Keep in mind I make up numbers without a good knowledge of how your game mechanics work, since you seem to be working on them now.
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If your archeo actions are a fixed point system, perhaps a start with a base of 100 and add +2? per planet controlled.
For your search vs unlock it would be pretty straight forward. Use a # of datacrystal setting. This way one could say if I have 5 data crystals prioritize unlocking over finding. If there are less than that # number then allocate the points to finding new crystals.
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If you have a good idea what is in the datacrystals a simple priority list, going with abstract categories (military, industrial, transportation, etc.) would be just fine. Then during processing of turn you simply run top down through the list and see if that type is in your datacrystal pile and if it is check if you have enough points to open, then repeat the process till you are out. Do unlocking *before* exploration so that if you run out of datacrystals and still have points to explore you do explore.
You might want to tier your finds. Tier 1 would be for common items like a basic engine or cell phone and Tier 10 would be for Death Tech Insta Destructo Annihilator Beam. Then you could simply square the tier to determine how many archeo points are needed to open it. Tier 1 = (1*1) = , Tier 2 = (2*2) = 4, ... Tier 10 = (10 * 10) = 100.
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Since you don't like micro managing stuff I am sure you will have a save/load default settings buttons somewhere so a person can simply import their standard settings from a previous game or game data folder.
Being as such, simply using a priority list of alien race 1-3 and the type of ruins and mission of ruins in priority lists shouldn't be that big of a problem. Since everything except the interface will be handled by the game turn processing it shouldn't be a problem.
Make each alien type have base static points of technology found. Then they will be the same in each game. (might want to add more alien types)
Alien 1 (military = 34, industrial = 33, transportation = 33, etc. don't forget priority point setting for rank in list 1st = 3, 2nd = 2, 3rd = 1)
Alien 2 (military = 20, industrial = 20, transportation = 60, etc.)
Alien 3 (military = 50, industrial = 25, transportation = 25, etc.)
Then use a simple list of ruins types and ruin mission type with extra points to add to the find possibilty. Make the effect greatest from the smallest type of ruins and the least from major sized ruins. The thought on this is that an outpost maybe small but would be used for the most dangerous experiments, whereas technology from a metropolis could easily be found but be pretty common technology. A military outpost would have been set up to test a new dangerous weapon or system so finding the remains of it may be difficult but worth it if you find it. On the other hand a large or major city would have a lot of tech just laying out making it easy to find but would for the most part be the safest general consumer technology. Not sure what your effects will be so not sure how to layout handling of that so I put effect and max mod as an idea of how to handle the effects of gaining tech. As above the effect might be a better chance at a higher tier technology datacrystal.
Ruin Type (remember to set priority point for rank in list [with 7 types rank 1 = 7, rank 2 = 6, etc.])
Outpost (Find +5 pts) (Effect +250 Max Mod +200%)
Base (Find +10) (Effect +100 Max Mod +170%)
Colony (Find +15) (Effect +50 Max Mod +140%)
Small City (Find +25) (Effect +25 Max Mod +110%)
Medium City (Find +50) (Effect +15 Max Mod +80%)
Large City (Find +100) (Effect +10 Max Mod +50%)
Metropolis (Find +250) (Effect +5 Max Mod +20%)
Ruin Mission (use percent mods for the ruins primary mission type
probably need to be expanded, don't forget to set the rank points [currently with 3; rank 1 = 3, rank 2 = 2, rank 1 = 1])
Trading ( military = 100%, industrial = 100%, transportation = 100%, etc.)
Military ( military = 200%, industrial = 50%, transportation = 50%, etc.)
Agriculture ( military = 10%, industrial = 150%, transportation = 100%, etc.)
Any time the player changes these settings you would need to rerank the ruin sites for quick handling and prioritization.
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As for the question of how to make it harder to excavate that sounds like a zone of control type of system.
If you have control, "your planets, green planets" this would be full effect archeo digs.
After that you could simply go by distance with a absolute minimum success rate. Absolute minimum success rate is 5% non-hostile?
Set the range at which it becomes the absolute minimum. 100 light years/units? This lets you set any from that distance out at 5% success chance. Then calculate distances from the nearest friendly planet to the taret planet and set the percent chance. Also if the planet was enemy controlled "red" then halve the success rate at the end of the equation.
Failure would simply be a loss of archeo points for that expedition, and if you want it could count vs the number of chances to excavate that ruin site.
With that in mind you would normally target the highest percent chance of success first. So pretty simple to automate.
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Basically you can stick to a few simple priority lists on an archeo screen and minimize the micro managing to a few clicks whenever someone wanted to change what they were after.
