If this is your habit or necessity to simultaneously work on multiple open application; which very often need to tally data from each other. Then in both the cases first you have to activate the window before you can scroll the document up or down using the mouse wheel.
But if I say you can scroll any window using your mouse wheel, doesn’t matter whether it is active or not… then what you say?
Yes; there is very useful application called AlwaysMouseWheel, which solves your problem. This tool enables you to directly scroll the window even if it is inactive. You just need to hover the mouse over the window and you can scroll it even it is inactive.
To use this tool; there is nothing you would have to pay as this is absolutely free… and portable also which means you not need to install or run the setup. But copy anywhere or in the portable or removable and carry it where ever you want. The app is compatible on all versions of Windows both 32 and 64 bits and is very small in size too.