Supplemental guarantor financial information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 146,942	$ 121,089	$ 52,830	$ 45,435
Trade accounts receivable, net	85,376	88,049
Inventories and supplies	32,737	28,966
Deferred income taxes	6,655	6,946
Funds held for customers	41,700	42,425
Other current assets	30,777	31,838
Total current assets	344,187	319,313
Deferred income taxes	1,586	1,851
Long-term investments	45,697	44,451
Property, plant and equipment, net	96,752	101,343
Assets held for sale	26,762	25,451
Intangibles, net	154,440	153,576
Goodwill	823,008	822,777
Investments In consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	143,968	100,767
Total assets	1,636,400	1,569,529	1,447,969
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	72,238	71,492
Accrued liabilities	159,486	162,990
Long-term debt due within one year	254,791	255,589
Total current liabilities	486,515	490,071
Long-term debt	391,185	385,115
Deferred income taxes	84,553	82,814
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	92,314	61,072
Total shareholders' equity	581,833	550,457
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,636,400	1,569,529
Deluxe Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	92,141	71,972	14,720	14,862
Trade accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories and supplies	0	0
Deferred income taxes	3,784	2,698
Funds held for customers	0	0
Other current assets	8,754	8,266
Total current assets	104,679	82,936
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Long-term investments	37,864	35,155
Property, plant and equipment, net	5,073	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Intangibles, net	334	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investments In consolidated subsidiaries	1,261,031	1,155,705
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	11,573	8,077
Total assets	1,420,554	1,281,873
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	13,604	11,831
Accrued liabilities	20,604	13,794
Long-term debt due within one year	254,782	255,589
Total current liabilities	288,990	281,214
Long-term debt	391,166	385,115
Deferred income taxes	2,333	2,821
Intercompany payable	129,467	40,565
Other non-current liabilities	26,765	21,701
Total shareholders' equity	581,833	550,457
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,420,554	1,281,873
Guarantor subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	6,651	6,991	2,980	3,228
Trade accounts receivable, net	71,247	70,317
Inventories and supplies	28,109	24,173
Deferred income taxes	2,811	4,198
Funds held for customers	0	0
Other current assets	18,265	20,118
Total current assets	127,083	125,797
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Long-term investments	7,833	9,296
Property, plant and equipment, net	84,550	93,472
Assets held for sale	3,075	4,046
Intangibles, net	151,789	151,361
Goodwill	821,138	820,898
Investments In consolidated subsidiaries	89,084	82,918
Intercompany receivable	129,578	39,192
Other non-current assets	131,934	92,461
Total assets	1,546,064	1,419,441
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	55,326	54,655
Accrued liabilities	90,691	97,577
Long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	146,017	152,232
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	82,220	79,993
Intercompany payable	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	56,796	31,511
Total shareholders' equity	1,261,031	1,155,705
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,546,064	1,419,441
Non-guarantor subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	49,213	45,229	35,931	31,346
Trade accounts receivable, net	14,129	17,732
Inventories and supplies	4,628	4,793
Deferred income taxes	60	50
Funds held for customers	41,700	42,425
Other current assets	3,758	3,454
Total current assets	113,488	113,683
Deferred income taxes	1,586	1,851
Long-term investments	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,129	7,871
Assets held for sale	23,687	21,405
Intangibles, net	2,317	2,215
Goodwill	1,870	1,879
Investments In consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	1,373
Other non-current assets	461	229
Total assets	150,538	150,506
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	4,371	8,109
Accrued liabilities	48,191	51,619
Long-term debt due within one year	9	0
Total current liabilities	52,571	59,728
Long-term debt	19	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Intercompany payable	111	0
Other non-current liabilities	8,753	7,860
Total shareholders' equity	89,084	82,918
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	150,538	150,506
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	(1,063)	(3,103)	(801)	(4,001)
Trade accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories and supplies	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Funds held for customers	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(1,063)	(3,103)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Long-term investments	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Intangibles, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investments In consolidated subsidiaries	(1,350,115)	(1,238,623)
Intercompany receivable	(129,578)	(40,565)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,480,756)	(1,282,291)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(1,063)	(3,103)
Accrued liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,063)	(3,103)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Intercompany payable	(129,578)	(40,565)
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(1,350,115)	(1,238,623)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (1,480,756)	$ (1,282,291)