Formally exact quantum mechanical expressions for cumulative transition matrix elements mu (jk)(xi ,E) = Sigma (n)([j \mu (epsilon)\E,xi ,n(-)][E,xi ,n(-)\mu (epsilon)\k], central to one photon coherent control scenarios of photodissociation, are derived. The resultant approach bypasses the need for solving the complete state-to-state quantum mechanical reactive scattering problem to obtain control results. These exact expressions are implemented both quantum mechanically and via a semiclassical initial value representation method to investigate coherent control in the generic photodissociation of a triatomic into more than one product. The semiclassical approach is shown to provide an accurate description of bimolecular control in this system.