The interactions between prefrontal cortex and other areas during working memory have been studied for decades. Here we outline a conceptual framework describing interactions between these areas during working memory, and review evidence for key elements of this model. We specifically suggest that a top-down signal sent from prefrontal to sensory areas drives oscillations in these areas. Spike timing within sensory areas becomes locked to these working-memory-driven oscillations, and the phase of spiking conveys information about the representation available within these areas. Downstream areas receiving these phase-locked spikes from sensory areas can recover this information via a combination of coherent oscillations and gating of input efficacy based on the phase of their local oscillations. Although the conceptual framework is based on prefrontal interactions with sensory areas during working memory, we also discuss the broader implications of this framework for flexible communication between brain areas in general. •A theory of prefrontal-visual communication via oscillatory coherence is proposed.•Recruitment of visual areas during working memory occurs via induced oscillations.•Induced oscillations result in a phase-coding of stored sensory information.•Efficacy of inputs from visual to prefrontal cortex is gated by local oscillations.•Coherent oscillations between areas allow transfer of phase-coded information.