# Service Agreement ### Definition A Service Agreement is the financial construct under which a [Participant](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/participant.md) receives services. This includes the ability to set up funding structures compliant with the NDIS, Aged Care and other funding arrangements. Service Agreement capture information such as [Support Items](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/support-item.md), [Price Lists](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/price-list.md) as well as key dates during which the Service Agreement is valid. ### Purpose The purpose of Service Agreements is to ensure that services are not delivered without verified funding. Maica considers the entire Participant Lifecycle as one connected process and therefore, it is critical that a [Participant](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/participant.md) has the appropriate Service Agreement funding in place prior to receiving services. ### Usage Service Agreements are a fundamental concept in Maica and these records are essential to being able to deliver services to your [Participants](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/participant.md). Maica validates that the relevant funding, via a Service Agreement, is in place throughout the Maica lifecycle, including whilst managing: * [Appointments](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/appointment.md) * [Shifts](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/shift.md) * [Billable Participant Notes](/maica-knowledge-base/participants/billable-participant-notes.md) {% hint style="info" %} Maica considers a Salesforce Contact to be a [Participant](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/participant.md) (or Client) only when an active Service Agreement is captured. It is important to note that the Service Agreement does not need to be fully funded but it does need to exist. {% endhint %} ### Final Thoughts Service Agreements provide you with assurance that a particular service to your [Participants](/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/participant.md) is financially covered. Maica will inform the end user, pending their permissions, that any available funding may be exceeded without actually stopping the service from proceeding. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://knowledge.maica.com.au/maica-knowledge-base/getting-started/maica-key-concepts/service-agreement.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.