A method of integrating large volumes of updates in a database system including a master file repository arranged to receiving updates from data providers, and an active image repository arranged to answer queries issued by end-users of the database system, the method comprising: integrating the updates supplied by the data provider into a master file repository of the database system, the integrating step including the steps of: receiving the updates at the master file repository, defining in the master file repository a coherent set of data records for each update, during the definition of the coherent set of data records, for each update, attributing a unique modification identifier to uniquely identify the coherent set of data records, receiving the modification identifier at the master file repository, according to the arrival of the update at the master file repository, at the master file repository, assigning the modification identifier to the coherent set of data records, committing each update by updating the master file repository with the coherent set of data records of each update, and with the modification identifier assigned to the coherent set of data records,further attributing a unique commit identifier for each update that has been committed by the master file repository, the commit identifier being a number that reflects the order in which the committing step is completed for each update, specifying a synchronization order for each individual update, loading the updates into an active image repository of the database system, the loading step including the steps of: retrieving from the master file repository the coherent set of data records of each update; synchronizing the active image repository and the master file repository by successively propagating the coherent data set into the active image repository, in the order specified by the commit identifier for each update, completing the propagation of each update into the active image repository when the loading of each corresponding set of data records is committed by the active image repository. receiving the updates at the master file repository, defining in the master file repository a coherent set of data records for each update, during the definition of the coherent set of data records, for each update, attributing a unique modification identifier to uniquely identify the coherent set of data records, receiving the modification identifier at the master file repository, according to the arrival of the update at the master file repository, at the master file repository, assigning the modification identifier to the coherent set of data records, committing each update by updating the master file repository with the coherent set of data records of each update, and with the modification identifier assigned to the coherent set of data records,further attributing a unique commit identifier for each update that has been committed by the master file repository, the commit identifier being a number that reflects the order in which the committing step is completed for each update, specifying a synchronization order for each individual update, retrieving from the master file repository the coherent set of data records of each update; synchronizing the active image repository and the master file repository by successively propagating the coherent data set into the active image repository, in the order specified by the commit identifier for each update, completing the propagation of each update into the active image repository when the loading of each corresponding set of data records is committed by the active image repository.