Document:

Exhibit 10.17

                      DESCRIPTION OF NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
                            COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS

Directors who are employees of the Company do not receive compensation for their
service on the Board other than their compensation as employees. During 1998,
Directors who were not employees of the Company ("Independent Directors") each
received a $50,000 annual board retainer, payable quarterly. An additional
$12,500 annual committee retainer was paid to the chair of each committee and a
$7,500 annual committee retainer was paid to each other member of a committee.
Fees are not paid for attendance at meetings. In addition to the foregoing,
Independent Directors may receive compensation for the performance of duties
assigned by the Board or its Committees that are considered beyond the scope of
the ordinary responsibilities of Directors or Committee members.

In November 1997, the Company adopted the Deluxe Corporation Non-Employee Stock
and Deferral Plan (the "Director Plan"). The purpose of the Director Plan is to
provide an opportunity for Independent Directors to increase their ownership of
Common Stock and thereby align their interest in the long-term success of the
Company with that of the Company's other shareholders. Under the Director Plan,
each Independent Director may irrevocably elect to receive, in lieu of cash,
shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to at least 50% of his
or her annual board and committee retainer (collectively, the "Retainer"). The
shares of Common Stock receivable pursuant to the Director Plan are issued
quarterly or, at the option of the Independent Director, credited to the
Director in the form of deferred restricted stock units. These units vest and
are converted into shares of Common Stock on the earlier of the tenth
anniversary of the February 1st of the year following the year in which the
Independent Director ceases to serve on the Company's Board of Directors or such
other date as is elected by the Independent Director in his or her deferral
election.

Each restricted stock unit receives dividend equivalent payments equal to the
dividend payment on one share of Common Stock. Any restricted stock units issued
pursuant to the Director Plan will vest and be converted into shares of Common
Stock in connection with certain defined changes in control of the Company. All
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Director Plan are issued under the
Stock Incentive Plan and must be held by the Independent Director receiving them
for a minimum period of six months from the date of issuance.

Each new Independent Director receives a one-time grant of 1,000 shares of
restricted stock under the Stock Incentive Plan as of the date of his or her
initial election to the Board of Directors. The restricted stock vests in equal
installments on the dates of the Company's regular shareholders' meetings in
each of the three years following the date of grant, provided that the Director
remains in office immediately following the regular meeting. Restricted stock
awards also vest immediately upon an Independent Director's retirement from the
Board in accordance with the Company's policy with respect to mandatory
retirement.

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In 1997, each Independent Director elected at the 1997 Meeting received a
non-qualified option to purchase 1,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock
under the Stock Incentive Plan on the date of the 1997 Meeting. These options
have an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying Common
Stock on the date of grant, became fully exercisable six months after the date
of grant and will expire on the tenth anniversary of such date. The options also
terminate three months following the date upon which a participant ceases to be
a Director of the Company. This option program was discontinued in 1998.

Benefits under the Company's previous Board retirement plan were frozen
following the adoption of the Director Plan. As a result, no additional benefits
will be accrued for current Directors or be offered to newly elected Directors.
Under the current provisions of the Board retirement plan, Independent Directors
with at least five years of service as an Independent Director who resign or are
not nominated for re-election will receive an annual payment equal to the annual
Board retainer in effect on July 1, 1997 ($30,000 per year) for the number of
years during which the retiree served on the Board as an Independent Director
prior to October 31, 1997. In calculating a Director's eligibility for benefits
under this plan, partial years of service are rounded up to the nearest whole
number. Retirement payments do not extend beyond the lifetime of the retiree and
are contingent upon the retiree's remaining available for consultation with
management and refraining from engaging in any activity in competition with the
Company. All of the current Independent Directors (other than Hatim Tyabji) are
eligible for benefits under this plan. Allen F. Jacobson, who retired from the
Board in January 1999, is entitled to receive benefits under this plan for up to
seven years following his retirement and Whitney MacMillan, who retired from the
Board in May 1999, will be eligible to receive benefits for up to 10 years
following his retirement.Exhibit 10.21

                                                                   Rev. 10-28-99

                   AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE RETENTION AGREEMENT

This Amendment to Executive Retention Agreement ("Amendment") is made as of the
1st day of November, 1999, by and between Deluxe Corporation (the "Company") and
John A. Blanchard III ("Executive").

WHEREAS, the Company and Executive entered into an Executive Retention Agreement
dated January 9, 1998 which was intended to assure the Company of Executive's
continued dedication notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a
Change of Control or Other Business Combination (as defined in the Executive
Retention Agreement, hereinafter referred to as the "Retention Agreement"), all
as provided in and subject to the provisions of the Retention Agreement;

WHEREAS, since entering the Retention Agreement, the Company has considered
other strategic alternatives which may involve a spin off, split up or other
similar strategy ("Strategic Alternative") which are not covered by the
Retention Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that it is in the
best interests of the Company and its shareholders to reduce the inevitable
distractions associated with, and to assure the Company of the continued
dedication of the Executive notwithstanding, the possible implementation of one
of the Strategic Alternatives and has, therefore, caused the Company to enter
this Amendment;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
Company and Executive agree as follows:

       1.     The capitalized terms in this Amendment shall have the meanings
              ascribed to them in the Retention Agreement unless otherwise
              defined herein.

