One embodiment of the present invention provides a database system that facilitates modifying a row in a database table to include meta-data about operations performed on the row. During operation, the database receives a command to perform an operation on a row in a table of the database. The database then determines if executing the command necessitates updating an extensible row descriptor for the row, wherein the extensible row descriptor is a field in the row that contains meta-data about operations performed on the row. If so, the database updates the extensible row descriptor in a manner defined by an update rule for the extensible row descriptor.