A Control Panel is a web-based interface using which you can handle numerous aspects of your online presence. For example, you could set up or edit website files, create and check emails, control databases, check visitor statistics and so on. These things are done via buttons and menus in an internet browser and the CP can also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the administrative area associated with your web hosting account. Most Control Panels these days will permit you to control all hosting-related matters, but you'll normally require a different system to handle payments or to get a new domain when the company offers domain registrations. Depending on the platform they employ, you can be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to diagnose a problem too, or you may need to use a 3rd system.