An organization that provides data processing and online services. It may offer a variety of software packages, batch processing services (data entry, COLD, etc.) as well as custom programming.

Customers pay for storage of data on the system and processing time used. Connection is made to a service bureau through dial-up connections, private lines, the Internet, frame relay or other WAN services.

Service bureaus also exist that support desktop publishing and presentations and provide imagesetting, color proofing, slide creation and other related services on an hourly or per item basis.