An edit list including a collection of change descriptions and definitions for a primary data structure is used for on-demand, incremental updating of associated auxiliary data structures. Edits performed on the primary data structure are recorded in the edit list with a version stamp, along with definitions of the changes and any other pertinent data. Each auxiliary data structure maintains its own version stamp that identifies when the auxiliary data structure was last synchronized with the primary data structure. When an auxiliary data structure needs to be updated, the edit list is retrieved and change descriptions scanned to find one with the matching version stamp. All change descriptions logged since that one are incorporated into the auxiliary data structure. The specific contents of each change description enable the auxiliary data structure to be incrementally updated as each change description is processed individually.