Restructuring charges (restructuring accruals by year and by segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended	36 Months Ended	72 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		$ 4,181	$ 3,864	$ 4,276	$ 3,864	$ 4,276
Restructuring charges		7,866	7,276	6,229			$ 45,152	[1]
Restructuring reversals		(667)	(864)	(1,197)			(5,729)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				0			0	[1]
Payments		(7,000)	(6,095)	(5,444)			(35,043)	[1]
Balance, end of year		4,380	4,181	3,864	4,380	4,380	4,380
2017 Initiatives [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		0	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges		7,222	0	0
Restructuring reversals		(161)	0	0
Payments		(2,713)	0	0
Balance, end of year		4,348	0	0	4,348	4,348	4,348
2016 initiatives [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		4,101	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges		603	7,198	0	7,801
Restructuring reversals		(464)	(281)	0	(745)
Payments		(4,208)	(2,816)	0	(7,024)
Balance, end of year		32	4,101	0	32	32	32
2015 initiatives [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		80	3,688	0	3,688	0
Restructuring charges		41	78	6,127		6,246
Restructuring reversals		(42)	(472)	(458)		(972)
Payments		(79)	(3,214)	(1,981)		(5,274)
Balance, end of year		0	80	3,688	0	0	0
2012 - 2014 initiatives [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		0	176	4,276	176	4,276
Restructuring charges		0	0	102			23,883
Restructuring reversals		0	(111)	(739)			(3,851)
Payments		0	(65)	(3,463)			(20,032)
Balance, end of year		0	0	176	0	0	0
Employee severance [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Restructuring reversals		(667)	(864)	(1,197)
Employee severance [Member] | Small Business Services [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		1,183	1,023	1,412	1,023	1,412
Restructuring charges		2,032	2,634	2,254			15,363	[1]
Restructuring reversals		(214)	(369)	(684)			(2,566)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				41			41	[1]
Payments		(2,212)	(2,105)	(2,000)			(12,049)	[1]
Balance, end of year		789	1,183	1,023	789	789	789
Employee severance [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		1,341	884	1,848	884	1,848
Restructuring charges		2,168	1,937	1,451			12,341	[1]
Restructuring reversals		(93)	(64)	(235)			(967)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				(14)			(14)	[1]
Payments		(2,018)	(1,416)	(2,166)			(9,962)	[1]
Balance, end of year		1,398	1,341	884	1,398	1,398	1,398
Employee severance [Member] | Direct Checks [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		7	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges		143	143	0			871	[1]
Restructuring reversals		(4)	(2)	0			(65)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				0			(25)	[1]
Payments		(6)	(134)	0			(641)	[1]
Balance, end of year		140	7	0	140	140	140
Employee severance [Member] | Corporate
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	[2]	1,650	1,859	984	1,859	984
Restructuring charges	[2]	3,500	2,503	2,186			15,545	[1]
Restructuring reversals	[2]	(356)	(429)	(278)			(1,974)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				(27)			(2)	[1],[2]
Payments	[2]	(2,745)	(2,283)	(1,006)			(11,520)	[1]
Balance, end of year	[2]	2,049	1,650	1,859	2,049	2,049	2,049
Operating lease obligations [Member] | Small Business Services [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		0	56	32	56	32
Restructuring charges		23	59	285			809	[1]
Restructuring reversals		0	0	0			(157)	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				0			0	[1]
Payments		(19)	(115)	(261)			(648)	[1]
Balance, end of year		4	0	56	4	4	4
Operating lease obligations [Member] | Financial Services [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		0	42	0	42	0
Restructuring charges		0	0	53			53	[1]
Restructuring reversals		0	0	0			0	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				0			0	[1]
Payments		0	(42)	11			(53)	[1]
Balance, end of year		0	0	42	0	0	0
Operating lease obligations [Member] | Direct Checks [Member]
Restructuring accruals [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		0	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges		0	0	0			170	[1]
Restructuring reversals		0	0	0			0	[1]
Inter-segment transfer				0			0	[1]
Payments		0	0	0			(170)	[1]
Balance, end of year		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

[1] Includes accruals related to our cost reduction initiatives for 2012 through 2017.

[2] As discussed in Note 16, corporate costs are allocated to our business segments. As such, the net corporate restructuring charges are reflected in the business segment operating income presented in Note 16 in accordance with our allocation methodology.