A Control Panel is a web-based user interface through which you can control numerous aspects of your web presence. As an illustration, you may create or edit site files, create and check e-mail messages, handle databases, check visitor statistics etc. Those things are executed using buttons and menus within a browser and the CP may also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the admin area associated with your web hosting account. Most Control Panels these days will enable you to control all hosting-related matters, but you shall usually require a different system to deal with payments or to get a new domain name if the company offers domain registrations. Depending on the platform they use, you may be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to troubleshoot and fix a problem as well, or you may have to use a 3rd system.