QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021		Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Total revenue			$ 454,492	$ 439,461	$ 410,405	$ 486,423	$ 2,022,197	$ 1,790,781	$ 2,008,715
Gross profit			262,514	265,000	248,122	284,374	1,137,927	1,060,010	1,195,780
Net (loss) income attributable to Deluxe			$ 24,663	$ 29,417	$ 14,859	$ (63,695)	$ 62,633	$ 5,244	$ (223,779)
(Loss) earnings per share
Earnings (loss) per share - basic			$ 0.59	$ 0.70	$ 0.36	$ (1.52)	$ 1.48	$ 0.12	$ (5.20)
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted			0.58	0.70	0.35	(1.53)	1.45	0.11	(5.20)
Cash dividends per share			$ 0.30	$ 0.30	$ 0.30	$ 0.30	$ 1.20	$ 1.20	$ 1.20
Items affecting fourth quarter results
Restructuring and integration expense	$ 17,862		$ 21,551				$ 58,947	$ 79,339	$ 74,810
Discrete income tax expense (benefit)	$ 4,186	[1]	$ (837)

[1] The fourth quarter 2021 amount relates primarily to withholding taxes due on the repatriation of cash from our Canadian subsidiaries (Note 10).