Hi there tjcore,
I want to ensure you're getting the proper advice for how to record this income in your QuickBooks Desktop account. I can appreciate that you're unsure whether or not you'd have to show this as commission earned. This is something you'll have to run by your accountant.
I recommend consulting with them to figure out the best way to document this. Depending on their advice, I would then be happy to show you how to record this income in your Desktop account.
Feel free to reach out or comment below if you have any other questions.
Have a great day.