Parameters and VariablesStyle sheets and templates can use parameters and variables . Both are names bound to a value. The difference is that a parameter only binds a default value, which can be overridden by the caller: <xsl:variable name="amount" select="/Invoice/Total"/> <xsl:param name="label">Date: </xsl:param> The value of the variable or parameter is accessible in XPath by prefixing the name with a dollar sign ( $ ): $date/Currency $label |