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Significant accounting policies (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Dec. 31, 2009
Cash and cash equivalents [Abstract]      
Book overdrafts included in accounts payable $ 2,871 $ 3,007  
Long-term investments [Abstract]      
Investment in domestic mutual funds 2,165 2,283  
Intangible assets [Abstract]      
Intangibles useful life, minimum (in years) 1    
Intangibles useful life, maximum (in years) 20    
Intangibles useful life, weighted-average (in years) 6.2    
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangibles and goodwill [Abstract]      
Revenue projection for goodwill impairment analysis (in years) 5Y    
Contract acquisition costs [Abstract]      
Contract acquisition costs amortization period, minimum (in years) 1    
Contract acquisition costs amortization period, maximum (in years) 10    
Contract acquisition costs amortization period, weighted average (in years) 6.1    
Advertising costs [Abstract]      
Deferred advertising costs amortization period, maximum (in months) 18    
Advertising expense for continuing operations 103,009 93,527 83,099
Income taxes (Abstract]      
Measurement of tax benefit, minimum percentage tax benefit must be likely to be realized (in hundredths) 50.00%    
Employee share based compensation [Abstract]      
Employee stock purchase plan, discount (in hundredths) 15.00%    
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase period (in months) 6M    
Direct Checks [Member]
     
Advertising costs [Abstract]      
Percentage of deferred advertising costs expensed within six months (in hundredths) 84.00%    
Small Business Services [Member]
     
Advertising costs [Abstract]      
Period over which majority of deferred advertising costs are expensed (in months) within six months    
Building [Member]
     
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]      
Useful life, maximum (in years) 40    
Machinery and Equipment [Member]
     
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]      
Useful life, minimum (in years) 1    
Useful life, maximum (in years) 11    
Useful life, weighted average (in years) 7.7    
Domestic mutual fund [Member]
     
Long-term investments [Abstract]      
Investment in domestic mutual funds $ 2,165 $ 2,283