A Control Panel is a web-based interface via which you can handle numerous aspects of your presence online. As an example, you could create or edit site files, set up and check e-mail messages, control databases, check visitor stats and so forth. Those things are carried out using buttons and menus inside a web browser and the CP could also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the administration area associated with your web hosting account. Most of the Control Panels available will permit you to handle all hosting-related matters, but you'll normally need a different system to take care of payments or to get a new domain name when the company offers domain registrations. Based on the platform they employ, you may be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to troubleshoot and fix an issue too, or you may have to use a 3rd system.