A Control Panel is a web-based user interface through which you can handle different aspects of your presence online. For example, you can set up or change website files, set up and check e-mail messages, manage databases, check visitor statistics and so forth. These things are performed via buttons and menus within a web browser and the CP may also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the admin area associated with your hosting account. Most of the Control Panels these days will allow you to manage all hosting-related matters, but you'll commonly need a different system to handle payments or to get a new domain when the company offers domain registrations. Depending on the platform they utilize, you can 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 third system.