Business segment information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Business segment information [Abstract]
Number of reportable business segments	3				3				3	3	3
Percentage of consolidated revenue which must be exceeded to qualify as a major customer									10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Depreciation and amortization expense related to corporate assets which was allocated to the segments									$ 42,211	$ 38,808	$ 37,056
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	366,426	355,144	346,274	349,752	351,488	367,633	347,996	335,120	1,417,596	1,402,237	1,344,195
Operating income									271,058	281,544	190,589
Depreciation and amortization expense									73,343	73,915	67,765
Asset impairment charges	1,196								1,196	0	24,900
Total assets	1,388,809				1,308,691				1,388,809	1,308,691	1,211,210
Capital asset purchases									35,506	43,932	44,266
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue	366,426	355,144	346,274	349,752	351,488	367,633	347,996	335,120	1,417,596	1,402,237	1,344,195
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	366,426	355,144	346,274	349,752	351,488	367,633	347,996	335,120	1,417,596	1,402,237	1,344,195
Long-lived assets	1,139,678				1,086,685				1,139,678	1,086,685	996,505
Foreign, primarily Canada [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									83,056	77,074	68,310
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									83,056	77,074	68,310
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									83,056	77,074	68,310
Long-lived assets	11,409				13,359				11,409	13,359	16,006
Checks, including contract settlements [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									871,731	896,563	853,729
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									871,731	896,563	853,729
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									871,731	896,563	853,729
Forms [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									195,905	194,724	198,855
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									195,905	194,724	198,855
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									195,905	194,724	198,855
Accessories and other products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									126,949	123,264	129,323
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									126,949	123,264	129,323
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									126,949	123,264	129,323
Marketing solutions, including services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									150,973	126,211	112,848
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									150,973	126,211	112,848
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									150,973	126,211	112,848
Other serices [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									72,038	61,475	49,440
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									72,038	61,475	49,440
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									72,038	61,475	49,440
Small Business Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of check revenue (in hundredths)	47.20%				48.30%				47.20%	48.30%	47.70%
Revenue from external customers									846,449	796,254	785,109
Operating income									145,219	137,534	60,804
Depreciation and amortization expense									44,706	45,163	52,507
Asset impairment charges									1,196	0	24,900
Total assets	836,918				772,799				836,918	772,799	778,191
Capital asset purchases									0	0	0
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									846,449	796,254	785,109
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									846,449	796,254	785,109
Financial Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									342,382	390,331	396,353
Operating income									59,804	84,158	75,091
Depreciation and amortization expense									13,009	11,788	10,946
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
Total assets	99,803				66,065				99,803	66,065	57,716
Capital asset purchases									0	0	0
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									342,382	390,331	396,353
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									342,382	390,331	396,353
Direct Checks [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									228,765	215,652	162,733
Operating income									66,035	59,852	54,694
Depreciation and amortization expense									15,628	16,964	4,312
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
Total assets	173,435				178,880				173,435	178,880	96,288
Capital asset purchases									0	0	0
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									228,765	215,652	162,733
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									228,765	215,652	162,733
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									0	0	0
Operating income									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0	0	0
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
Total assets	278,653				290,947				278,653	290,947	279,015
Capital asset purchases									35,506	43,932	44,266
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0