       2.     Section I.G.2 is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by
              the following provision:

              "(a) a sale, spin off, split up or other similar divestiture by
              the Company of all or a substantial portion of its non-check
              printing assets, business units and/or Affiliates (excluding those
              assets, business units and Affiliates that have been offered for
              sale prior to January 9, 1998), whether or not the Company
              receives consideration in connection therewith (the "Non-Check
              Printing Businesses"), or the sale, spin off, split up or other
              similar divestiture by the Company of all or a substantial portion
              of its check printing assets, business units and/or Affiliates,
              whether or not the Company receives consideration in connection
              therewith (the "Non-Check Printing Businesses") or (b) the
              creation and public issuance of any class of Company securities
              that is intended to track the assets, business or performance of
              the Check

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              Printing Businesses or the Non-Check Printing Businesses, whether
              or not the Company receives consideration in connection with the
              issuance thereof or whether such publicly issued securities
              represent all or a portion of the Company's interest in the Check
              Printing Businesses or the Non-Check Printing Businesses."

       3.     Insert a new sentence at the end of Section IV.C.1., as follows:

              "For avoidance of doubt, the occurrence of an Other Business
              Combination described in clause (a) of Section I.G.2. shall
              constitute a diminution of Executive's position, authority, duties
              and responsibilities within the meaning of this Section, whether
              or not Executive is offered, accepts or continues employment by
              the Company, a purchaser or any entity resulting from or created
              by the Other Business Combination."

       4.     Insert the following at the end of Section III.B.2, as follows:

              "If the compensation plan under which Executive receives an Annual
              Incentive Payment permits the Executive to elect to receive other
              consideration (such as, for example, shares or units of the
              Company's common stock) in lieu of cash or to defer the receipt of
              any such payment (whether in cash or other form of consideration),
              and Executive makes the election to receive such consideration or
              to defer receipt of such payment, the Annual Incentive Payment
              herein shall be deemed to have been made at the time and to be
              equal to the amount of cash Executive would otherwise have
              received, had Executive not made such election. Any such amount
              shall also be included in the computation of the Recent Annual
              Incentive Payment."

       5.     Insert the following at the end of Section III. B.3:

              "In order to prevent dilution of the benefits or potential
              benefits to Executive associated with stock-based compensation
              awards made to Executive prior to the Effective Date, the Company
              shall make the adjustments to the number of shares subject to the
              said stock-based awards and, if applicable, the exercise price
              thereof (which may include the issuance of new or replacement
              awards and/or awards involving the securities of any entity that
              results from a split-up, spin off or similar corporate division),
              contemplated by Section 4 (c) of the Deluxe Corporation Stock
              Incentive Plan, or any similar provision contained in a plan under
              which such stock-based compensation awards were made, or in the
              absence of a plan, or a similar provision in the plan under which
              such stock-based compensation awards were made, as if such
              provision had been included in the relevant award agreement or
              plan under which such stock-based compensation awards were made to
              Executive."

       6.     Insert a new Section V.A.3.(e), as follows:

              "Unless Executive is provided the benefits described in clause (d)
              hereof, and if, and to the extent that, the number of shares
              and/or exercise price of stock based awards made to Executive have
              not previously been adjusted as provided in Section III. B.3.,

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              in order to prevent dilution of the benefits or potential benefits
              to Executive associated with stock-based compensation awards made
              to Executive, the Company shall make the adjustments to the number
              of shares subject to the said stock-based awards and, if
              applicable, the exercise price thereof (which may include the
              issuance of new or replacement awards and/or awards involving the
              securities of any entity that results from a split-up, spin off or
              similar corporate division), contemplated by Section 4 (c) of the
              Deluxe Corporation Stock Incentive Plan, or any similar provision
              contained in a plan under which such stock-based compensation
              awards were made, or in the absence of a plan, or a similar
              provision in the plan under which such stock-based compensation
              awards were made, as if such provision had been included in the
              relevant award agreement or plan under which such stock-based
              compensation awards were made to Executive. If Executive is
              compensated under the provisions of clause (d) hereof, in
              determining the economic equivalent value therein provided, the
              Company shall take into account the adjustments herein described."

       7.     Delete the words "without adjustment in the case of death or
              Disability" appearing in the last sentence of Section V.A.1.(c).

       8.     The last sentence of Section VIII.A. is hereby deleted in its
              entirety and replaced by the following provision:

              "For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment,
              the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income tax at the
              highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar
              year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made (determined by
              giving affect to the maximum loss of itemized deductions that
              could be suffered by the Executive by virtue of his receipt of the
              Gross-Up Payment) and state and local income taxes at the highest
              marginal rate of taxation in the state and locality of Executive's
              residence on the Date of Termination (or if there is no Date of
              Termination, then the date on which the Gross-Up Payment is
              calculated for purposes of this Section VIII.A.), net of the
              maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained
              from deduction of such state and local taxes."

       9.     This Amendment shall be retroactive, taking effect as of the date
              of the Retention Agreement, and, except as modified herein, the
              Retention Agreement shall continue in full force and effect in
              accordance with the terms thereof.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, that parties hereto have executed this Amendment as
       of the day and year first above written.

       DELUXE CORPORATION                              Executive

       By:  /s/ John H. LeFevre                        /s/ John A. Blanchard III
         -------------------------                     -------------------------
                John H. LeFevre                        John A. Blanchard III
       Title: General Counsel

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