I offer free product samples to potential customers. How do I create an invoice that reflects the samples given and then how do I "receive a payment"?

Good day, userdeliceglace.

I'd be glad to guide you with the steps.

To track promotional samples, you will need to create the following:

• Add an expense account.
• Create an invoice for the item:
• Record a journal entry. This removes the Income, credits the customer in Accounts Receivable, and credits Cost of Goods to record the Expense.

• Create a payment.

Before doing so, please take note of these details:

• Promotional samples given to customers count as inventory items. 
• Inventory tracking is only available in QuickBooks Online Plus.
• If the amount you're writing off will significantly affect your gross sales amount, consult your accountant before making this entry.
• When creating these transactions, be sure that you have the same date for all of them.

First, let's add the expense account.

Here's how:

1. Go to Accounting > Chart of Accounts.
2. Select New.
3. From the Account type drop-down menu, choose Expenses.
4. For Detail type, select Advertising/Promotional.
5. Enter the name (ex. Promotional/Samples-Not for Sale).
6. Click Save and close.

Next, create an invoice for the promotional items by following these steps:

1. Go to + New > Invoice and complete the fields.
2. Hit Save and close after.

Then, create a journal entry to remove the Income, credit the customer in Accounts Receivable, and credit Cost of Goods to record the Expense.

Here are the steps:

1. From the + New window, select Journal Entry and set the date.
2. On the first Line, under Account, select Sales of Product Income.
3. Under Debits, enter the amount you are writing off. Add a Description and Memo, type something like "To write off Promotional Sample Invoice # - [insert client name]".
4. On the second Line, choose Cost of Goods Sold and enter the amount that the Cost of Goods are for this product in the Credits section. The Memo field should auto-populate.
5. Select the customer's name from the Name column.
6. On the third Line, select Accounts Receivable and enter the same amount as the write-off. The Memo field should auto-populate.
7. Select the customer's name again.
8. On the fourth Line, select Promotional/Samples. The Debits amount and Memo field should auto-populate.
9. Choose the customer's name.
10. Hit Save.

Finally, apply the credit to the payment by following these steps:

1. Go to + New > Receive Payment.
2. Select the customer's name.
3. All open transactions should be listed. Check the box beside the one(s) you want, then select Save and new. If there are no transactions, click Cancel.

For reference, you can read this article: Write off inventory items given as promotional samples.

Please let me know if you have additional questions on the details above or other concerns. I'll be right here to help you out. Have a good day ahead!

I was following this thread since I  am looking to do the same thing. I followed through all the instructions but for some reason I am getting my the negative number of my promotional/marketing price in my net operating income and net income instead of 0. 

What am i doing wrong?