The structure of the entry can be changed at any moment by going to DICTIONARY > CONFIGURE > STRUCTURE. However, it may have the following consequences.
Adding components
Adding components to a structure of an existing dictionary is not an issue in itself. The only consequence is that the editors have to go through all existing entries and insert the element into entries that require it. If additional conditions are used on the new component, such as a compulsory component or a component with a minimum number of instances, all the entries will appear invalid until the missing data are added.
Example
After creating several entries in your dictionary, you decide each entry should also have a part of speech. The part of speech element is not present in the structure yet. You add the element and make it compulsory. Now this element needs to be added to all existing entries. If not added, the entries will show as invalid. Entries can be edited but not saved unless the part of speech element is added.
Removing components
Component is not used in any entry
This is the easy situation. If no existing entry contains the component that should be removed, this generates no problems. After the removal, the data will stay valid.
Component is used in some, or all, entries
Removing the component from the entry structure will make all entries invalid. (Because after the removal, the entries will contain an element which is not among the permitted elements.) The invalid entries will continue existing but if they are edited, changes cannot be saved unless the element is removed.
