diff --git a/hid/DoorController.py b/hid/DoorController.py
index cae8962..95c5839 100644
--- a/hid/DoorController.py
+++ b/hid/DoorController.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import requests
 E_plain = ElementMaker(nsmap={"hid": "http://www.hidglobal.com/VertX"})
 E = ElementMaker(namespace="http://www.hidglobal.com/VertX",
                  nsmap={"hid": "http://www.hidglobal.com/VertX"})
+ROOT = E_plain.VertXMessage
+
 
 class DoorController():
     def __init__(self, ip, username, password, name="", access=""):
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ class DoorController():
         self.doCSVImport(outString)
 
         # clear all schedules
-        delXML = E_plain.VertXMessage(
+        delXML = ROOT(
             *[E.Schedules({"action": "DD", "scheduleID": str(ii)})
              for ii in range(1, 8)])
         self.doXMLRequest(delXML)
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ class DoorController():
         # TODO: add delete formats
         # delete example: <hid:CardFormats action="DD" formatID="7-1-244"/>
 
-        el = E_plain.VertXMessage(
+        el = ROOT(
             E.CardFormats({"action": "AD"},
                 E.CardFormat({"formatName": formatName,
                               "templateID": str(templateID)},
@@ -85,13 +87,13 @@ class DoorController():
         return self.doXMLRequest(el)
 
     def lockOrUnlockDoor(self, lock=True):
-        el = E_plain.VertXMessage(
+        el = ROOT(
             E.Doors({"action": "CM",
                      "command": "lockDoor" if lock else "unlockDoor"}))
         return self.doXMLRequest(el)
 
     def getStatus(self):
-        el = E_plain.VertXMessage(
+        el = ROOT(
             E.Doors({"action": "LR", "responseFormat": "status"}))
         xml = self.doXMLRequest(el)
         relayState = xml.find('./{*}Doors/{*}Door').attrib['relayState']