"however, that return was only donating a portion of the RMD."

What is on the 1099-R? A QCD will qualify as an RMD. An RMD is not a QCD if your taxpayer took ir directly and then donated it. Donating a portion of the RMD still requires you to know if that was direct from the brokerage or directly from the taxpayer. That's what the 1099-R should help you determine. and that's why a QCD is not also a deduction; there is no reporting of the income, so there also is no deduction.