Knowledge of UETA is important to businesses which create, process and accept paper-based contracts but seek to convert to electronic forms of these documents. Understanding of UETA is needed for persons proposing to use electronic records and who are doing business or government activities in states where UETA applies. State regulatory agencies must determine how and to what extent UETA will be implemented. For example, the PA Office of Administration is charged to promote consistency and interoperability among PA agencies and with other states and the federal government. Overview of UETA's Provisions UETA establishes several new terms of commercial practice and thereby expands traditional contracting concepts to work in the digital age.
Information means data, text, images, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, databases, etc.
An electronic signature is an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record with the intent to sign the record. Eventually, electronic agents may develop artificial intelligence enabling autonomous action. Electronic agents may form automated transactions, these are contracts formed without human intervention. Automated transactions may also be formed with interaction between a human and an electronic agent. When parties agree to transact electronically, their records, signatures and contracts must be enforced if made in electronic form.