Palvelisitte

Palvelisitte is a Finnish term that denotes a formal record of services performed and the corresponding remuneration agreed upon by the parties involved. In practice it functions like a combination of a service contract and an invoice, detailing the scope, quantity, and price of services rendered.

The word is formed from palve- (root of “palvelus,” meaning service) and “sitte,” a suffix used in Finnish to indicate a written statement or record. The term first appeared in commercial documentation in the late twentieth century as businesses sought a standardized method of documenting service transactions. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, small and medium enterprises adopted palvelisitte for ordinary service arrangements, such as consulting, maintenance, and temporary labor.

In contemporary use, a palvelisitte typically contains the names and addresses of the provider and the client, a description of the tasks performed, dates of service, hourly or fixed rates, total amounts, and payment terms. Compliance with a palvelisitte allows both parties to verify deliverables and calculate payments accurately. It also serves legal purposes, as the document can be cited in disputes over the fulfillment of contractual obligations.

Because it merges contractual and invoicing elements, the palvelisitte is frequently used in trade guilds and professional associations in Finland. It remains a concise, reliable tool for ensuring transparency and accountability in service‑based transactions.