I have two questions:

1.

The ending input mask should use periods as separators, as in 987.654.3210 with only the last seven digits required.
What I tried was:

999\.000\.0000;;_
But that only takes cares of the . separators, I don't know how to make it show only the last seven digits only.

2.
Define a table validation rule to verify that ContractStartDate field values precede ContractEndDate field values in time.
I tried for the table in the property sheet under "Valadation Rule." this:

[ContractStartDate]<[ContractEndDate]
Didn't work.