A Control Panel is a web-based interface where you can handle different aspects of your online presence. For example, you can set up or modify site files, create and check e-mails, manage databases, check visitor statistics and so on. Those things are carried out through buttons and menus in a browser and the Control Panel may also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the admin area associated with your hosting account. Most Control Panels available on the market will permit you to manage all hosting-related matters, but you'll often require a different system to handle payments or to get a new domain 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 diagnose an issue as well, or you might have to use a 3rd system.