magento "erasing" simple products from configurable association

Question

This is in magento 2.1.3

I have a bunch of simple products imported, as well as the configurable product that is supposed to be imported.

At first I could not find the link to "add products manually" under configurations. Then I read that you have to first add a configuration through the wizard for that option to show.

So I added a fake configuration through the wizard, and then I am able to associate the simple products. I click save on the configurable product, and then the simple products that were added disappear.

I know this whole system seems a little finicky right now, but is there something I am missing that would make it work?

Answer 1

This one caught me the first time also.

When you are creating the configurable product, save it before you create or add the simple associations. After adding the simples hit save again and it will work.