR queries 

Use OR to return results that contain any of the terms/phrases.

Example

  • "water stewardship strategy" OR "water stewardship strategies"

Use this to capture wording variations and synonyms.

3) AND queries

Use AND to return results that contain all terms/phrases.

Example

  • "double materiality" AND "reasonable assurance"

Use this when you need evidence that two concepts appear in the same document.

4) Proximity queries 

Proximity searches find terms that appear within a certain number of words of each other. Add ~ followed by a number.

Example

  • "modern slavery supply chain"~5

Use proximity searches when you expect the concepts to be related, but not necessarily in one exact phrase or you want to catch writing variation (e.g., extra words inserted between terms)

Combining query types

You can combine query types to create more precise searches. For example, you might use OR to cover phrasing variations and AND to require another concept in the same document.

Tip: Under the search bar, Datamaran provides sample query templates you can select and modify.

Tips for better results

  • Start with a phrase in quotes.

  • Then refine using filters like Year, Report type, Companies, Industries, and Regions.

  • If results are too narrow, broaden terms using OR, add synonyms or edit the filters.

  • If results are too broad, add another quoted phrase or tighten filters (e.g., limit by report type and year).