A service level agreement (SLA) is a type of agreement between the operator and the user, represented by the sponsor and the user representative. The SLA specifies the services to be provided by the operator, defines their service level (quality of service), and formulates any measures and penalties for non-compliance. As a rule, the agreed services and their service levels are subject to a charge.

If operations are outsourced, SLAs can be an important factor in evaluating the potential operator.

The content of an SLA is specified by the core organization. An external provider may already have a predefined SLA. The SLA may cover points including the following:

1. Preamble with
2. 1. Subject matter
   2. Objectives
   3. Partners
3. Scope
4. Entry into effect, duration, cancellation
5. Services
6. Remuneration with
7. 1. Transfer prices
   2. Invoicing
   3. Payment modalities
8. Reporting with
9. 1. Service level reports (standard reports)
   2. Other reports (as needed)
10. Consequences of deviation from agreed service levels
11. Rules for monitoring the SLAs (SLA audits)
12. Rules for changing the SLAs
13. Rules for resolving conflicts
14. Data protection
15. Liability and warranty
16. Damages
17. Applicable law
18. Legal venue
19. Arbitration
20. Confidentiality, secrecy, and publication
21. Partial invalidity of provisions
22. Signatures
23. Enclosures