***

id: 6b7c11a6-bf0e-49c0-b52a-3b7f97382eac
title: Prompt
sidebar-title: Prompt
position: 1
slug: /cxml/reference/voice/pay/prompt
max-toc-depth: 3
----------------

The `<Prompt>` noun allows you to customize the default prompts used by `<Pay>`.

When SignalWire executes `<Pay>` CXML instructions without `<Prompt>`, the caller will hear default prompts for each step of the
payment process. You can modify what the caller hears for a given payment step by nesting `<Prompt>` within `<Pay>`'s opening
and closing tags.

You can customize prompts using either:

* Text-to-speech by nesting `<Say>` CXML within `<Prompt>`
* Pre-recorded audio by nesting `<Play>` CXML within `<Prompt>`

## Payment steps

There are seven payment steps in the `<Pay>` process where prompts can be customized (see the `for` attribute section below).
Each step that you wish to customize requires its own `<Prompt>` element.

## Attributes

<ParamField path="for" type="string" required={true}>
  Specifies which payment step's prompt you wish to customize. Allowed values: `payment-card-number`, `expiration-date`, `security-code`, `postal-code`, `bank-routing-number`, `bank-account-number`, `payment-processing`. See [Payment Steps](#payment-steps) for details.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="attempt" type="integer">
  Specifies which attempt number this prompt should be used for. Value from 1 to 10. Useful for providing more detailed instructions after failed attempts.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="cardType" type="string">
  Space-separated list of card types. Allows customization of prompts for specific card types (e.g., different security code lengths). Allowed values: `visa`, `mastercard`, `amex`, `maestro`, `discover`, `optima`, `jcb`, `diners-club`, `enroute`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="errorType" type="string">
  Space-separated list of error types. Customize error messages for specific failure scenarios. Allowed values: `timeout`, `invalid-card-number`, `invalid-card-type`, `invalid-date`, `invalid-security-code`, `invalid-bank-routing-number`, `invalid-bank-account-number`, `input-matching-failed`.
</ParamField>

### Payment step

Specifies which payment step's prompt you wish to customize:

| Payment Step          | Description                         |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| `payment-card-number` | Prompt for credit/debit card number |
| `expiration-date`     | Prompt for card expiration date     |
| `security-code`       | Prompt for card security code (CVV) |
| `postal-code`         | Prompt for billing postal code      |
| `bank-routing-number` | Prompt for bank routing number      |
| `bank-account-number` | Prompt for bank account number      |
| `payment-processing`  | Message during payment processing   |

## Examples

### Prompt for card number with TTS

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
  <Pay>
   <Prompt for="payment-card-number">
     <Say>Please enter your 16 digit Visa or Mastercard number.</Say>
   </Prompt>
  </Pay>
</Response>
```

### Prompt for card number with MP3

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
  <Pay>
   <Prompt for="payment-card-number">
     <Play>https://example.com/signalwire/cxml/audio/card_number.mp3</Play>
   </Prompt>
  </Pay>
</Response>
```

### Full transaction example

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
  <Pay paymentMethod="credit-card" validCardTypes="visa mastercard amex">
    
    <Prompt for="payment-card-number">
      <Say>Welcome! To begin, enter the credit card number you'd like to use for payment.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="payment-card-number" errorType="timeout">
      <Say>I haven't received your card number yet. Please take a moment to enter your credit card number now.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="payment-card-number" errorType="invalid-card-number">
      <Say>That card number doesn't appear to be valid. Let's try entering it one more time.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="payment-card-number" errorType="invalid-card-type">
      <Say>We can only accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express cards. Please enter a card number from one of these providers.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    
    <Prompt for="expiration-date">
      <Say>Great! Now enter your card's expiration date using two digits for the month followed by two digits for the year.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="expiration-date" errorType="timeout">
      <Say>I still need your card's expiration date. Please enter two digits for the month, then two digits for the year.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="expiration-date" errorType="invalid-date">
      <Say>That expiration date isn't valid. Remember to use two digits each for month and year - for example, March 2025 would be 0 3 2 5.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    
    <Prompt for="security-code" cardType="visa mastercard">
      <Say>Now for the security code - you'll find three digits on the back of your card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="security-code" errorType="timeout" cardType="visa mastercard">
      <Say>I'm waiting for your three-digit security code. You can find it on the back of your card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="security-code" errorType="invalid-security-code" cardType="visa mastercard">
      <Say>That security code wasn't quite right. Please enter all three digits from the back of your card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    
    <Prompt for="security-code" cardType="amex">
      <Say>For American Express, please enter the four-digit security code from the front of your card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="security-code" errorType="timeout" cardType="amex">
      <Say>I still need the four-digit security code from the front of your American Express card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="security-code" errorType="invalid-security-code" cardType="amex">
      <Say>That security code wasn't valid. Please enter all four digits from the front of your American Express card.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    
    <Prompt for="postal-code">
      <Say>Almost done! Please enter the five-digit zip code for your billing address.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    <Prompt for="postal-code" errorType="timeout">
      <Say>We still need your billing zip code. Please enter all five digits now.</Say>
    </Prompt>
    
    <Prompt for="payment-processing">
      <Say>Perfect! Just a moment while we securely process your payment.</Say>
    </Prompt>
  </Pay>
</Response>
```