Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of maintaining forward and backwards compatibility between various software releases, utilizing different database information and structures. During database transfers the initiating, master, processor requests a responding, slave, process to first provide a description of the slave's database language. Next, the master processor compares the slave's database language description to that of its own. From this comparison, the master develops a working language. The working language is then sent to the slave processor, and thereafter used by both processors when transferring database information. This method supports the update and transfer of database records pursuant to the installation of new software releases. Alternatively, this technique supports the transfer of database information between processors that have dissimilar database structures.