.

o to get information on...

I would use search for consultar and query for consulta, even though report might be ok not all queries end up as reports.

Some examples:

Load Saved Queries
To use a query you previously saved:
Select Load from the Query menu.
The Load SQL Statement dialog box appears.
Provide the name of the query you want to load and click Open. For example, select basic.qry.
http://www.mathworks.nl/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/databas...

How can I search for a business within a certain geographic area?
The Keyword search allow you to enter any word, you just need to type the city where you wish to find businesses.

http://escape.topuertorico.com/ypages/help.shtml

A definition
search
Parts of speech: transitive verb , intransitive verb , noun

Part of Speech: transitive verb
Definition
1. to look through thoroughly in order to find something.
Synonyms hunt (4) , scour2 (2)
Crossref. Syn. scour
Similar Words explore , sift , rummage , rifle2 , inspect , drag , scrutinize , examine , comb , investigate , ransack

2. to examine (a person) to find something concealed or lost.
Synonyms frisk
Similar Words examine , probe

3. to seek for something by probing into.
Synonyms probe (2)
Similar Words explore , investigate

4.to discover by exploring; come to know (fol. by out).
Synonyms dig out {dig (2)} , unearth (2)
Crossref. Syn. dig
Similar Words scout out {scout} , rummage out {rummage} , reveal , discover , find
Related Words want , prospect , quest , research , prowl , scan , stalk , mine

Part of Speech: intransitive verb
Definition
1. to make an examination or conduct an investigation.
Synonyms look (vt 3) , hunt (2)
Crossref. Syn. probe , seek
Similar Words explore , rummage , delve , probe , investigate
Related Words scour , rout , grope , quest , pry , research , peer

Part of Speech: noun
Definition
1. an act of searching.
Synonyms look (3) , shakedown (2) , hunt (2)
Crossref. Syn. quest
Related Words observation , grope , probe , investigation , inquiry

http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.php?script=search&matchen...
Best regards

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 6 mins (2003-08-25 14:13:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.proz.com/kudoz/187653
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/4616
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/177208
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/294942

My version. (ej: we "look up" words in a dictionary, we "look up" names of famous people, we "look up" a telephone number in the phone book, etc.

"¿Cómo puedo consultar las ventas de un período de tiempo?"

"How can I query sales for a given time frame?"

Consultas históricas/Consultas de ventas/...

Historical query (or inquiry)
Sales query (or inquiry)

"How can I get a report?"
"¿Cómo puedo generar un informe?"

Report no es consulta. Generalmente el formato de las consultas es muy sencillo, como cuando buscas una palabra en google y recibes un listado de resultados.

Un report (informe) es más elaborado, puede tener varias secciones, totales, subtotales, cruzamiento de variables, etc.

Por otro lado el verbo "to browse" es el equivalente al español "ojear", o sea, leer sin saber bien qué termino uno está buscando, esperando encontrar por casualidad el resultado.

"To look up" sería equivalente a "to search", o sea, buscar.

Hope it helps,

Walter