So you've connected HourHustle to your Google Calendar. Awesome! Now comes the most important part: setting up your clients in the Manage Clients page. Do this right, and everything else becomes super easy.
The Basic Setup
Head to the Manage Clients page. You'll see two fields: Client Name and Hourly Rate.
The client name is what HourHustle looks for in your Google Calendar events. So if you have a client named "Sarah" and you create a calendar event like "Math Tutoring - Sarah," HourHustle will see "Sarah" in that event and apply her rate automatically.
💡 Pro Tip: Use Abbreviations
I like to use short abbreviations for client names. Makes it faster to type and easier to scan my calendar. For example: "KES" instead of "Kennedy Elementary School" or "JM" instead of "John Martinez."
The One Client, Multiple Rates Problem
Here's where it gets interesting. What if the same client pays different rates depending on the type of work?
Let's say Kennedy Elementary School pays you $300/hour for one-on-one tutoring, but they also hire you for group workshops at $350/hour. Same client, two different rates. How do you handle that?
Method 1: Put the Rate in the Client Name
This is my favorite approach. Instead of just naming the client "KES," I create two separate client entries with the rate baked into the name:
Now when I schedule a session in Google Calendar, I just include the right version in the event title:
- "1-on-1 Math - KES300" → HourHustle sees "KES300" and applies the $300 rate
- "Group Workshop - KES350" → HourHustle sees "KES350" and applies the $350 rate
Super simple. No extra steps. Just put the right client name in your calendar event and HourHustle handles the rest.
Method 2: Use the [rate: $xxx] Notation
There's another way to handle special rates: you can override the rate directly in the calendar event title using this format: [rate: $xxx]
Let's say you normally charge Kennedy Elementary School $300/hour, but for a special project they agreed to pay $400/hour. Just add the rate notation to that specific event:
Special SAT Prep - KES [rate: $400]
HourHustle will see "KES" to identify the client, but then apply the $400 rate instead of the default $300 because of the [rate: $400] override.
⚠️ When to Use Each Method
Use Method 1 (rate in the name) when you have consistent rate tiers that you use regularly. Like if you always charge $300 for one-on-one and $350 for group sessions.
Use Method 2 (rate notation) for one-off special rates or projects that don't happen often. It's faster than creating a whole new client entry.
Real Example from My Setup
Here's how I actually have my clients set up:
JM is a single client with one rate, so that's straightforward. SL (a different client) has two rate tiers depending on the service, so I created SL60 and SL80. Same with KES—they have different rates for different types of sessions.
When I look at my calendar, I immediately know what rate applies just by seeing "SL60" or "KES350" in the event title. And HourHustle tracks everything automatically.
Keep It Simple
That's really all there is to it. The key is to pick a naming system and stick with it. Whether you use full names, abbreviations, or add rate numbers to the names—just be consistent. Your future self (and your Sunday night invoicing routine) will thank you.
Quick Recap
- ✅ Use short, memorable names for your clients
- ✅ For multiple rates with the same client, add the rate to the name (e.g., KES300, KES350)
- ✅ For one-off special rates, use [rate: $xxx] in the calendar event
- ✅ Keep your naming consistent across all your calendar events
Once your clients are set up properly, HourHustle basically runs on autopilot. You just keep using Google Calendar like you always have, and all the tracking and calculations happen automatically behind the scenes.
Got questions about client setup or other features? Hit me up through the contact page. I'd love to help!
HourHustle Founder
Tutor, entrepreneur, and believer in simple solutions to complex problems.
Learn more about HourHustle →