Abstract: A handheld client computer and a host computer are synchronized through a data channel, preferably a high-latency data channel, by transferring from the handheld client computer to a cache in the host computer a skeletal snapshot of the client records, including the identification and address of each of the client records. An up-transfer list of client records to be transferred from the client computer to the host computer is determined. The records on the up-transfer list are up-transferred from the handheld client computer to the cache of the host computer and associated with the skeletal snapshot, so as to be available to a record synchronization operation. A set of updated host records to be down-transferred is received from the record synchronization operation. The step of up-transferring is preferably initiated prior to the initiation of the step of receiving from the record synchronization operation.