Hi Matt,

Thanks for your reply. In trying to build the MinEx I found the solution to my problem:

1) In my archive file, I did not have the correct column-definition layout that I had in my original TODO.org <http://todo.org/> file:
`#+COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %17Effort(Estimated Effort){:} %CLOCKSUM`

2) In my archive file, if I had archived the item in my original file (i.e. tagged it as archived) and then sent the sub-tree to the actual archive, it would be marked as ‘ARCHIVED’ in the archive file. To achieve what I described below, the proper action would be to just archive it directly into the archive file instead of tagging it. Org-mode ignores any items that are tagged as ‘ARCHIVED’ when you try use column-view.

I do have a follow-up questions. I noticed that sometimes Org-mode wouldn’t pick up my column definition. Is there a way to tell org-mode to reload the file with the column-defintion layout? To get it to work, I saved the org file, quit emacs and then ran emacs again with the org file; then org-mode picked up my column-definition layout. This is very easy to replicate. I’ve included an org-mode file here. Just run column view and quit column view. Then delete the column-definition layout line at the top and re-run column view. (see below).

Avery

———
#    -*- mode: org -*-
#+PROPERTY: Effort_ALL 0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00
#+COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %17Effort(Estimated Effort){:} %CLOCKSUM

Archived entries from file /Users/avery/test-archive.org


* Feed dinosaur
:PROPERTIES:
:Effort:   0:30
:ARCHIVE_TIME: 2016-08-09 Tue 10:50
:ARCHIVE_FILE: ~/test-archive.org
:ARCHIVE_OLPATH: List
:ARCHIVE_CATEGORY: test-archive
:END:
<2016-08-09 Tue 8:00-08:30>

* DONE Polish steel rocket pack
CLOSED: [2016-08-09 Tue 11:02]
:PROPERTIES:
:Effort:   1:00
:ARCHIVE_TIME: 2016-08-09 Tue 11:03
:ARCHIVE_FILE: ~/test-archive.org
:ARCHIVE_OLPATH: List
:ARCHIVE_CATEGORY: test-archive
:ARCHIVE_TODO: DONE
:END:
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2016-08-09 Tue 11:02]--[2016-08-10 Wed 11:02] => 24:00
:END:
<2016-08-09 Tue 23:00-00:00>

> On Aug 9, 2016, at 4:40 AM, Matt Lundin <mdl@imapmail.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Avery,
> 
> Avery Chan <avery@avericity.com> writes:
> 
>> One problem is what to do with completed tasks. They clutter up my
>> todo list so I usually archive them to another file. My problem is
>> that after archiving them, I can't compare the 'effort' with the
>> actual 'clock time' easily (i.e. using `C-c C-x C-c    
>> (org-agenda-columns)` doesn't return the same results in my original
>> org file as it does in the archived file.)
> 
> I can't replicate this. Could you provide an minimal example that
> demonstrates the problem?
> 
>> **What's a workflow that will allow me to open up my archived TO-DOs
>> to evaluate them?**
> 
> I would probably do the same thing you did: i.e., use column view in the
> archive file. You could also try including archive files in the agenda
> ("v A") and then using column view in the agenda. That would have the
> effect of merging archived and non-archived tasks into a single view.
> 
> Best,
> Matt