diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 074207a..3b48ece 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -99,6 +99,25 @@ outer queryset JOIN-free. See `_build_report_context` in `core/views.py` and
 `ReportContextFilterInflationTests` in `core/tests.py` for the reference
 implementation (commit f1e246c, Apr 2026).
 
+## Django ORM gotcha — PayrollAdjustment project double-attribution
+`PayrollAdjustment` has TWO project FKs: a direct `adj.project` and an
+indirect `adj.work_log.project`. For every **Overtime** adjustment these
+always point at the same project (see `price_overtime()` — it sets
+BOTH). When rolling up "costs per project" you typically want the
+OR-union — "adjustments where either FK points to project P".
+
+- **Correct**: `Q(project_id__in=ids) | Q(work_log__project_id__in=ids)` filter
+  + `.annotate(effective_project_id=Coalesce('project_id', 'work_log__project_id'))`
+  + `.values('effective_project_id', ...).annotate(total=Sum('amount'))`.
+  Each row contributes to exactly ONE project.
+- **WRONG**: two separate filtered querysets (one per FK) summed in
+  Python. Any row with BOTH FKs set (every Overtime) gets counted twice.
+  Bit us during the Apr 2026 perf pass — Coalesce fix is commit
+  `167c821`. Regression test: `PayrollDashboardAdjustmentAggregationTests`
+  in `core/tests.py`. See `payroll_dashboard()` in `core/views.py` for
+  the reference implementation on both the unpaid-outstanding card and
+  the paid-monthly stacked chart.
+
 ## PayrollAdjustment Type Handling
 - **Bonus / Deduction** — standalone, require a linked Project
 - **New Loan** — creates a `Loan` record (`loan_type='loan'`); has a "Pay Immediately" checkbox (checked by default) that auto-processes the loan (creates PayrollRecord, sends payslip to Spark, marks as paid). When unchecked, the loan sits in Pending Payments for the next pay cycle. Editing syncs loan amount/balance/reason; deleting cascades to Loan + unpaid repayments
@@ -114,6 +133,22 @@ The dashboard's outstanding amount uses **per-worker** checking, not per-log:
 - This correctly handles partially-paid logs (e.g., one worker paid, another not)
 - Unpaid adjustments: additive types increase outstanding, deductive types decrease it
 
+## Payroll dashboard query-count baselines (post Apr 2026 perf pass)
+Target ranges after `payroll_dashboard()` was optimized with batched
+aggregates + `Prefetch(to_attr='active_workers_cached')` + Coalesce-based
+project attribution (commits `61c485f` + `167c821`):
+- `/` (admin dashboard) — ~15 queries
+- `/payroll/?status=pending` — ~24
+- `/payroll/?status=history` — ~24
+- `/payroll/?status=loans` — ~25
+- `/payroll/?status=adjustments` — ~32
+
+If any of these jumps meaningfully (>50%) after a future change, an N+1
+was reintroduced. Profile with Django Debug Toolbar (see Profiling
+section below) to find it. The test suite does NOT have `assertNumQueries`
+guards on these views — deliberate YAGNI for now, worth adding if
+regressions become a pattern.
+
 ## Commands
 ```bash
 # Local development (SQLite)
@@ -131,6 +166,22 @@ python manage.py check                      # System check
 USE_SQLITE=true DJANGO_DEBUG=true python manage.py test core.tests -v 2
 ```
 
+## Profiling locally — Django Debug Toolbar
+Installed as a dev-only dependency in `requirements.txt` since Apr 2026.
+Triple-gated in `config/settings.py`: only loads when **DEBUG=true AND
+USE_SQLITE=true AND NOT running tests**. Never loads in production —
+prod has neither flag, and the test-run gate exists because the toolbar
+emits an E001 system-check error + breaks template rendering when
+DEBUG=false (which Django forces during `manage.py test`).
+
+To profile a page: start the dev server normally (`run_dev.bat` or
+inline `USE_SQLITE=true DJANGO_DEBUG=true python manage.py runserver`),
+log in as admin, navigate to any URL, click the toolbar tab on the
+right edge. The **SQL panel** shows query count + highlights any
+duplicate-query groups — the go-to tool for N+1 hunting. See the
+"Payroll dashboard query-count baselines" section for expected
+numbers on hot pages.
+
 ## Development Workflow
 - Active development branch: `ai-dev` (PR target: `master`)
 - Local dev uses SQLite: set `USE_SQLITE=true` environment variable