Dot is not the value for a missing observation. It is JMP's way of representing it in the data table or a script for your benefit. Just leave the value blank in Recode. In other words replace the target with nothing.
If you enter "." then JMP thinks it is a character value. (Not a missing character value, either!)
The only time the period character is used is in a script, such as an assignment. There has to be a value in an assignment:
Assign( left, right ) // assign right value to left variable
left = right