Business segment information (disaggregated revenue information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	$ 486,423	$ 499,065
United States [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	457,536	469,905
Foreign, primarily Canada and Australia [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	28,887	29,160
Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	77,040	65,150
Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member] | United States [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	68,358	56,944
Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member] | Foreign, primarily Canada and Australia [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	8,682	8,206
Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	75,945	78,288
Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member] | United States [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	68,070	69,451
Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member] | Foreign, primarily Canada and Australia [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	7,875	8,837
Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	142,794	155,829
Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member] | United States [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	136,814	149,423
Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member] | Foreign, primarily Canada and Australia [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	5,980	6,406
Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	190,644	199,798
Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member] | United States [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	184,294	194,087
Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member] | Foreign, primarily Canada and Australia [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	6,350	5,711
Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	190,644	199,798
Checks [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Checks [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Checks [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Checks [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	190,644	199,798
Forms and other products [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	81,813	86,706
Forms and other products [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Forms and other products [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Forms and other products [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	81,813	86,706
Forms and other products [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Marketing and promotional solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	60,981	69,123
Marketing and promotional solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Marketing and promotional solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Marketing and promotional solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	60,981	69,123
Marketing and promotional solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Treasury management solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	56,867	45,471
Treasury management solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	56,867	45,471
Treasury management solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Treasury management solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Treasury management solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Data-driven marketing solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	38,997	36,784
Data-driven marketing solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Data-driven marketing solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	38,997	36,784
Data-driven marketing solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Data-driven marketing solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Web and hosted solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	36,948	41,504
Web and hosted solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Web and hosted solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	36,948	41,504
Web and hosted solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Web and hosted solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Other payments solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	20,173	19,679
Other payments solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Payments [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	20,173	19,679
Other payments solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Cloud Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Other payments solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Promotional Solutions [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	0	0
Other payments solutions [Member] | Reportable business segments [Member] | Checks [Member]
Disaggregated revenue information
Revenue	$ 0	$ 0