clarifies mf timespine & creates mini guide

website/docs/docs/build/metricflow-time-spine.md

@@ -10,22 +10,40 @@ tags: [Metrics, Semantic Layer]
 
 It's common in analytics engineering to have a date dimension or "time spine" table as a base table for different types of time-based joins and aggregations. The structure of this table is typically a base column of daily or hourly dates, with additional columns for other time grains, like fiscal quarters, defined based on the base column. You can join other tables to the time spine on the base column to calculate metrics like revenue at a point in time, or to aggregate to a specific time grain.
 
-MetricFlow requires you to define at least one dbt model which provides a time-spine, and then specify (in YAML) the columns to be used for time-based joins. MetricFlow will join against the time-spine model for the following types of metrics and dimensions:
+To use MetricFlow with time-based metrics and dimensions, you _must_ provide a time spine table. This table serves as the foundation for time-based joins and aggregations. You can either:
+
+- Create a time spine SQL table from scratch (check out the [example time spine tables](#example-time-spine-tables) section for examples), or
+- Use an existing table in your project, like a `dim_date` table
+
+And once you have a time spine table, you need to configure it in YAML to tell MetricFlow how to use it.
+
+## Prerequisites
+MetricFlow requires you to define at least one dbt model which provides a time-spine, and then specify (in YAML) the columns to be used for time-based joins. This means you need to:
+
+- Define at least one [time spine table](#example-time-spine-tables) at the whichever granularity needed for your metrics (either daily or hourly). You can optionally define additional tables for coarser grains (like monthly or yearly).
+- [Configure each time spine table in a YAML file](#configuring-time-spine-in-yaml) to define how MetricFlow recognizes and uses its columns.
+
+ MetricFlow will then join against the time spine model for the following types of metrics and dimensions:
 
 - [Cumulative metrics](/docs/build/cumulative)
 - [Metric offsets](/docs/build/derived#derived-metric-offset)
 - [Conversion metrics](/docs/build/conversion)
 - [Slowly Changing Dimensions](/docs/build/dimensions#scd-type-ii)
 - [Metrics](/docs/build/metrics-overview) with the `join_to_timespine` configuration set to true
 
-To see the generated SQL for the metric and dimension types that use time spine joins, refer to the respective documentation or add the `compile=True` flag when querying the Semantic Layer to return the compiled SQL.
+To see the generated SQL for the metric and dimension types that use time spine joins, refer to the respective documentation or add the `compile=true` flag when querying the Semantic Layer to return the compiled SQL.
 
 ## Configuring time spine in YAML
 
+:::tip Use our mini guide to create a time spine table
+For a quick start guide on how to create a time spine table, check out our [MetricFlow time spine mini guide](/guides/mf-time-spine)!
+:::
+
  Time spine models are normal dbt models with extra configurations that tell dbt and MetricFlow how to use specific columns by defining their properties. Add the [`models` key](/reference/model-properties) for the time spine in your `models/` directory. If your project already includes a calendar table or date dimension, you can configure that table as a time spine. Otherwise, review the [example time-spine tables](#example-time-spine-tables) to create one. If the relevant model file doesn't exist, create it and add the configuration mentioned in the [next section](#creating-a-time-spine-table).
 
  Some things to note when configuring time spine models:
 
+- Make sure you already have a time spine SQL table defined in your project.
 - Add the configurations under the `time_spine` key for that [model's properties](/reference/model-properties), just as you would add a description or tests.
 - You only need to configure time-spine models that the Semantic Layer should recognize.
 - At a minimum, define a time-spine table for a daily grain.
@@ -145,6 +163,13 @@ Note that if you're migrating from a `metricflow_time_spine.sql` file:
 
 ## Example time spine tables
 
+The following examples show how to create time spine tables at different granularities:
+
+- [Daily](#daily)
+- [Daily (BigQuery)](#daily-bigquery)
+- [Hourly](#hourly)
+
+
 ### Daily
 
 <File name="metricflow_time_spine.sql">
@@ -333,6 +358,11 @@ You only need to include the `date_day` column in the table. MetricFlow can hand
 
 ## Custom calendar <Lifecycle status="Preview"/>
 
+:::tip
+Check out our mini guide on [how to create a time spine table](/guides/mf-time-spine) to get started!
+:::
+
+
 <VersionBlock lastVersion="1.8">
 
 The ability to configure custom calendars, such as a fiscal calendar, is available now in [the "Latest" release track in dbt Cloud](/docs/dbt-versions/cloud-release-tracks), and it will be available in [dbt Core v1.9+](/docs/dbt-versions/core-upgrade/upgrading-to-v1.9). 
@@ -385,3 +415,9 @@ models:
 Note that features like calculating offsets and period-over-period will be supported soon!
 
 </VersionBlock>
+
+
+## Related docs
+
+- [MetricFlow time granularity](/docs/build/dimensions?dimension=time_gran#time)
+- [MetricFlow time spine mini guide](/guides/mf-time-spine)