A Control Panel is a web-based user interface where you can handle different aspects of your presence online. For instance, you may create or modify website files, set up and check email messages, control databases, check visitor stats etc. Those things are done through buttons and menus in a browser and the Control Panel may also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the administrative area associated with your hosting account. Most Control Panels available will permit you to handle all hosting-related matters, but you'll often require a different system to control payments or to get a new domain in case the company offers domain registrations. Depending on the platform they utilize, you may be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to resolve a problem as well, or you may have to use a third system.