A Control Panel is a web-based interface through which you can handle numerous aspects of your web presence. For instance, you can set up or edit website files, set up and check emails, handle databases, check visitor statistics etc. These things are executed using buttons and menus in a web browser and the Control Panel could also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the administration area associated with your website hosting account. Most of the Control Panels these days will allow you to handle all hosting-related matters, but you will usually require a different system to handle 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 diagnose a problem also, or you may have to employ a 3rd system.