How do I view past 'deferred due' tasks?

OmniFocus
#1

I keep losing site of Deferred Due tasks that are in the past. Due tasks show up as in the Past. But how do I view past Deferred Tasks?

#2

Deferring a task to a date in the future marks it as unavailable in the present.
When the defer-date comes, the task becomes available again, just as all tasks without a defer date.

There is no difference between an available task without a defer date and an available task with a defer date in the past.

But, if you want to keep track of them, you may be able to create a perspecitve that groups tasks by defer date.

#3

You can set the Forecast view to show deferred as well as due, but like a lot of people I use a custom perspective for what I need/would like to do today.

There are many different ways to work, I used to use the perspectives recommended by David Sparks (MacSparky) but now use the set up evangelised here http://www.usingomnifocus.com/ which while complex if you embrace the ideas really works!

#4

My forecast view does show deferred but not the ones that are from yesterday and in the past.
Therefore if a day goes by I lose all the deferred tasks.

How do I set up Forecast to show all the PAST tasks?

Thanks

#5

Deferred tasks can only be shown in the Forecast perspective the day they become available. Then they disappear from that view. Treacherous in other words. You may, as suggested, create a perspective that groups tasks by defer date. You may also, like me, give tasks you defer a context Deferred, and show that context in a perspective. That is a bit cumbersome, though, as you have to remember to give the context to every task you want to see in that perspective when you defer the task.

#6

Try this (courtesy of MacSparky) a today view which shows current and past tasks not completed.

Screen Shot 2014-06-10 at 9.55.00 PM.png1000×1252 277 KB

#7

I’m using OmniFocus 2, I don’t see a today view like you have.

To solve this I’ve just stopped using Deferred Tasks. I was never getting to them anyways. I just make everything with a Due date or Next Action, and then Flag the Top 5 tasks.

I’m trusting this will work :)

#8

It’s a Perspective which you have to create for yourself…

#9

I don’t think I can create custom perspectives with the non-pro version

#10

I think I’d be more concerned about the due date over the deferred date when I’m prioritising which task I want to complete first.

#11

You’ll need the pro version to obtain the ability to create custom perspectives. It’s a nice feature to have. Save custom perspectives to show lists your way. In my life, I have a perspective to show only work related tasks or to show only home tasks. Then I have a perspective that shows just errands.