Using device tracking in Google efficiently

Hello everyone! I recently bought an android tablet and I was just checking its features. There is this device tracking feature by Google, it provides the facility to track your device in case of a mishap. So I want to know that if somehow I lose my tablet or it is stolen, how I use the device tracking feature properly? Is there anything which needs to be activated in my tablet before the event where it gets lost so that I can find out the location?
