# Introduction

Asterisk utilizes a variety of sound prompts that are available in several file formats and languages. Multiple languages and formats can be installed on the same system, and Asterisk will utilize prompts from languages installed, and will automatically pick the least CPU intensive format that is available on the system (based on codecs in use, in additional to the codec and format modules installed and available).

In addition to the prompts available with Asterisk, you can create your own sets of prompts and utilize them as well. This document will tell you how the prompts available for Asterisk are created so that the prompts you create can be as close and consistent in the quality and volume levels as those shipped with Asterisk.