From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsomething is in the works/pipelinesomething is in the works/pipelineinformal used to say that something is being planned or developed Upgrades to the existing software are in the works. → work
Examples from the Corpus
something is in the works/pipeline• The suit is meant to head off a legal attack against it by Apple which Quorum believes is in the works.• But Sassa said no time change is in the works.• Hence the suspicion that a compromise is in the works.• Legislation is in the works to encourage states to improve planning and prevention.• A Sprint spokeswoman declined comment, but company sources confirmed the plan is in the works.• A high-school program is in the works.• Another, even larger project is in the works just north of Puerto Pe asco. 