functions and global variables

Hello, I've got a file with a variable declared in it. For purposes of this post: $name = $_POST['name']; Now a little later in the same file I have a custom function call that outputs some information. In that information is an echo statement outputting $name: echo $name; I'm wondering do I have to have $name declared as a global variable within that function? For example: function customFunction() { global $name } I've tried it both ways and both ways it works, with and without the global statement. I was under the impression that to be useful in a function variables outside were not accessible. Thanks. Dave.