The SLA outlines the service level targets, how they will be measured, and what the consequences will be if the agreed-upon performance targets are not met. On the other hand, a contract can cover a wide range of topics and is not limited to services only.
Both involve the meeting of minds and exchange of promises, but a contract typically entails a more formalized arrangement, often documented in writing, and carries legal enforceability. Conversely, an agreement can be informal and may not always be legally binding.
Generally, a contract is a legally binding agreement made between two parties with a common interest in mind. On the other hand, an agreement is a similarly engineered deal between parties but usually does not rise to the same level of legal enforceability as a contract does.
In a contract of services, the employer is responsible under the PAYE system, whereas in a contract for services, the independent contractor is subject to the self-assessment system. The courts have established a number of criteria to determine the nature of the employment relationship.
It is therefore a document which simply confirms an agreed level of service that is expected to be provided to meet the business needs of the customer. A SLA is not a contract. The SLA document should be seen as a list of targets, rather than a legal binding agreement.
A service contract describes which services are to be performed for which objects, and under which conditions. Service Order is a short-term agreement .
The SLA outlines the service level targets, how they will be measured, and what the consequences will be if the agreed-upon performance targets are not met. On the other hand, a contract can cover a wide range of topics and is not limited to services only.
SLAs can be binding contracts but are often used by public sector bodies to set out their relationship in a given project without the intention to create legal relations.
SLA is a loaded term that means different things in different contexts but generally is an external commitment about the service levels a team will provide. As mentioned an SLE is mainly internally focused. Bottom line – SLEs are used by Scrum Teams to set flow expectations for themselves.